Loren Beard

Loren Beard is a Harvard College Fellow in the Department of Sociology at Harvard University and a 2025 PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Chicago. Their research examines social institutions and policies impacting child and family well-being, with a focus on child welfare systems, health inequities, and structural barriers faced by marginalized populations. Beard holds BAs in Global Studies and Neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania.

Education

• BA, Global Studies, University of Pennsylvania
• BA, Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania
• PhD Candidate, Sociology, University of Chicago (expected 2025)

Beard’s research interests center on how policies shape family dynamics within carceral and welfare systems. Their dissertation, The Transition Shock, investigates the challenges youth face when aging out of child welfare systems. They have published in journals like Social Science & Medicine and Sociological Forum, and their work has been supported by grants from the American Sociological Association, Horowitz Foundation, and AHRQ T32 Fellowship.

Key Contributions

• Co-developed interventions to support family reunification in post-Soviet institutions
• Examined racial disparities in mental health and family reunification outcomes
• Evaluated pre-orientation programs for first-generation, low-income students

Awards & Recognition

• Best Graduate Student Paper Award, ASA Mental Health Section
• Awards from ASA and Society for the Study of Social Problems

Teaching & Engagement

• Instructor for courses on statistical methods, health inequalities, and educational sociology at the University of Chicago
• Contributed to NPR through research fellowships, focusing on equity in higher education via QuestBridge
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams like the ENIGMA Consortium on neuroimaging studies