Melissa Kearney is a Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland, a non-resident Senior Fellow at Brookings; a scholar affiliate and member of the board of the Notre Dame Wilson-Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO); and a scholar affiliate of the MIT Abdul Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and co-chair of the J-PAL cities and states inititative. Kearney’s research focuses on issues of social policy, poverty, and inequality. Many of her papers examine the effect of government programs and economic conditions on the behaviors and outcomes of economically disadvantaged populations.
Follow on Twitter: @kearney_melissa
Melissa S. Kearney's Research Interests
- Family and fertility economics
- Income inequality and social mobility
- Human capital investments & college completion
- U.S. safety net programs