This 2-page brochure provides a brief introduction to the social psychological literature on unconscious biases and assumptions. It focuses on how these unconscious biases might influence evaluation of candidates in the faculty search process. It recommends specific approaches, policies, and practices based on this research aimed at reducing the impact of bias.

The brochure is produced by The Women in Science & Engineering Leadership Institute (WISELI), a research center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. WISELI was formed in 2002 with funding from the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE: Institutional Transformation program.