Photo of Que-Lam Huynh

California State University, Northridge psychology professor Que-Lam Huynh has been named an “emerging scholar” by leading education magazine Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

Each year, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education recognizes an interdisciplinary group of minority scholars under the age of 40 as “emerging scholars.” Scholars are selected based on factors such as commitment to teaching and/or community service, scholarly awards, honors and academic accomplishment.

Huynh was nominated by Yan Searcy, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

“I was humbled to be nominated by Dean Searcy, and I am appreciative of the honor to be chosen. In my life and career, I try to do things that I believe in and am passionate about,” Huynh said. “Awards and recognition are the last things on my mind as I am considering what path to take and how to conduct my work. Having said that, it is nice to be recognized for the work that I have done by this particular publication, which I have read and followed for quite some time because of their attention to issues of equity and justice.”

Huynh’s research program focuses on the experiences of marginalized communities such as ethnic, racial, and sexual minority group members. She brings a critical race perspective into psychological research to better understand the fundamental cognitive, affective, social, and motivational mechanisms that play a role in the identity and health of individuals from these marginalized populations.

Coming from a poor working-class, single-parent refugee family, Huynh said she is deeply committed to social justice. In her teaching, she covers topics such as prejudice and discrimination, power, privilege and multiculturalism.

Even after starting at CSUN nine years ago, Huynh believed her academic career path was a “pipe dream.” Now Huynh and her partner Angela-MinhTu D. Nguyen – a CSU Fullerton cultural psychology and statistics professor who is also from a refugee family – are tenured CSU faculty who guide and support students socially and academically.

“I feel like things have come full circle, and now I’m in a position to give back to my family and communities more than I ever could before,” Huynh said.

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education is a magazine that provides insight into critical issues facing higher education and its impacts on areas such as community colleges, disabilities, religion and women.

Visit Diverse Education for a list of all 2020 “emerging scholars.”

Department of Psychology, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, emerging scholar, Que-Lam Huynh