Faculty Experts: Institute for Policy Research

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Faculty Experts

IPR faculty experts represent a cross section of the University's schools and many of its departments.

If you need assistance in finding an expert, get in touch and we'll connect you with an expert on your topic of interest.

We have more than 50 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 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 IPR Bio
Lori Beaman Associate Professor of Economics IPR Fellow Research Areas: Poverty, Race and Inequality Social Disparities and Health 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 Assistant 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 Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality 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
P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale Frances Willard Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Education Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: 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 well-being 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 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 academic achievement 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: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Research Topics: Political and science communication Representation Sports politics Experimental methodology IPR Bio
David Figlio Orrington Lunt Professor of Education and Social Policy and of Economics (by courtesy) \| Dean of the School of Education and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Education Policy Performance Measurement and Rewards Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Social Disparities and Health Urban Policy and Community Development Research Topics: School accountability School vouchers Education finance Intergenerational issues in health and education Teacher and principal quality Welfare policy IPR Bio
Daniel Galvin Associate Professor of Political Science IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Research Topics: U.S. labor politics Party politics The American presidency 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 Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Labor market discrimination The causes and consequences of racial inequality Long-term effects of early life health IPR Bio
Laurel Harbridge-Yong Associate Professor of Political Science IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Research Topics: American politics, congressional elections, public opinion, and representation Polarization, bipartisanship, compromise, and gridlock in Congress and state legislatures Public policy 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 Social Disparities and Health 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 IPR Fellow Research Areas: Education Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: Race Gender Criminal records Stigma IPR Bio
Kirabo Jackson Abraham Harris Professor of Education and Social Policy IPR Fellow 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
Seema Jayachandran Professor of Economics IPR Fellow Research Areas: Poverty, Race and Inequality Research Topics: Health and education in developing countries Gender equality Environmental conservation IPR Bio
Christopher Kuzawa 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
Ofer Malamud Associate Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Education Policy Performance Measurement and Rewards Politics, Institutions and Public 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: Education Policy 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 (On leave 2020-2021) 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, behavior, and opinion formation Partisanship and group identification Public opinion regarding scientific information and science in public policy 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 Assistant 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 Professor of Sociology \| Director of the Northwestern Neighborhood & Network (N3) Initiative 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
Monica Prasad Professor of Sociology and Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences Board of Visitors Professor IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Research Topics: Taxation Comparative political economy Corruption 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 Social Disparities and Health 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 Assistant 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 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 Assistant Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Education Policy Social Disparities and Health 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 Director and Fellow Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Education Policy Performance Measurement and Rewards Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Education policy Child health Anti-poverty policies Economics of food consumption Food stamps IPR Bio
Morton Schapiro Professor and President, 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: Performance Measurement and Rewards Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Research Topics: Healthcare economics Prescriber and patient behavior Opioids and other prescription drugs Determinants of mental health IPR Bio
Hannes Schwandt Assistant Professor of Human Development and Social Policy IPR Fellow Research Areas: Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Quantitative Methods for Policy Research 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: 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
Bruce D. Spencer Professor of Statistics IPR Fellow Research Areas: Performance Measurement and Rewards Politics, Institutions and Public Policy Poverty, Race and Inequality Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Statistics used in public policy and legal settings Evaluation of the Census and other data programs Demographic statistics Design and analysis of samples and other statistical studies Statistical assessment of earthquake hazard predictions IPR Bio
Chloe Thurston Assistant Professor of Political Science IPR Fellow 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 Associate 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
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 Research Areas: Child, Adolescent and Family Studies Poverty, Race and Inequality Quantitative Methods for Policy Research Social Disparities and Health Research Topics: Global health Maternal and child nutrition Water security Food insecurity Infant feeding HIV Pica (non-food cravings) IPR Bio

Our more than 100 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
Galya Ben-Arieh Department: Political Science Department Bio
Nicola Bianchi Department: Management and Strategy Department Bio
Henry Binford Department: History Department Bio
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
Héctor Carrillo Department: Sociology Department Bio
Jenifer Cartland Department: Pediatrics Department Bio
David Cella Department: Medical Social Sciences Department Bio
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
Noshir Contractor Department: Industrial Engineering & Management Sciences Department Bio
David Dana Department: Law Department Bio
Shari Seidman Diamond Department: Law Department Bio
Matthias Doepke Department: Economics Department Bio	Child, Adolescent and Family Studies
Jack Doppelt Department: Journalism Department Bio
Greg Duncan Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Annette D’Onofrio Department: Linguistics 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
Eli Finkel Department: Psychology Department Bio
Steven Franconeri Department: Psychology Department Bio	Quantitative Methods for Policy Research
William Funk Department: Preventive Medicine 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
John Hagan Department: Sociology and Law Department Bio
Eszter Hargittai Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
Nia Heard-Garris Department: Pediatrics Department Bio
Paul Hirsch Department: Management and Organizations Department Bio
Jessica Hullman Department: Computer Science and Journalism Department Bio
Benjamin Jones Department: Strategy Department Bio
Olga Kamenchuk Department: Communications Department Bio	Politics, Institutions and Public Policy
Dean Karlan Department: Finance Department Bio
Sara Katsanis Department: Feinberg Department Bio	Social Disparities and Health
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
Dan Lewis Department: Human Development and Social Policy Department Bio
Molly Losh Department: Communication Sciences and Disorders Department Bio
Jolie Matthews Department: Learning Sciences Department Bio
Michael Mazzeo Department: Management and Strategy Department Bio
Leslie McCall Department: Faculty Adjunct 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
Daniel O'Keefe Department: Communication Studies/Sociology 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
Sylvia Perry Department: Psychology Department Bio	Poverty, Race and Inequality
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
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
Eva Redei Department: Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department Bio
Mar Reguant Department: Economics Department Bio	Urban Policy and Community Development
Michelle Reininger Department: Faculty Adjunct Department Bio
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
Michael Rodríguez-Muñiz Department: Sociology 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
Edward (Ned) Smith Department: Management and Organizations Department Bio
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
Seth Stein Department: Earth and Planetary Sciences Department Bio
Quincy Thomas Stewart Department: Sociology Department Bio
Jennifer Tackett Department: Psychology Department Bio
Linda Teplin Department: Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department Bio
Susan Thistle Department: Sociology Department Bio
Christopher Udry Department: Economics Department Bio
Brian Uzzi Department: Management and Organizations Department Bio
Rob Voigt Department: Linguistics Department Bio
Lauren Wakschlag Department: Medical Social Sciences Department Bio
Ellen Wartella Department: Communication Studies Department Bio
Charles Whitaker Department: Journalism Department Bio

We host visiting scholars each year. Scholars are paired with an IPR faculty member with similar research interests. Find out more about our visiting scholars and their research areas below.

Ming Ji

Visiting Scholar, 2019–2020

University: Jilin University, China

Research Areas:

Social welfare policy
Happiness economics
Ecological economics

IPR Sponsor: Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach

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.

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

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

Donna Leff

Professor Emeritus of Journalism

Research Areas:

Science and medical reporting
Investigative reporting
Urban issues

DEPARTMENT BIO

Benjamin Page

Gordon Scott Fulcher Professor of Decision Making Emeritus

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

Burton Weisbrod

Cardiss Collins Professor of Economics Emeritus

Research Areas:

Performance Measurement in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors

DEPARTMENT BIO

Faculty Experts

IPR faculty experts represent a cross section of the University's schools and many of its departments.

Emma Adam

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Lori Beaman

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Julia Behrman

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Tabitha Bonilla

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John Bullock

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P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale

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Anthony Chen

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Edith Chen

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Mesmin Destin

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James Druckman

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David Figlio

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Daniel Galvin

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Jonathan Guryan

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Laurel Harbridge-Yong

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Larry V. Hedges

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Simone Ispa-Landa

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Kirabo Jackson

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Seema Jayachandran

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Christopher Kuzawa

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Ofer Malamud

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Charles F. Manski

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Thomas McDade

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Mary McGrath

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Greg Miller

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Sally Nuamah

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Robin Nusslock

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