Gerald Higginbotham researches the role of culture and identity in education and politics, seeking to provide insight into (a) how history functions as important context that shapes how individuals see themselves and others and (b) how perceptions of history and its consequences are shaped by an individual’s attitudes and group memberships. 

Jieun Pai is a postdoctoral researcher at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. Pai researches social hierarchy and conflict resolution to provide insight into how people can satisfy their need for status in teams and organizations harmoniously. Her work challenges the assumption that status conflict is a battle over rank with winners and losers.

Lyangela Gutierrez researches factors that impact racial and gender equity in organizations, such as through investigating the unintended consequences of efforts meant to address racial/gender inequity.

John N. Friedman is a Professor of Economics at Brown University, as well as a founding co-Director of Opportunity Insights. His studies the causes and consequences of inequality for kids, as well as policies to improve opportunity for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Jennifer Carson Marr is an Assistant Professor in the Management and Organization Department, at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland. She received her PhD in Organizational Behavior from London Business School.

Professor Marr's research examines the dynamics of status hierarchies and motivational goals.

Antoine Banks is a professor in the Department of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland. He is also the associate chair and director of the Government and Politics Experimental Lab. His research interests include racial and ethnic politics, emotions, political psychology, and public opinion.

Guy Grossman is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania. His research is in applied political economy, with substantive focus on the intersection of technology and governance, political accountability, forced migration and conflict processes, and a regional focus on sub-Saharan Africa and Israel-Palestine.

Tatiana Homonoff is an Associate Professor of Economics and Public Policy at NYU’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service. Her research focuses on identifying areas in which behavioral economics can improve public policy, primarily in the areas of tax policy, program participation, and consumer finance.

Wojciech Kopczuk is a professor at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and the Department of Economics at Columbia University. Kopczuk's research focus is on issues related to tax policy and income and wealth inequality. 

At a moment when our country’s inequalities have come into sharp focus, many colleges and universities are looking to make their institutions more inclusive. But what does a meaningful commitment to diversity actually look like? In this week’s installment of Batten Expert Chats, Dana Laurens (COL ’09, MPP ’10), senior associate for policy and advocacy at Education Reform Now, and her colleague, Michael Dannenberg, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Policy, will speak and take questions on the types of policies needed to hold institutions, including the University of Virginia, accountable for following through on pledges and statements about racial equity and inclusivity.