INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH

We have more than 40 faculty fellows who contribute to our core research areas and participate in IPR events. 

Faculty Fellows
Emma Adam Edwina S. Tarry Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Poverty, Race and Inequality Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Stress and adolescent emotional, behavioral, and academic development Effects of stress on cognition and health Race-based stress and racial disparities in health and academic outcomes Interventions to reduce stress and its impacts on adolescents and young adults IPR Bio
Lori Beaman Associate Professor of Economics IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: Development and labor economics Social networks and information dissemination Impact of development policies on decision making Gender IPR Bio
Julia Behrman Assistant Professor of Sociology IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: Demography Education Gender and family Inequality Fertility Health IPR Bio
Tabitha Bonilla Associate Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Research Topics: Human trafficking Campaign promises  Political messaging Political representation Voting behavior IPR Bio
John Bullock Associate Professor of Political Science IPR Fellow - On leave 2023–24 Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Research Topics: Partisanship and partisan bias in political thinking Knowledge and ignorance of politics among ordinary voters Education's effects on attitudes toward inequality IPR Bio
Anthony Chen Associate Professor of Sociology and of Political Science (by courtesy) IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: American political development and public policy since the New Deal Politics of social policy, civil rights, and business-government relations Affirmative action in college admissions IPR Bio
Edith Chen John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Chair, Professor of Psychology, and Co-Director of the Foundations of Health Research Center IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Poverty, Race and Inequality Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: The biological and psychological mechanisms associated with poverty and poor health in children Resilience in youth—why some who confront adversity stay in good health The consequences of upward mobility for the health of minority youth IPR Bio
Mesmin Destin Associate Professor of Psychology and Human Development and Social Policy and Northwestern Faculty Director of Student Access and Enrichment Chair of IPR's Program on Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies | IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Education Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Socioeconomic disparities in achievement and wellbeing Identity-based motivation Social psychological field experiments IPR Bio
James Druckman Payson S. Wild Professor of Political Science IPR Associate Director; IPR Fellow Research Areas: Performance Measurement and Rewards Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Research Topics: Political and science communication Representation Sports politics Experimental methodology IPR Bio
Eli Finkel Professor of Psychology | Professor of Management and Organizations Morton O. Schapiro IPR Faculty Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Research Topics: Relationship science Political psychology Partisanship and democracy IPR Bio
Daniel Galvin Professor of Political Science IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Research Topics: Low-wage workers New forms of worker organization (alt-labor) Labor standards enforcement U.S. politics, American presidency, political parties, American political development IPR Bio
Jonathan Guryan Lawyer Taylor Professor of Education and Social Policy Chair of IPR’s Program on Education Policy; IPR Fellow Research Areas: Education Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: Labor market discrimination The causes and consequences of racial inequality Long-term effects of early life health IPR Bio
Laurel Harbridge-Yong Professor of Political Science IPR Fellow - On leave 2023–24 Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Research Topics: American politics, primary and general elections, public opinion, and representation Polarization, bipartisanship, compromise, and gridlock in Congress and state legislatures Harassment, threats and violence toward elected officials and the erosion of democratic norms IPR Bio
Larry V. Hedges Board of Trustees Professor of Statistics and Education and Social Policy | Professor of Psychology | Professor of Medical Social Sciences Co-Director of the STEPP Center; IPR Fellow Research Areas: Education Policy Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Research Topics: Statistical methods for meta-analysis Evidence-based methodology for social science research Social distribution of academic achievement in America Educational policies and practices IPR Bio
Simone Ispa-Landa Associate Professor of Human Development and Social Policy and Associate Professor of Sociology IPR Fellow Research Areas: Education Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: Race Gender and sexuality Criminal records Stigma IPR Bio
Kirabo Jackson Abraham Harris Professor of Education and Social Policy | Professor of Economics IPR Fellow - On leave 2023–24 Research Areas: Education Policy Performance Measurement and Rewards Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Labor economics Public finance Economics of education, in particular, teacher quality and effectiveness IPR Bio
Elisa Jácome Assistant Professor of Economics IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: Mental health and crime Intergenerational mobility Immigration and crime IPR Bio
Christopher Kuzawa John D. MacArthur Professor of Anthropology IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Influence of intrauterine and early postnatal environments on development and long-term health Social disparities and health Male reproductive ecology and the psychobiology of social relationships IPR Bio
Brian Libgober Assistant Professor of Political Science and Law (by courtesy) IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Research Topics: Lobbying Regulations Administrative politics IPR Bio
Ofer Malamud Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Education Policy Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Research Topics: General and vocational education Technology and child development Returns to college education IPR Bio
Charles F. Manski Board of Trustees Professor in Economics IPR Fellow Research Areas: Performance Measurement and Rewards Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Research Topics: Econometrics and statistics Judgment and decision making Public policy analysis IPR Bio
Thomas McDade Carlos Montezuma Professor of Anthropology IPR Fellow | Director of IPR's Cells to Society: The Center on Social Disparities and Health Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Long-term effects of early environments, with an emphasis on inflammation and health Health disparities Biomarkers for population-based research Social and cultural contexts of stress and health IPR Bio
Mary McGrath Assistant Professor of Political Science IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Research Topics: Political decision making and behavior Climate change opinion formation Partisanship and polarization IPR Bio
Greg Miller Louis W. Menk Professor of Psychology | Co-Director of the Foundations of Health Research Center IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Poverty, Race and Inequality Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Health consequences of poverty in children Stress-related changes in immune system functions Asthma, cardiometabolic disease, and perinatal outcomes IPR Bio
Sally Nuamah Associate Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Education Policy Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Social Disparities and Health Urban Policy and Community Development Research Topics: Urban politics Race and gender equity issues in schools School closures  Political behavior IPR Bio
Robin Nusslock Associate Professor of Psychology IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Neuroscience Emotion Mental health, depression, and stress Inflammation Poverty IPR Bio
Andrew V. Papachristos IPR Director and John G. Searle Professor | Professor of Sociology | Director of the Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research and Science (CORNERS) IPR Fellow Research Areas: Poverty, Race and Inequality Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Urban Policy and Community Development Research Topics: The diffusion of crime and violence in social networks and urban neighborhoods Gun violence and gun violence prevention Street gangs Neighborhood effects Urban poverty and inequality Policing and police reform in the United States IPR Bio
Christine Percheski Associate Professor of Sociology IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Poverty, Race and Inequality Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Women’s employment Family demography Economic inequality Marriage and family formation Health insurance coverage IPR Bio
Sylvia Perry Associate Professor of Psychology IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: Stereotyping and prejudice Intergroup relations Health disparities Psychological wellbeing IPR Bio
Lincoln Quillian Professor of Sociology Chair of IPR's Program on Urban Policy and Community Development; IPR Fellow Research Areas: Poverty, Race and Inequality Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Urban Policy and Community Development Research Topics: Discrimination Residential segregation Neighborhood formation Racial attitudes IPR Bio
Beth Redbird Assistant Professor of Sociology IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Research Topics: Inequality/stratification Economic sociology Organizations, occupations, and work Quantitative methodology IPR Bio
Onnie Rogers Associate Professor of Psychology and of Education and Social Policy (by courtesy) IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Education Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: Child and adolescent development Racial and gender identity Racial and gender stereotypes Diversity, schooling, and education IPR Bio
James Rosenbaum Professor of Education and Social Policy, and of Sociology (by courtesy) Chair of IPR’s Program on Poverty, Race, and Inequality; IPR Fellow - On leave 2023–24 Research Areas: Education Policy Performance Measurement and Rewards Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: High-school-to-work transition Employers and community colleges Gautreaux Program Moving to Opportunity IPR Bio
Terri Sabol Associate Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow - On leave 2023–24 Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Education Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: Early childhood education policy Child development Family engagement Reduction in early-life disparities IPR Bio
Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach Margaret Walker Alexander Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Education Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Research Topics: Education policy Child health Anti-poverty policies Economics of food consumption Food stamps IPR Bio
Morton Schapiro President Emeritus and Professor, Northwestern University IPR Fellow Research Areas: Education Policy Research Topics: Economics of higher education College financing and student aid Measuring college success IPR Bio
Molly Schnell Assistant Professor of Economics IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Healthcare economics Prescriber and patient behavior Opioids and other prescription drugs Determinants of mental health IPR Bio
Hannes Schwandt Associate Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Poverty, Race and Inequality Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Health economics and labor economics Fetal origins of human capital Economic demography: Fertility, mortality, and inequality Subjective wellbeing, midlife crisis IPR Bio
Rebecca Seligman Associate Professor of Anthropology IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Cultural influences on mental health and healing Effects of social inequalities on physical and mental health Embodiment, psychophysiology, and mind-body interaction Immigrant mental health IPR Bio
Chloe Thurston Associate Professor of Political Science IPR Fellow (On leave 2023–24) Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: American political development Race, ethnicity, and politics Racial and gender inequality in housing and insurance Comparative historical analysis Policy feedback IPR Bio
Elizabeth Tipton Professor of Statistics Co-Director of the STEPP Center; IPR Fellow Research Areas: Education Policy Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Research Topics: Statistical methods for meta-analysis Evidence-based methodology for education and psychology research Design and analysis of field experiments IPR Bio
Silvia Vannutelli Assistant Professor of Economics IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Research Topics: Public finance Political economy Economics of state and local governments IPR Bio
Sandra Waxman Louis W. Menk Chair in Psychology | Professor of Cognitive Psychology IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Biological thought and culture Early linguistic and cognitive development Word learning in infants IPR Bio
Sera Young Associate Professor of Anthropology and Global Health IPR Fellow - On leave 2023–24 Research Areas: Poverty, Race and Inequality Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Global health Maternal and child nutrition Water insecurity Food insecurity Infant feeding HIV Pica (non-food cravings) IPR Bio

Our more than 120 faculty associates and adjuncts, listed below with links to their biographical pages in their respective departments and schools, are key participants in our research-based community.

Faculty Associates	Research Areas
Ronald Ackermann Department: General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Department Bio	Quantitative Methods for Policy Research
Katherine Amato Department: Anthropology Department Bio
Ana Aparicio Department: Anthropology Department Bio
Ana Arjona Department: Political Science Department Bio
Lauren Beach Department: Feinberg Department Bio
Nicola Bianchi Department: Management and Strategy Department Bio
TJ Billard Department: Communication Studies Department Bio	Politics, Institutions and Public Policy, Social Disparities and Health
Michelle Birkett Department: Medical Social Sciences Department Bio
Bernard Black Department: Finance and Law Department Bio
Pablo Boczkowski Department: Communication Studies Department Bio
Ann Borders Department: Obstetrics and Gynecology Department Bio
William Brady Department: Management and Organizations Department Bio
Héctor Carrillo Department: Sociology Department Bio
David Cella Department: Medical Social Sciences Department Bio
Tessa Charlesworth Department: Kellogg Department Bio	Poverty, Race and Inequality, Quantitative Methods for Policy Research
Dennis Chong Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Anna Chorniy Department: Feinberg Department Bio	Social Disparities and Health
Crystal Clark Department: Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department Bio
Cynthia Coburn Department: Human Development and Social Policy Department Bio
Jeannette Colyvas Department: Human Development and Social Policy/Learning Sciences Department Bio
Maia Connors Department: Institute for Policy Research Department Bio	Child, Adolescent and Family Studies, Education Policy
Noshir Contractor Department: Industrial Engineering & Management Sciences Department Bio
David Dana Department: Law Department Bio
Shari Seidman Diamond Department: Law Department Bio
Annette D’Onofrio Department: Linguistics Department Bio
Greg Duncan Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Matthew Easterday Department: Learning Sciences Department Bio
Janice Eberly Department: Finance Department Bio
Stephanie Edgerly Department: Journalism Department Bio
Steven Epstein Department: Sociology Department Bio
Joe Feinglass Department: General Internal Medicine/Preventive Medicine Department Bio
Joseph Ferrie Department: Economics Department Bio
Steven Franconeri Department: Psychology Department Bio	Quantitative Methods for Policy Research
Patricia Franklin Department: Feinberg Department Bio	Social Disparities and Health
William Funk Department: Preventive Medicine Department Bio
Alexander Furnas Department: Kellogg Department Bio
Francesca Gaiba Department: Research Department Bio
Jordan Gans-Morse Department: Political Science Department Bio
Craig Garfield Department: Pediatrics Department Bio
Craig Garthwaite Department: Strategy Department Bio
Elizabeth Gerber Department: Mechanical Engineering Department Bio
Claudia Haase Department: Human Development and Social Policy Department Bio
Eszter Hargittai Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Nia Heard-Garris Department: Pediatrics Department Bio
Daniel Horton Department: Earth and Planetary Sciences Department Bio	Politics, Institutions and Public Policy
Jessica Hullman Department: Computer Science and Journalism Department Bio
Kylie Jiwon Hwang Department: Management & Organizations Department Bio	Politics, Institutions and Public Policy, Poverty, Race and Inequality
Benjamin Jones Department: Strategy Department Bio
Olga Kamenchuk Department: Communications Department Bio	Politics, Institutions and Public Policy
Dean Karlan Department: Finance Department Bio
Doug Kiel Department: History Department Bio	Politics, Institutions and Public Policy
Brayden King Department: Management and Organizations Department Bio
Cynthia Kinnan Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Kristen Knutson Department: Neurology and Preventive Medicine Department Bio
Arend Kuyper Department: Statistics Department Bio
Craig LaMay Department: Journalism Department Bio
Molly Losh Department: Communication Sciences and Disorders Department Bio
Alexander Lundberg Department: Feinberg Department Bio
Maryann Mason Department: Feinberg Department Bio
Jolie Matthews Department: Learning Sciences Department Bio
Leslie McCall Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Soledad McGrath Department: Institute for Policy Research Department Bio
Therese McGuire Department: Management and Strategy Department Bio
Julie Lee Merseth Department: Political Science Department Bio
Rachel Davis Mersey Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Vijay Mittal Department: Psychology Department Bio
Daniel Molden Department: Psychology Department Bio
Daniel Mroczek Department: Psychology Department Bio
Quinn Mulroy Department: Human Development and Social Policy Department Bio
Brian Mustanski Department: Medical Social Sciences Department Bio
Robert Nelson Department: Sociology Department Bio
Erik Nisbet Department: Communication Studies Department Bio
Matthew Notowidigdo Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Ivuoma Ngozi Onyeador Department: Management and Organizations Department Bio	Politics, Institutions and Public Policy, Poverty, Race and Inequality
Mary Pattillo Department: Sociology/African American Studies Department Bio
Frank Penedo Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Gregory Phillips Department: Medical Social Sciences Department Bio
Nichole Pinkard Department: Learning Sciences Department Bio	Child, Adolescent and Family Studies, Education Policy, Poverty, Race and Inequality, Social Disparities and Health
Lindsay Pool Department: Feinberg Department Bio
Robert Porter Department: Economics Department Bio
Lori Ann Post Department: Feinberg Department Bio	Child, Adolescent and Family Studies, Poverty, Race and Inequality, Social Disparities and Health
Yang Qu Department: Human Development and Social Policy Department Bio
David Rapp Department: Psychology Department Bio
Mar Reguant Department: Economics Department Bio	Urban Policy and Community Development
Jennifer Richeson Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Lauren Rivera Department: Management and Organizations Department Bio
Andrew Roberts Department: Political Science Department Bio
Daniel Rodriguez Department: Law Department Bio
William Rogerson Department: Economics Department Bio
Leonard Rubinowitz Department: Law Department Bio
Paola Sapienza Department: Finance Department Bio
Max Schanzenbach Department: Law Department Bio
Aaron Shaw Department: Communications Department Bio
Michelle Shumate Department: Communication Studies Department Bio
Melissa Simon Department: Obstetrics and Gynecology Department Bio
Peter Slevin Department: Journalism Department Bio	Politics, Institutions and Public Policy
Teresa Eckrich Sommer Department: Institute for Policy Research Department Bio	Child, Adolescent and Family Studies, Poverty, Race and Inequality
James Spillane Department: Human Development, Social Policy and Learning Sciences Department Bio
Amanda Starc Department: Strategy Department Bio
Jacqueline Stevens Department: Political Science Department Bio
Quincy Thomas Stewart Department: Sociology Department Bio
Kimberly R. Marion Suiseeya Department: Political Science Department Bio	Politics, Institutions and Public Policy
Jennifer Tackett Department: Psychology Department Bio
Linda Teplin Department: Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department Bio
Christopher Udry Department: Economics Department Bio
David Uttal Department: Psychology & Education and Social Policy Department Bio
Brian Uzzi Department: Management and Organizations Department Bio
Rob Voigt Department: Linguistics Department Bio
Lauren Wakschlag Department: Medical Social Sciences Department Bio
Amisha Wallia Department: Feinberg Department Bio	Social Disparities and Health
Ellen Wartella Department: Communication Studies Department Bio
Celeste Watkins-Hayes Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Charles Whitaker Department: Journalism Department Bio
Kimberly Yuracko Department: Law Department Bio
Yudong Zhang Department: Feinberg Department Bio

Our community of scholars also includes faculty emeriti who continue to play a role in the institute and its activities. Use the links below to view their biographical pages in their respective departments and schools.

Henry Binford

Professor Emeritus of History

Research Areas: 

• 19th century American history
• Urbanization and city growth

DEPARTMENT BIO

P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale

Professor Emerita of Human Development and Social Policy

Research Areas: 

• Two-generation programs that promote low-income parents' and their children's education simultaneously
• How social policy issues affect family functioning and the development of children, youth, and adults
• Social disparities and health and wellbeing

IPR BIO

Fay Lomax Cook

Professor Emerita of Human Development and Social Policy

Research Areas: 

• Public opinion and social policy
• Politics of public policy 
• Public deliberation 
• Dynamics of public and elite support for social programs

IPR BIO

Thomas D. Cook

Professor Emeritus of Sociology and IPR Fellow Emeritus

Research Areas: 

• Law and social sciences
• Criminal law
• Legal profession

DEPARTMENT BIO

Jack Doppelt

Professor Emeritus of Journalism

Research Areas: 

• Media law and ethics
• Reporting of legal and immigrant affairs
• Social justice journalism

DEPARTMENT BIO

Alice Eagly

James Padilla Emerita Chair of Arts and Sciences | Professor of Psychology Emerita

Research Areas: 

• Psychology of gender and attitudes 
• Changes in gender attitudes 
• Women and leadership

IPR BIO

John Heinz

Owen L. Coon Professor Emeritus of Law

Research Areas: 

• Law and social sciences
• Criminal law
• Legal profession

DEPARTMENT BIO

Barton Hirsch

Professor Emeritus, Human Development and Social Policy

Research Areas: 

• Program development, implementation, and evaluation in relation to adolescents

DEPARTMENT BIO

Paul Hirsch

Professor Emeritus of Management & Organizations

Research Areas: 

• Organizational Change
• Organizational Culture
• Ethics, Corporate Misbehavior
• Restructuring

DEPARTMENT BIO

Donna Leff

Professor Emerita of Journalism

Research Areas: 

• Science and medical reporting 
• Investigative reporting
• Urban issues

DEPARTMENT BIO

Dan Lewis

Professor Emeritus of Human Development and Social Policy

Research Areas: 

• Welfare reform
• Community reactions to crime
• Mental health deinstitutionalization
• Chicago school decentralization
• Civic engagement

DEPARTMENT BIO

Daniel O'Keefe

Emeritus Professor of Communication Studies

Research Areas: 

• Public Persuasion and Opinion 

DEPARTMENT BIO

Benjamin Page

Gordon Scott Fulcher Professor Emeritus of Decision Making

Research Areas: 

• American political development
• Comparative historical analysis
• Public opinion
• Political communication
• Political participation

DEPARTMENT BIO

Wesley G. Skogan

Professor Emeritus of Political Science

Research Areas:

• Police organization and innovation
• Community policing
• Impact of crime on communities and families
• Community-based public security
• Immigration, crime, and homeland security

DEPARTMENT BIO

Bruce Spencer

Professor of Statistics

Research Areas:

• Statistical decision theory for statistical agencies
• Statistical sampling in networks

DEPARTMENT BIO

Seth Stein

William Deering Professor Emeritus

Research Areas:

•  Eearthquake hazard mitigation science and policy
• Boundary processes and deformation within the lithosphere
• Plate tectonics
• Space geodesy

WEBSITE

Burton Weisbrod

Cardiss Collins Professor of Economics Emeritus

Research Areas:

• Performance Measurement in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors

DEPARTMENT BIO