Dr. Gregory Herek is a distinguished emeritus professor renowned for his pioneering contributions to the scientific understanding of prejudice against sexual minorities. Currently holding the position of Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Davis, he earned his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the same institution in 1983. Following his doctoral studies, he completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Yale University and served as a faculty member at the City University of New York Graduate Center. He returned to UC Davis in 1989, first as a research psychologist and later as a tenured professor since 1999, before retiring in 2016 while maintaining an influential scholarly presence.
Professor Herek is internationally recognized as a leading authority who pioneered the scientific study of heterosexuals' prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, coining the term 'sexual prejudice' as a more precise replacement for 'homophobia.' His groundbreaking research has extensively documented the prevalence of stigma directed at people with HIV/AIDS and sexual minorities in the United States, with his empirical studies addressing the mental health consequences of hate crimes targeting lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. Having published more than 100 scholarly papers and seven edited volumes on these topics, his work has been widely cited by public health experts, legal advocates, and policymakers. His methodological contributions to survey and questionnaire research methods have provided essential tools for measuring attitudes toward sexual minorities with scientific rigor.
Beyond his scholarly contributions, Professor Herek has profoundly shaped policy and legal frameworks through his service as an expert witness in numerous high-impact cases, including Perry v. Schwarzenegger, which successfully challenged California's Proposition 8. He has assisted the American Psychological Association in preparing over 20 amicus briefs, including the landmark brief cited by the US Supreme Court in its 2015 Obergefell decision establishing marriage equality. His leadership roles have included chairing the Scientific Review Committee for the American Psychological Foundation's Wayne F. Placek Award for 12 years and serving on the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine's Committee on LGBT Health Issues. Recognized with prestigious awards including the APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest and the Kurt Lewin Memorial Award, his enduring legacy continues to inform contemporary discussions on sexual orientation, prejudice, and social justice.
