Rashawn Ray, a Professor of Sociology and Executive Director of the Lab for Applied Social Science Research (LASSR) at the University of Maryland, College Park, is an expert in racial equity, policing and criminal justice reform, health policy, wealth, and family policy. He has testified at both federal and state levels and has developed a virtual reality program for law enforcement and conducted implicit bias trainings for thousands of employees, police officers, and military personnel. Ray is a regular contributor to CNN, BBC, and NPR, and has written for publications such as the New York Times, USA Today, and Business Insider. He is also a Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution and serves on the National Advisory Committee for the RWJF Health Policy Research Scholars Program. Ray's research focuses on racial and social inequality, particularly in police-civilian relations and men's treatment of women. He has published numerous books, articles, and op-eds, and his work has appeared in prestigious academic journals such as the American Journal of Sociology and Science Advances. Ray has received several awards for his contributions to sociology and public engagement with science. He is a sought-after speaker and addresses topics such as creating civility and tolerance in an uncivil society, embracing diversity in the workplace, reducing racial disparities in policing, and the impact of social media on societal divisions.
George Floyd’s death significantly shifted public opinion as 76% of Americans agreed that incidents such as the killing of Floyd are signs of racism within law enforcement. While the public outcry often includes the views of the general public, missing are police officers themselves. Presenting research from data with law enforcement, Ray finds that police officers are quite open to adjusting budgets and engaging in innovative trainings using virtual reality technology to help transform policing. Ray presents a series of policy solutions that include what we can do to help our communities improve policing outcomes.
From mass shootings to police killings to hate crimes, the United States is witnessing what seems like an unprecedented number of violent and divisive incidents. Simply put, America is grappling with its social and cultural norms. So, how do we create civility and tolerance in an uncivil and intolerant society? Presenting Research from a series of academic studies, Dr. Rashawn Ray helps to identify trust points and create brave spaces to leave participants more educated about the causes and solutions related to inequality.
This lecture provides an overview of research on diversity in the workplace, and how more diversity actually increases the bottom line. Dr. Rashawn Ray provides strategies for increasing diversity and properly evaluating worker satisfaction and attrition. Participants will leave with ways to foster, enhance, and evaluate diversity efforts in the workplace.
Social media platforms use algorithms that provide us with content they think we will engage with the most. This does not always mean it is the best or most objective content. In this lecture, Dr. Rashawn Ray provides leaders and staff members with strategies to understand social media algorithms, disseminate more objective content, and think consciously about public image management.
