10/08/2026
Congratulations! We're excited to announce that Quinton DeJuan Cotton, PhD, MSSA, has been named Director of Research for the Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP), a key appointment as the Center charges into an ambitious new chapter.
In this role, Cotton will shape and lead CRSP's program of research, working closely with Center leadership, Pitt Social Work faculty, and community and university partners to identify priority areas, strengthen grant-funded scholarship, and ensure the Center's research agenda translates into real-world impact for the communities it serves.
"Dr. Cotton brings exactly the kind of vision and rigor CRSP needs for this next chapter," said Dean Kyaien Conner. "He has a rare ability to move seamlessly between research, practice, and community, and that's exactly what will help us strategize and move our research program forward."
An assistant professor in the School of Social Work, Cotton is a gerontologist and intervention scientist whose research examines how life events, social position, and social "ISMs" such as racism, ageism, and ableism shape health and wellbeing across the life course. Much of his work focuses on strengthening supports for people living with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers, particularly Black American families, across community and clinical settings. He brings more than two decades of clinical, macro practice, and public health experience to the role.
"Stepping into the Research Director role is an exciting opportunity to build on CRSP's strong foundation of advancing racial justice," said Dr Cotton. "I'm looking forward to connecting with students, staff, faculty, and community partners as we work together to deepen CRSP's impact through research that doesn't just inform the conversation on racial justice but moves it forward."
