Dr. William A. Smith

Dr. William A. Smith is the originator of the term Racial Battle Fatigue and his research focuses on the effects that chronic and ongoing racism has on racialized Targets of Racism (aka People of Color). As he defines it, Racial Battle Fatigue is the cumulative emotional, psychological, physiological, and behavioral effects that racial micro-level aggressions and macro-level aggressions have on racialized targets. 

Dr. Smith’s work has appeared in such prestigious journals as The International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, Journal of Negro Education, Harvard Educational Review, Educational Administration Quarterly, American Educational Research Journal, Journal of Minority Achievement, Creativity, and Leadership, Spectrum: The Journal of Black Males, and American Behavioral Scientist. He is also the co-editor (with Philip Altbach & Kofi Lomotey) of the book, The Racial Crisis in American Higher Education: The Continuing Challenges for the 21st Century (2002). The newest edition of this groundbreaking book will be released at the end of 2020.

He is currently a Professor and Chair of the Department of Education, Culture & Society at the University of Utah. He also holds a joint appointment as a Professor in the African American Studies division of the Ethnic Studies Program. 

Dr. Paula Smith is a developmental psychologist with expertise in evaluation and assessment. Her research has focused on working with practitioners in youth-serving organizations to strengthen their ability to provide equitable and just environments for underserved youth. 

Her research and evaluation work has been supported by Planned Parenthood of Utah, the Utah Board of Juvenile Justice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency, the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Department of Education, and a variety of other agencies and foundations. 

Dr. Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy at the University of Utah, where she served as Interim Associate Vice President for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Department Chair, and the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Center for Community of Caring. Dr. Smith currently serves as a Board Member for the Society of Prevention Research, the National Prevention Science Coalition, and she is the Chair of the Utah Prevention Research Group.