FABBS is proud to recognize Dr. Jill Becker, University of Michigan, and Dr. Calvin Lai, Rutgers University, as our 2026 Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Awardees.
Dr. Becker received the Norman Anderson Senior Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award, acknowledging her years of service to advancing the principles of IDEA in the brain and behavioral sciences. The award is named after Dr. Norman Anderson, whose research on racial, ethnic, and economic health inequities, combined with his leadership at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American Psychological Association (APA), and the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM), has advanced equity and inclusion in science and society. Dr. Becker has spent over three decades investigating sex differences in neural systems underlying addiction and motivated behavior. Her research has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of biological sex differences in vulnerability to addiction. She co-founded the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences, served as Editor‑in‑Chief of the journal Biology of Sex Differences, and has mentored numerous students and early-career scientists, particularly women and members of underrepresented groups. In a video interview with FABBS Vice President, Dr. Lee Ryan, Dr. Becker shared her early career inspiration, provided an overview of her research, and discussed her commitment to mentoring the future generation of researchers.
Dr. Lai received the Kellina Craig-Henderson Early- to Mid-Career Award in recognition of his extensive and impactful research on implicit bias, prejudice, and discrimination. The award is named after Dr. Kellina Craig‑Henderson, who advanced IDEA and the behavioral and brain sciences through her leadership at the National Science Foundation (NSF), including serving as head of the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) Directorate. Dr. Lai’s research develops interventions to reduce hidden biases, with applications beyond his field in policing, hiring practices, and more. He is also on the Scientific Advisory Board of “Project Implicit,” a network of researchers dedicated to understanding, minimizing, and providing education on implicit biases. Talking with FABBS Past President, Dr. Jeff Zacks, Dr. Lai shared his unique path into the behavioral and brain sciences, his focus on how to mitigate bias and discrimination in our contemporary moment, and his approach to mentorship.
Please join us in congratulating Drs. Becker and Lai!
