Lydia Wileden

Lydia Wileden is an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Connecticut (UConn), affiliated with the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy (IMRP) within the School of Public Policy. Her research focuses on urban policy, neighborhood change, and the intersection of resident perceptions with academic and governmental measurements of neighborhoods. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Sociology from the University of Michigan and a postdoctoral position at the University of Chicago’s Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation. Her work bridges urban sociology, demography, and public policy to address spatial inequality and improve policy design.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Public Policy and Sociology, University of Michigan (2022)
• M.A. in Sociology, University of Michigan (2017)
• B.A. in Urban Studies and Human Rights, Barnard College, Columbia University (2011)

Research emphasizes how residents’ subjective understandings of neighborhoods influence decision-making and policy outcomes. Her projects include large-scale surveys to develop innovative neighborhood assessment tools and studies on racial disparities in vaccine uptake during the pandemic. She also investigates urban density debates, gentrification dynamics, and the impact of federal stimulus programs in cities like Detroit.

Her professional background includes roles with the White House Office of Urban Affairs, NeighborWorks America, and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi’s office, blending academic research with applied public policy.

Labs/Teams: Active in IMRP and collaborates with the Mansueto Institute. Her work is supported by grants focusing on urban innovation and pandemic response mechanisms.