Information about William B. Elder – University of Utah Clinician, Scientist & Teacher

William Barlow Elder, a University of Utah PhD student in Counseling Psychology, provides a sensitivity and awareness to multiculturalism and diversity that further strengthen his developing identity as a researcher in Counseling Psychology. He is and continues to be not only dedicated to multicultural work as a part of our field’s perspective on diversity, but demonstrates a genuine personal and professional interest in understanding how someone’s cultural context, including class, race, ethnicity, ablebodiedness, sexual conduct / orientation, gender, age, etc., impacts their lives.

Will’s dedication to a multicultural perspective is seen in his choice of research topics that explore issues of culture and socialization. His breadth and depth of knowledge and application about multicultural and diversity issues give him a perspective of how these issues affect the therapeutic relationship.

As a researcher, William Elder has mastered the complexities of gathering and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data and is capable of independent research. In the past year, he has published two pieces of original research (one quantitative, on Asian East Indian women's counseling expectations, and one qualitative, his thesis research about heterosexual men's relationships) and a book chapter about counseling men with relationship difficulties.

He has written about teaching the psychology of men and done quantitative study about career barriers women face in academic surgery. He has written publications that represent a strong commitment not only to mixed-methods approaches, but the potential to be a productive researcher with strong critical thinking and writing abilities. Additionally, he presents his own research at national conferences. Will currently works on projects with the Department of Surgery at University of Utah Hospital, both of them qualitative studies, one about career barriers for women in surgery, and the other the effects of disruptive behavior by surgeons on the hospital environment.


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