Elizabeth Burland

Elizabeth Burland is an Assistant Research Professor in the University of Connecticut School of Public Policy. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Sociology from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan (2023), along with an M.A. and B.A. in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the Biden School of Public Policy at the University of Delaware (2015 and 2015, respectively). Prior to her doctoral studies, she worked at the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration, supporting the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission.

Her research focuses on educational stratification, economic inequality, and public policy design. She employs mixed methods, including experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations paired with qualitative interviews, to study how students make educational decisions, the impact of financial aid policies on college access, and how educational inequality contributes to broader social stratification. Her work emphasizes collaboration with institutional and state-level partners to design and evaluate policies aimed at reducing inequality.

Burland’s expertise includes policy analysis, qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, and the intersection of inequality and social systems. She is affiliated with the Hartford Campus and can be reached via email at elizabeth.burland@uconn.edu.