About the Vice President for Research
Hilary Horn Ratner has been the Vice President for Research at Wayne State University since July 1, 2007. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Sociology summa cum laude with honors from Kent State University, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Upon completion of a two-year individual post-doctoral National Research Service Award at the University of Chicago, she joined the faculty of Wayne State University as an assistant professor within the Department of Psychology and became Professor in 1993. She joined the Graduate School as Associate Dean from 1999 to 2001. In 2002 she was named Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School and in 2006, as Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School and International Programs.
Dr. Ratner's research expertise is focused on memory and learning, primarily among preschool and school-aged children. She has published widely in these areas and has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Education, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, the National Institute on Aging, The Wellcome Trust, and the McGregor Foundation to support her research. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and has served as a member of the editorial board of a number of journals. She coordinates a university-wide initiative at WSU called the Children’s Bridge, which brings together researchers from across the campus to address issues related to children’s health, development, and education.
Dr. Ratner has been honored with the Michigan Association of State Governing Boards' Distinguished Faculty Award and at Wayne State University has received the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching, the President's Exceptional Service Award, and a Career Development Award.