Lorien Rice

Lorien Rice is a Professor of Economics at Mills College, located on the Oakland Campus. Her research focuses on poverty, inequality, and access to opportunity, with notable contributions in education policy, transportation economics, and public welfare systems. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from UC San Diego and a B.A. from Oberlin College.

Before joining Mills College in 2006, Rice worked as a Research Fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco. Her work integrates quantitative analysis with policy implications, addressing issues such as school segregation, welfare asset rules, and the role of transportation in socioeconomic mobility.

• Education:
• Ph.D., Economics, University of California, San Diego
• B.A., Economics, Oberlin College

Rice’s research spans education policy, urban economics, and social welfare, with a focus on how institutional policies affect marginalized groups. Her articles analyze school choice mechanisms, transportation access as a determinant of employment, and the impacts of welfare reform on low-income households.

Her work highlights systemic barriers to opportunity, offering evidence-based insights for policymakers. Despite no listed scientific awards, her contributions to understanding inequality mechanisms have been widely cited in academic and policy circles.