A doctor who dedicated his career advocating for the culturally competent mental health treatment of Asian Americans died June 6th after complications from open heart surgery.

Emeritus Professor Stanley Sue of the University of California, Davis was 80.

The American Psychological Association described Sue as one of the most “prominent leaders in multicultural studies” and an “active contributor on issues related to minority populations.”

In 2003, he became the first recipient of the Stanley Sue Award for Distinguished Contributions to Diversity in Clinical Psychology, according to Wikipedia.

Professor Paul Leung, an emeritus professor at the University of North Texas, described Sue as a friend and colleague.

“My memories of Stan are all positive and he was a lot of fun, ” Leung said to AsAmNews by email. “Stan and his brother Derald wrote an article about Chinese American Personality and Mental Health that appeared in an early volume of Amerasia in 1971. It’s now often seen as the beginning of Asian American psychology.  At that time, there were very few psychologists of Asian and other minorities.”

Sue studied the impact of having a therapist of the same ethnicity and the problems of mental health among ethnic populations.

He is survived by his wife Sue, four siblings, (David, Derald, Lynda and Leslie Sue) and numerous nieces and nephews.  

He taught at University of California, Davis (1996–2010) and at Palo Alto University as well as UCLA and the University of Washington over his 30-year career.

His obituary reads ” Although it was Stan’s heart that gave out in the end, Stan’s kindness and his loving and vibrant presence touched his family and his professional community in ways that will not be forgotten. What Stan stood for will continue to inspire others. “

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