Maureen Waller

Maureen Waller is a Professor of Public Policy and Sociology at Cornell University, affiliated with the Brooks School. Her research focuses on family dynamics, poverty and inequality, and social policy, with a particular emphasis on marginalized communities and the intersections of criminal justice, debt, and family well-being. She holds a prominent role in qualitative and mixed-methods research, contributing to policy-relevant studies on child support systems, incarceration effects on families, and racial disparities in legal penalties.

Her work spans topics such as parental debt impacts on child outcomes, driver’s license suspension policies, and the role of fathers in mitigating socioeconomic inequalities. She teaches courses like SOC 4160 (Ethnography of Poverty/Inequality) and SOC 6150 (Qualitative/Survey Policy Research), emphasizing methodological innovation. Her research often bridges academic inquiry with actionable policy recommendations, addressing systemic issues in social welfare systems and family law.

Notable contributions include analyses of incarceration’s impact on father-child relationships, the consequences of child support arrears, and state-level policies affecting economically disadvantaged families. Her interdisciplinary approach combines sociological theory with practical data analysis to address pressing societal challenges.