Meet Ayo Dada
As a Knight-Hennessy scholar, Ayo Dada is bringing the principles of social psychology to the problem of gender disparity in education.
How did you become interested in the study of social psychology as it relates to gender disparities?
As an undergraduate at the University of Lagos in Nigeria, I started noticing how gender disparities seemed to exist everywhere around me. For example, as an academic mentor to other students, I observed stark differences in people’s expectations for what women could achieve. I was studying psychology at the time, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the degree.
A major inspiration came during my senior year, when I happened to reach out to Dr. Carol Dweck, Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford and author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. I was thinking about ways to apply a growth mindset to culture and remove some of the perceived boundaries that people inherit. Imagine my surprise when she responded to my email within a few hours! She offered to help with my research, and this assured me that I was onto something.
Fast-forward a few years, and now my research focuses on using psychology to craft interventions that reduce gender disparities in education. The story has come full circle because Dr. Dweck is now one of my advisers in the PhD program at Stanford. We are working together to find solutions to the problems of ethnic and gender prejudice and academic underachievement around the world.
What factors led you to apply to Stanford?
In Nigeria, perfect grades (equivalent to 4.0 in the U.S.) in any major are very rare. When I graduated from the University of Lagos in 2016, I was the first person in the country to achieve this for at least three decades, which the university celebrated with a press conference. This recognition provided a springboard to explore many opportunities.
First, I worked in a business planning division for consumer goods at Procter and Gamble (P&G). Next, I briefly tried a role in banking at the Central Bank of Nigeria. But through these experiences, I realized that I really wanted to get back to studying psychology. I returned to the University of Lagos to begin some new research and, soon after, I started applying to graduate programs.
Stanford’s program had many of the qualities I was looking for, but I also reached out to universities in Australia and the U.K. It's more common for people who study psychology at the University of Lagos to consider the U.K. first before applying to schools in the U.S. But then I remembered Dr. Dweck’s work and her response to my earlier interest in gender disparities. I especially liked her approach of trying to distill what works psychologically and then applying those principles broadly and at scale.
What prompted you to apply to Knight-Hennessy Scholars?
Serendipity has been a big part of my journey. I was in a conversation with friends from the University of Lagos, and I told them I had applied to Stanford; but, in the meantime, I had received a well-funded offer at a top university in the U.K. They knew of a student from our school who was part of the inaugural cohort of Knight-Hennessy scholars and they encouraged me to apply. “Just put in your application, you never know,” they said. When I started to explore the website, and what the application required, I found it really interesting.
The application process itself was fun to do because it challenged me to engage in introspection and draw out what I had learned in my life’s journey. The further into the application I got, the more invested I became in doing it well. I'm really pleased that it turned out the way it did.
How are you spending your time at Stanford today?
I'm currently in my fourth year at Stanford, and my typical day has evolved as I've progressed through the PhD program. During the first two years, I spent a lot of time in classes and labs. We would talk about ideas and think about ways to deploy them in the world. It was a very busy time. Eventually, I started teaching as well, so I would work on my research, attend classes, and work as a teaching fellow. I discovered that I really enjoy teaching, as it helps me drill down on certain ideas, including some that are outside my area of specialization in social psychology.
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars activities also have been a big part of my life and have enriched the overall experience for me. I spend time at Denning House, interact with other scholars, and participate in the scheduled programming like the leadership seminars, the KHeystone Ideas Festival, and the international trips.
How has being a Knight-Hennessy scholar shaped your experience at Stanford?
Knight-Hennessy Scholars became my first community at Stanford. I quickly formed strong connections with peers in the program. They came to pick me up at the airport, showed me where to get groceries, and even cooked for me sometimes. When I first arrived, I didn't know anyone, and my fellow Knight-Hennessy scholars were the people who showed up for me. That immediacy and responsiveness of support created a strong emotional connection to the community.
I also have learned a lot from interacting with mentors in the program and from discussing case studies of real-world problems. The global trips have been another highlight. Last summer, I went on a group trip to Norway, and we learned about how that country is approaching the question of sustainability.
How important is the interdisciplinary nature of the program to your experience?
I’ve learned so much about fields outside of psychology because of Knight-Hennessy Scholars. All seven Stanford schools are represented, and we have scholars from almost every discipline. I think this is a great model for solving real-world problems because the problems in the world do not care what discipline you've studied. They are multifaceted so, to make a difference, you need to have familiarity with all kinds of domains. The Knight-Hennessy Scholars community exemplifies the interdisciplinarity that Stanford is known for, and I've benefited greatly from that.
Having the chance to meet guest speakers from different domains left an impression as well. For example, we heard from NASA astronaut Dr. Ellen Ochoa, who was the first Hispanic director and second female director of the Johnson Space Center. After her talk, we had a conversation about organizational culture and management approaches. From experiences like this, I began to see how all disciplines could interface with others and find synergistic approaches for creating public good.
It was so powerful for me to have regular conversations with well-known leaders and to see how it’s possible to be the one who leads change. I came away believing that when an opportunity presents itself, and if your values are clearly aligned with the good you wish to see, something will beckon you and you should heed that call when it comes.
What are some of your interests outside of psychology?
I love exploring Northern California in my free time. I go on walks along the Dish trail close to campus, and sometimes I go to San Francisco or Oakland to visit friends. I’ve traveled as far as Mendocino in the north and to the wine country in Napa and Sonoma. I try not to work too much on the weekends because I’ve discovered that keeping the weekends free of work makes me more productive on the weekdays.
What advice would you give to someone considering applying to Knight-Hennessy Scholars?
Knight-Hennessy Scholars has been personally meaningful for me, and I would strongly encourage anyone interested in the program to apply. However, I think some people may see scholar profiles on the website and find them to be intimidating.
As applicants, we don't give ourselves enough credit; some of the things we’ve accomplished can feel trivial to us, but they will seem amazing to others. I recommend taking a step back, doing the introspection, and honing in on some aspect of your experience that truly represents your values and just talk openly about it. Your story is valid and will resonate with someone. Give yourself the chance to benefit from an opportunity like this. It will have a great impact on your long-term journey.
If you are from a culture or a community that isn't well represented in places like this, simply applying and going through that process will make it more likely that your story gets told. It puts your identities, your goals, and your dreams out there for people to hear and consider. There is so much cultural diversity here at Knight-Hennessy Scholars, but I believe that it can be even better if we encourage more people to apply from different parts of the world.