Quentin Riser

Quentin Riser is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Development & Family Studies at the School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and holds the Dean’s Equitable Early Lifespan Faculty Fellowship. He also serves as an affiliate at the Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP), Center for Demography and Ecology (CDE), and other interdisciplinary centers.

Dr. Riser holds a PhD and MS in Human Development & Family Studies from Iowa State University, and dual BS in Accounting and BA in Economics from William Jewell College.

Research Focus: Examines how family characteristics, public policies, and economic conditions shape children’s cognitive/social-emotional development and family well-being. Utilizes quantitative methods and administrative data to inform evidence-based interventions. Key areas include poverty dynamics, income volatility, child support compliance, and cross-national family policies.

Affiliations & Roles:

• IRP’s Wisconsin Administrative Data Core
• Center for Demography and Ecology (CDE)
• Institute for Diversity Science
• Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work

Labs: Leads the Riser Equitable Early Lifespan (REEL) Lab, focusing on equitable policies for early childhood development.