Meet the Team
Lab Director
Ines Jurcevic is a social psychologist and public policy scholar whose research examines how people interpret diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, how identity and context shape judgment and social interaction, and how public institutions can design equity efforts that are credible, durable, and effective in practice. Her work bridges social psychology, behavioral science, organizational behavior, and public administration, with projects spanning organizations, higher education, public symbols, behavioral policy, and public-sector implementation. For more information, please see the Research page and her faculty page.
She received her B.S. in Psychology at the University of Washington and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Social Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to joining the Evans School, she was a Post-doctoral Researcher at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia and Adjunct Lecturer at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.
At the University of Washington, she directs the Social Policy & Identity Research Lab and mentors students conducting research at the intersection of social psychology and public administration, organizational behavior, leadership, and public policy.
Research areas
Equity, legitimacy, and institutional signaling in organizations and communities
Identity, stigma, intergroup judgment, and responses to bias
Behavioral science, public policy, and the design of equitable public institutions
Graduate Students
Laura Prokić is a third-year doctoral student at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. She joined SPIR in the fall of 2024. Her research focuses on managing processes of change that can facilitate greater equity in public organizations. Her current work explores the behavioral assumptions (and consequences) of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in state and local governments.
Current Undergraduate Research Assistants & Honors Students
Julia Schweppe is a third-year student studying Business Administration and Public Policy, with an interest in law and politics. She has been a part of this lab since Fall 2025. She has had the opportunity to examine how social and environmental factors shape policy outcomes. Living in the diverse City of Seattle, Julia is particularly interested in how individuals’ perceptions of identity and society influence behavior.
Allie Goodman-Callender (she/her) is a senior at the University of Washington majoring in Political Science and International Studies. She is interested in how law and public policy shape opportunities and outcomes for marginalized communities, particularly in the context of immigration and human rights. At the SPIR Lab, Allie is excited to explore how institutional policies and practices intersect with social biases to influence fairness and individual outcomes. She looks forward to gaining research experience that will deepen her understanding of the real-world implications of policy design and implementation.
Jaden Zika is a fourth-year at the University of Washington majoring in Psychology with a minor in Public Policy and Data Science. He is interested in the intersection of psychology and public policy and how people interact and respond to policy. Jaden’s Honors Thesis investigates methods of risk communication and how communications can be designed to facilitate productive relationships between stakeholders.
Undergraduate Lab Alumni
Top Row: Amy Willerford, Taicheng Jin, Ava Pecora, Karina Paup Byrnes
Second Row: Jordan Hawkins, Regan Gong, Danny Bush, Balqisa Hassan
Third Row: Nathan Chen, CJ Robinson, Ruyue Feng, Apichaya "Angie" Sangiamputtakoon
Fourth Row: Timila Kulkarni, Priya Hariharan, Elizabeth Young, Claire McCreery
Fifth Row: Tori Satterfield, Lukasz Kowalski, Grace Lewis, Ashley Magpali
Sixth Row: Elizabeth Sweet, Anastasia Preradovic, Jinie Chon, Ny Ha
Seventh Row: Adaya Stewart, Gordon La, Samrawit Gebreyesus