Alexandra Minna Stern

Alexandra Minna Stern is the Dean of the UCLA Division of Humanities since November 2022, leading initiatives to expand interdisciplinary humanities programs and downtown Los Angeles expansion. Previously, she was a professor and associate dean at the University of Michigan, where she held appointments in American Culture, History, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her research focuses on eugenics, genetics, and social justice, notably through her award-winning books Eugenic Nation and Proud Boys and the White Ethnostate. Stern co-directs the Sterilization and Social Justice Lab, which influenced California’s compensation program for eugenics victims. She has received grants from the NEH, NIH, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary social justice advocacy. Educated at San Francisco State University (B.A.), UC San Diego (M.A.), and the University of Chicago (Ph.D. in History), she is a leading voice in medical humanities and critical race studies.

Her leadership emphasizes strengthening global languages, health humanities, and disability studies. Notable awards include the Choice Outstanding Academic Title for Telling Genes. Stern’s academic appointments at UCLA include the Departments of English and History, and the Institute for Society and Genetics. She has advised on congressional investigations into Capitol events and continues to advocate for public humanities’ societal relevance.