Lawrence Berger

Lawrence Berger serves as Director of the Institute for Research on Poverty and Professor of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Social Work, where he also holds the position of PhD Chair. His work bridges academic research with policy development to enhance child and family wellbeing through evidence-based interventions.

His educational background includes:

• B.A. from Rutgers University (1993)
• M.S.W. from Hunter College School of Social Work (1997)
• Ph.D. in Social Work from Columbia University (2002)

Berger's research examines how economic resources, sociodemographic factors, and public policies shape parenting behaviors and child outcomes. He investigates three core areas: determinants of child maltreatment and out-of-home placements; socioeconomic influences (family structure, economic resources, household debt) on child development; and policy impacts on family wellbeing. His methodological approach employs advanced statistical analysis of large-scale datasets to inform interventions that optimize child development environments and strengthen family functioning.

Scientific awards have not been specified in available materials.

As PhD Chair, Berger mentors doctoral candidates in Social Work. His research has secured substantial funding from the National Institutes of Health (NICHD), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Administration on Children and Families), Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and MacArthur Foundation, reflecting the policy relevance of his work on vulnerable families.