Kathleen Bogart Brings Disability Research Into Mainstream Conversation
Psychology professor Kathleen Bogart challenges ableism through research on disability, rare disorders, and facial differences. Her work appears in major outlets and informs workplace policy discussions.
Kathleen Bogart, a professor of psychology at Oregon State University, has spent her career studying how society treats people with disabilities—and pushing back against widespread misconceptions.
Bogart earned her Ph.D. in experimental social psychology from Tufts University in 2012. Her research examines the psychosocial effects of living with disability, rare disorders, and facial differences like Moebius syndrome, a rare condition causing facial paralysis.
As someone with a disability herself, Bogart has positioned her work at the intersection of personal experience and academic rigor. She serves on the American Psychological Association Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology, sits on the Rehabilitation Psychology editorial board, and advises the Moebius Syndrome Foundation Scientific Advisory Board.
Her research output spans both academic and public channels. The Atlantic, New York Times, Time, Science Magazine, and Financial Times have featured her work. In 2019, she co-edited a Journal of Social Issues special issue focused entirely on ableism.
Bogart's recent writing tackles specific barriers disabled people face. She has examined why people with visible disabilities still feel pressure to "come out" and explain their conditions to curious observers. She has also investigated how invisible disabilities—those without obvious outward signs—often meet skepticism that can be more damaging than the symptoms themselves.
Her work addresses broader workplace dynamics as well. Research shows people with disabilities face unemployment rates nearly double that of non-disabled individuals, despite evidence that companies prioritizing workplace inclusion perform better. Bogart frames this as untapped potential in the labor market.
Bogart presents internationally on disability awareness, treating disability as diversity rather than deficit. She is available for speaking engagements, consulting, and expert testimony. Her lab at Oregon State focuses on the intersection of disability, social psychology, and systemic inequity.
