Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Thought Leadership

Themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are central pillars of thought leadership at Michigan Ross. Our community of faculty, staff, and students pursue a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to developing and disseminating impactful knowledge and groundbreaking research related to DEI in business. 

Focused Coursework

Learn more about some of the Michigan Ross courses that help prepare students to be diverse and inclusive leaders in business. 

Leading Diverse Teams and Organizations: A DEI Toolkit (MO 730)

Leading Inclusive, High-Performing Organizations (MO 605)

Impact of Financial Markets on Social Welfare (FIN 625)

Equity Analytics (STRATEGY 415/615)

Academic Research

Explore recent DEI academic research authored by Michigan Ross faculty.

Interviews, Essays, and Op-Eds

Access the latest DEI-focused interviews, essays, and op-eds from Michigan Ross faculty.

Brands' Growing Embrace of Pride Month Encouraging, but Challenge Comes After June
Faculty News & Research
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DEI Research and Teaching Awards

The annual DEI Research and Teaching Awards honor research related to diversity, equity, and inclusion conducted at Michigan Ross. Additionally, the J. Frank Yates Diversity and Inclusion Teaching Excellence Award honors a faculty member who demonstrates a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and who makes a significant positive impact on the learning and growth of students. 


The 2022 award recipients are:

BBA Senior Thesis - Noor Sheikh-Khalil
Who Loses Out: Evaluating the Association Between County Vulnerability and Closures of U.S. Hospitals, Emergency Departments, and Obstetric Departments

BBA Senior Thesis - Suibhne Ó Foighil
Closing the Gap: Corporate Boards Add More Women When Interlocking with Diverse Peers

PhD Research - Reuben Hurst
Combatting Political Stigma with Countervailing Claims: Evidence from Charlottesville

Faculty Research - Justin T. Huang, Assistant Professor of Marketing and Julia Lee Cunningham, Associate Professor of Management and Organizations
From Anti-China Rhetoric to Anti-Asian Behavior: The Social and Economic Cost of ‘Kung Flu’

Faculty Research - Jim Omartian, Assistant Professor of Accounting, Clyne Crawford Teaching Fellow, Ernst and Young Faculty Fellow
Misreporting of Gender Pay Gap Information

Faculty Research - Maxim Sytch, Professor of Management and Organizations
Shared Social Contexts and the Dynamics of Inequality in Social Networks

J. Frank Yates Diversity and Inclusion Teaching Excellence Award - Christopher Rider, Thomas C. Kinnear Professor and Associate Professor of Strategy

Research Centers and Institutes

Michigan Ross is home to centers and institutes committed to furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion within their areas of focus through research and campus programming. 

The Michigan Ross DEI Leadership Team
Carolyn Yoon

Carolyn Yoon, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Carolyn Yoon is the associate dean for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and the Wilbur K. Pierpont Collegiate Professor of Management at the Ross School of Business. She is also a professor of marketing at Ross and a faculty associate at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. As associate dean for DEI, she is charged with guiding the school's DEI strategic plan and implementation. She is passionate about championing key initiatives at Ross to advance diversity, equity, and justice and foster a vibrant culture of inclusion and belongingness for students, staff, and faculty.

Thomas Bell

Thomas Bell, Director of Diversity and Inclusion

Thomn Bell is a critical race scholar/practitioner with 16 years of professional experience. Prior to joining Ross, he served as director of the Center for Educator Preparation and as the inaugural managing director of the Urban Institute for Racial, Economic & Environmental Justice, both at U-M Flint, and as assistant professor of education and director of accreditation at Madonna University. He completed his PhD in Higher Education Leadership at Colorado State University (CSU), where he researched whiteness and white supremacy in the educational project. He also earned an MS from CSU in higher education and a BS from Grand Valley State University.