Ryan Coughlan

Ryan Coughlan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Affairs at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, City University of New York (CUNY), where he bridges academic research with practical applications in education policy, focusing on equity and school integration.

His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Urban Systems from Rutgers University Newark, an M.S.Ed. in Secondary Science Education from The City College of New York, CUNY, and a B.A. in Environmental Policy from Harvard University.

Dr. Coughlan's research centers on educational equity, school integration, and the sociology of education. Leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS), he conducts mixed-methods analyses of school choice impacts and neighborhood segregation patterns. His work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, and Chalkbeat, and has informed school equity litigation.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals sustained focus on school desegregation in New York and New Jersey, with increasing incorporation of geospatial analysis to study segregation dynamics. Recent work also examines alternative grading structures and the commodification of racial diversity in higher education marketing.

His scientific contributions are recognized through awards including the Faculty Research Award from Molloy University (2022) and the Society of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award (2022) for co-authoring "The Risky Business of Educational Policy".

Dr. Coughlan has secured PSC-CUNY funding for "Commoditizing Racial Diversity in Postsecondary Education" and is pursuing grants for NYC teacher pipeline development and addressing urban teacher shortages. His advisory roles include serving as an expert for the Education Law Center, Black Parents Workshop, and Latino Action Network in New Jersey school equity cases.

He co-founded the Collective for the Advancement of Methodological Innovation (CAMI) to foster research method innovation and serves on university committees for curriculum development, strategic planning, and LGBTQ+ inclusion.