Alec Ian Gershberg

Alec Ian Gershberg is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Urban Studies at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts & Sciences, and a Senior Fellow in the International Educational Development Program at Penn GSE. He holds a Ph.D. in Regional Science from the University of Pennsylvania (1993), an M.A. in Regional Science (1990), and a B.A. in American Civilization and Literature & Society from Brown University (1986).

His research focuses on social and education policy, public finance, and political economy in both developing and OECD countries, with expertise in Latin America, East Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. He has led major projects, including a five-year RISE program on the political economy of education reform in multiple countries. He has also served as a consultant to institutions like the World Bank, DFID, and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Teaching interests include Urban Sociology, Global Urban Education, and Systems Thinking for International Development. He has held visiting roles at Stanford University, the Open University of Catalunya, and El Colegio de Mexico. Awards include the 1999 University Distinguished Teaching Award from The New School.