Elsie Moore, a beloved Arizona State University faculty member and pioneer in diversity, equity and inclusion, died on Feb. 21 at the age of 72.

“Elsie shared her grace, intellect and love of learning with every person she encountered,” ASU President Michael M. Crow said. “She advanced against intellectual and cultural adversaries with wisdom, understanding and love. She made a difference here at ASU and in our broader world, and will be deeply missed.” Elsie Moore offers opening remarks before U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor begins her conversation in front of a full ASU Gammage auditorium on Monday, Jan. 23, 2017, at the 18th John P. Frank Memorial Lecture. Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU News Download Full Image

When she first came to ASU in 1981, she set out to provide leadership and improve the diversity at the university. Throughout her 40-plus year career at ASU, she accomplished this in a number of roles across the Tempe and West campuses, including as a professor, director, faculty head, vice provost and associate dean at the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences and the School of Social Transformation.

In addition to the formal positions she held at ASU, Moore was actively involved in a number of university committees, including as president of the University Senate, president of the Faculty Women’s Association and as a member of the Senate Personnel Committee and the Academic Affairs Grievance Committee. She was a founding member of the Faculty Women of Color Caucus and served on the women’s studies advisory board for nearly 10 years, helping to establish the program and hire the first director of women and gender studies.

“Elsie was a fierce advocate for positive change. She inspired people in all that she did at ASU and The College. As a mentor, leader, scholar and friend, Elsie leaves behind an incredible legacy. We hope to continue the important work she started,” said Patrick Kenney, dean of The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

In the ASU community, Moore was known for her commitment to teaching, mentoring and supporting faculty. Her dedication ensured that countless faculty members were successfully promoted and tenured. As a mentor, Moore served on over 30 dissertation and master’s thesis committees in her areas of specialization. 

She was recognized with numerous awards for excellence throughout her career, including YWCA's Racial Justice Award, the ASU Alumni Teaching Award, the College of Education Undergraduate Teaching Award and the Graduate Student Mentor Award.

Her vast body of research addressed inequities in educational settings and ensured justice and equality for students of color. She studied child development in the context of schools, challenging deficit models and the ways that tests were administered and test scores were used without regard to underlying race, socioeconomic or gender bias. Her research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Moore received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and philosophy from Elmhurst College and a master’s degree and PhD in human development with specializations in child development and psychoeducational assessment from the University of Chicago.

Originally from Sussex County, Virginia, Moore moved to the Phoenix area with her husband, Aaron Wade Smith, who was a professor and chair of sociology at ASU. The two met while in graduate school, and married in 1977.