Dr. Kelly Hirsch

Before completing her PhD, Dr. Hirsch graduated with a BA in psychology and an MA in experimental psychology from California State University, San Bernardino. Since completing her doctorate, Dr. Hirsch has spent over 10 years applying rigorous research to real-world problems. She has led UX and consumer insights research at companies such as ZipRecruiter, Ethos Life, and Robinhood, and has conducted high-stakes litigation research with Fortune 500 clients. She has also been recognized as an expert witness in research methods and statistics, bringing a rare combination of academic rigor and applied, decision-focused research experience. Her scholarship has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and Social Psychological and Personality Science.

Dr. Hirsch has extensive mentorship experience, having supervised undergraduate researchers in psychology labs at both California State University, San Bernardino, and Texas A&M University. She has 10+ years of research coaching experience and has supervised 100+ projects, and has been the lead researcher on all research projects in her post-academic career. Students Dr. Hirsch has coached have presented at conferences, including the Western Psychological Association and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. They have also been accepted to programs at Columbia Law School, Southern Methodist University School of Law, the University of Southern California, and the University of North Dakota.

Dr. Hirsch brings students a combination of academic training and hands-on research experience across industry and legal contexts, making her a strong mentor for pre-law students pursuing original work in law, public policy, and political psychology. She genuinely enjoys helping students find research questions that excite them and building the skills to see a project through from start to finish.

Dr. Hirsch boxes in her free time and has a corgi who is deeply unimpressed by her athletic abilities.