Katherine Starzyk, Ph.D., is a Professor in Social and Personality Psychology at the University of Manitoba. She is also a Founding Member of the Centre for Human Rights Research and the Centre for Social Science Research & Policy. Born in Poland, Katherine brings her identities as a Polish Canadian woman to her work.

Through her research, teaching, and service, Katherine aims to contribute to social justice. Her research focuses on how to shift attitudes toward past and present human rights issues. In collaboration with students in her Social Justice Laboratory and others across disciplines and sectors, Katherine’s work is multidisciplinary and involves diverse methodologies, including interviews, focus groups, and public polling; survey, correlational, and experimental methods; as well as quantitative, qualitative, and archival analysis. Through this work, Katherine aims to make both scholarly and applied contributions.

Presently, alongside a dedicated team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners and collaborators, Katherine is spending much of her time on the Canadian Reconciliation Barometer. To this project, Katherine brings her expertise in psychometrics and intergroup relations as well as experience managing large projects. Such a tool is one way to track progress toward reconciliation as Canada works to resolve the serious and varied past and present harms perpetrated against Indigenous peoples.

In collaboration with Dr. Becky Choma and Dr. Iloradanon Efimoff at Toronto Metropolitan University, Katherine is also investigating the role perceived norms and individual differences play in collective action.

Finally, Katherine is involved in the Spectrum project, a social policy evaluation collaborative team.