Kris Miler

Kris Miler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland. She holds a PhD from the University of Michigan and a BA from the College of William & Mary. Her research focuses on political representation in Congress, particularly how the interests of marginalized groups like the poor are addressed in legislative processes. She is also a Faculty Affiliate at the Center for Effective Lawmaking (University of Virginia/Vanderbilt University).

Her major works include *Poor Representation: Congress and the Politics of Poverty in the United States* (2018), which won the APSA Best Book Award, and *Constituency Representation in Congress: The View from Capitol Hill* (2010), recipient of the APSA Alan Rosenthal Award. Her research explores cognitive biases in congressional staff perceptions, the role of interest groups, and legislative responsiveness to constituent needs.

Current projects include interdisciplinary studies on congressional cooperation through organizational psychology and computational linguistics analysis of legislative networks. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, and the Democracy Fund. She regularly engages in public discourse through congressional testimony, webinars, and media interviews about congressional modernization and legislative capacity.

• Educations:
  • PhD, University of Michigan
  • BA, College of William & Mary
• Key Research Themes:
  • Congressional decision-making
  • Surrogate representation mechanisms
  • Legislative staff dynamics
  • Constituency perception biases

Her awards reflect recognition for bridging academic research and practical legislative challenges. Collaborative work with Dr. Frances Lee on congressional organizational climates has produced influential reports for institutional reform discussions.