Brenda Straka

Brenda Straka is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and leads the Minds On Social Groups And Identity Cognition (MOSAIC) Lab.

• Ph.D. in Experimental Social Psychology, Duke University (2022)
• M.A. in Experimental Social Psychology, Duke University (2020)
• B.A. in Psychology & Cognitive Science, University of Virginia (2017)

Her research focuses on identity negotiation among historically marginalized groups, cognitive foundations of social categorization, and the impacts of exclusion on well-being. She employs experimental, behavioral, and developmental methodologies to explore these themes.

• Vice Chancellor's Distinguished Postdoctoral DRIVE Fellow (2024)

Dr. Straka’s work emphasizes inclusivity in psychological research, particularly for Multiracial, Latine, Native American, and first-generation communities.