Lori Patton Davis

Lori Patton Davis, Ph.D. is one of the most influential scholars in the field of higher education. She is a Professor in the Department of Educational Studies in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. Dr. Patton Davis is past president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, the first Black woman to lead the organization. She is best known for her important cross-cutting scholarship on African Americans in higher education, critical race theory, Black culture centers, Black girls and women in educational and social contexts, and college student development. She is the author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and other academic publications appearing in highly-regarded venues, has been cited in multiple publications, and her research has been funded by grants from the Spencer Foundation, Lumina Foundation, and American Psychological Foundation. She has received national recognition for her scholarly contributions including her delivery of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 18th Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research and being recognized as an AERA Fellow. She is a frequently sought expert on various education topics. The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, USA Today, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, and dozens of other media outlets have quoted her and featured her research. She has also advised university presidents and other senior administrators, philanthropic foundation executives, culture center directors, and educators in urban K-12 schools.