Maureen Waller

Maureen Waller is a Professor in the Jeb. E Brooks School of Public Policy at Cornell University, with a joint appointment in Sociology. Her research has drawn on hundreds of qualitative interviews, national surveys and policy data to examine several cross-cutting issues related to poverty and inequality, family and U.S. social policy. A central strand of this research documents the experiences of economically and racially marginalized groups at the intersection of the welfare, child support, family court, and criminal-legal systems. Her work also prioritizes policy and community engagement, and she has presented her work to many community groups, state and federal governmental agencies, and other policy audiences. Prior to joining the Cornell faculty, she received a PhD in Sociology from Princeton University and was a research fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California.