Mona Amer

Mona Amer is a Professor of Psychology at The American University in Cairo (AUC), where she founded the Department of Psychology and served as its first elected chair. Internationally recognized as a pioneer in Arab and Muslim American mental health research, she has significantly shaped policy and clinical practice through her work on behavioral health disparities.

Education:

• PhD in Clinical Psychology, University of Toledo (2005)
• Pre-doctoral Internship, Connecticut Mental Health Center/Yale University School of Medicine
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Ethnic/Racial Behavioral Health Disparities, Yale University Department of Psychiatry (2005-2007)

Research Focus: Amer's work centers on how immigration experiences, acculturation stressors, discrimination, and minority status create mental health disparities. She develops culturally competent interventions and psychometric tools specifically for Arab American populations, with special emphasis on post-9/11 socio-political contexts affecting Muslim communities. Her research bridges clinical practice, community programming, and ethical standards for minority mental health care.

Scientific Recognition: Among her distinguished honors are Egypt's national Scopus Award in Psychology (2019), the Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award (2016), and APA's Distinguished Graduate Student Award (2006). She was featured in the APA documentary 'Representation Matters' (2023) as one of 30 influential diverse psychologists.

• Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award (2016)
• Scopus Award in Psychology (2019)
• Distinguished Contribution Award (2020)
• APA Documentary Feature (2023)
• Excellence in Teaching Award (AUC)

Academic Leadership: Amer has served on 175+ committees (50% in leadership roles), co-founded AMENA-Psy (serving as first president), and established the Muslim Mental Health Network which catalyzed this interdisciplinary field. She served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Muslim Mental Health and contributed to SAMHSA initiatives addressing health disparities in minority communities.

Organizational Impact: Her founding of AMENA-Psy created the fifth ethnic minority psychological association in the US, while the Muslim Mental Health Network (launched 2000) pioneered cultural competence training now implemented across North America and Europe. She designed the first accredited training conferences for practitioners serving Muslim clients in the US and UK.