About Me.
My name is Megan Norris (she/her). I am a developmental scientist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. I work as a post-doctoral scholar with Dr. Laura Elenbaas in the Social Development lab. I received my Ph.D from the University of Louisville in 2023 under the mentorship of Dr. Nick Noles and a Master's degree from Appalachian State University working with Dr. Robyn Kondrad in 2018.
I study 3- to 12-year-olds' social cognition and moral development. My research focuses on children's acquisition and content of intergroup attitudes, the implications of those attitudes for social inequality, and the mechanisms that contribute to children's stereotype and prejudice reduction. You can learn more about these projects on the 'My Research' page.
I am also passionate about inclusive teaching at Purdue. I teach a class on diversity in individual and family life where I incorporate universal design principles and active learning strategies to teach undergraduate students about the diverse experiences of different social groups in America. To see more about my teaching experience you can go to the 'Teaching' page.
Experience
I was awarded the American Psychological Association's Dissertation Research Award in 2021 for my work on children's understanding of gender- and race-based inequality in social hierarchies.
I value mentorship of both graduate and undergraduate students. I have mentored undergraduate students in lab settings to present research at conferences and complete honors theses. I have also cofounded programs to guide new graduate students into the transition to graduate school and volunteered as a departmental mentor to younger graduate students.
I am dedicated to DEI initiatives in academic departments having served on DEI committees at the University of Louisville and Purdue University. As a graduate student I was part of a subcommittee that organized a symposia series that facilitated the presentation of topics following the ADDRESSING framework.
My dog Maple and I enjoy spending our time outdoors.