Elisabeth R. Gerber

Elisabeth R. Gerber serves as the Jack L. Walker, Jr. Professor of Public Policy at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, where she also holds a courtesy appointment as Professor of Political Science and serves as inaugural Faculty Director of the Online Master of Public Affairs program launching in January 2026. She is a Faculty Associate at the Center for Political Studies, Institute for Social Research.

Her educational background includes a PhD (1991) and MA (1989) in political science, and a BA (1986) in political science and economics—all from the University of Michigan, with her undergraduate degree earned with High Honors and High Distinction.

Gerber's research examines regional governance structures through lenses of intergovernmental cooperation, sustainable development, and urban climate adaptation. Her work analyzes transportation policy, community-economic development linkages, and mechanisms for enhancing local fiscal capacity and political accountability in metropolitan contexts. She investigates how institutional design influences policy outcomes across fragmented governance landscapes.

Her publication portfolio demonstrates consistent focus on urban political economy, with recurring themes of institutional incentives in transportation policy, mayoral leadership effects, and cooperative governance models. These works bridge political science, public administration, and urban studies through empirical analysis of regional planning and intergovernmental dynamics.

No scientific awards were documented in the provided materials.

Gerber co-leads the Detroit Metro Area Communities Study (DMACS), a longitudinal public opinion survey of Detroit residents, and founded ViewPoint—a software platform for educational role-play simulations. She actively contributes to Poverty Solutions, the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), and the Program in Practical Policy Engagement (P3E), leveraging interdisciplinary approaches to address urban governance challenges.