Medin PhD, Douglas

Senior Fellow

Douglas Medin is the Louis W. Menk Professor in Psychology and Education & Social Policy at Northwestern University. He previously taught at Rockefeller University, the University of Illinois and the University of Michigan. Best known for his research on concepts and categorization, his recent research interests have extended to cross-cultural studies of biological categorization and reasoning, cultural and cognitive dimensions of moral reasoning and decision making, and culturally- and community-based science education. This latter work has been conducted in the form of a partnership involving the American Indian Center of Chicago, the Menominee tribe of Wisconsin and Northwestern University. He has conducted research on cognition and learning among both indigenous and majority culture populations in Guatemala, Brazil, Mexico and the United States. Recently he served on the NRC committee on Informal Science Learning. Dr. Medin obtained his PhD and MA in Psychology from University of South Dakota and his BA from Moorhead State College.