Malissa Alinor

Malissa Alinor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on how discrimination impacts marginalized groups, including racial and gender bias experiences, emotional consequences, and organizational policy effects. She employs experimental, qualitative, and quantitative methods to study social psychology, emotions, and health disparities.

Education: PhD and MA in Sociology (University of Georgia), BA summa cum laude (University of Florida), and a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab.

Research Interests: Her work examines systemic inequalities through lenses of race, gender, and policy, with emphasis on workplace diversity, racial trauma, and health outcomes. Recent studies explore coping strategies among Black and Asian Americans, longitudinal racism experiences, and perceptions of Black men influenced by attire.

Publications: Featured in Social Psychology Quarterly, American Behavioral Scientist, and Harvard Business Review. Awards include recognition from the Southern Regional Education Board and American Sociological Association support.

Advising/Grants: No specific grants or advisee names listed, but her research directly informs organizational practices. Affiliated with UNC’s Department of Public Policy at Chapel Hill, NC.