Margaret Bull Kovera

Margaret Bull Kovera is a Presidential Scholar and Professor in the Psychology Department at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York. She serves as Director of the CUNY PhD Program in Psychology and Law and leads the LAW laboratory, which conducts research in eyewitness identification, jury selection, and expert evidence. An internationally recognized expert, Dr. Kovera has been continuously funded for over 25 years by federal agencies including the National Science Foundation and Bureau of Justice Assistance, with total funding exceeding $2.8 million.

Dr. Kovera received her B.A. in Psychology with departmental honors from Northwestern University (1988) and her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Minnesota (1994). Prior to joining John Jay College, she served on the faculties of Reed College and Florida International University.

Her research focuses on eyewitness identification procedures, legal decision making, and racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Dr. Kovera has extensively studied how lineup administration procedures affect identification accuracy, how jurors evaluate eyewitness testimony, and the racial bias in eyewitness identification that contributes to wrongful convictions. Her work bridges psychological science with legal practice, providing empirical evidence to improve criminal justice procedures.

Dr. Kovera's recent publications reveal a strong focus on racial disparities in eyewitness identification, police decision-making in suspect identification procedures, and the impact of diversity on legal processes. Her research increasingly examines how facial recognition technology contributes to wrongful arrests, how suspect race affects attorney evaluations of evidence, and the social context of eyewitness identification. These publications demonstrate her commitment to translating psychological science into practical legal reforms.

• Distinguished Contributions to Psychology and Law Award, American Psychology-Law Society (2025)
• American Psychology-Law Society Book Award for 'The Psychology of Juries' (2018)
• Distinguished Lecturer, National Science Foundation Distinguished Lecture Series (2017-2018)
• Saleem Shah Early Career Award for Excellence and Achievement in Psychology and Law (2000)
• American Psychology-Law Society Dissertation Award, First Place (1994)

Dr. Kovera has mentored numerous doctoral students who have gone on to prominent careers in academia, consulting, and research. Her LAW laboratory has been continuously funded for over 25 years, receiving more than $2.8 million from federal agencies including the National Science Foundation and Bureau of Justice Assistance. She regularly serves as an expert witness in cases involving eyewitness identification and as a jury consultant for attorneys, applying her research directly to legal practice.

The LAW laboratory, directed by Dr. Kovera, conducts research in three primary areas: Eyewitness Identification, Jury Selection, and Expert Evidence. Current doctoral students in the lab are investigating juror decision-making, mathematical models of eyewitness memory, lineup procedures, and the influence of diverse jury composition on deliberation quality. The lab has produced significant research on double-blind lineup administration, pretrial publicity effects, and the role of racial stereotypes in eyewitness identification errors.