Melissa Herman

Melissa Herman is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Dartmouth College, with adjunct roles in Public Policy, Government, and Education. Her research focuses on multiracial youth identity development, including how racial identity intersects with academic achievement, mental health, and social dynamics. She has held faculty positions at Dartmouth since 2004, including a half-time tenure-track appointment as Assistant Professor before transitioning to Senior Lecturer in 2017. Her work integrates sociology, psychology, and education policy, addressing topics such as affirmative action, interracial relationships, and the social construction of race.

Education includes a B.A. from Wesleyan University, M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Stanford University. Key research contributions explore multiracial adolescents' perceptions by professionals, measurement methodologies for multiracial populations, and policy implications of racial classification systems. She has conducted fieldwork in Moldova and Germany, examining educational systems and achievement motivation.

Teaching spans courses on affirmative action, social psychology, developmental psychology, and writing in the social sciences. Her administrative roles include Interim Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Students and Education Director at the Upper Valley Jewish Community. She has advised numerous undergraduate and graduate students, contributed to research grants, and served on committees for the American Sociological Association and Society for Research on Adolescence.