Colleen Heflin

Professor, Public Administration and International Affairs, Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs Link

Associate Dean and Chair, Public Administration and International Affairs
Faculty Affiliate, Aging Studies Institute
Faculty Affiliate, Center for Aging and Policy Studies

CAPS Biography:

My background is in social demography. My program of research has focused on the causes and consequences of the inability to meet basic needs and the role of public policy in the U.S. context of addressing basic needs. I have expertise in the policy and implementation details of US social policy and my research spans the life course from early childhood to aging. My work often focuses on populations of special interest such as low-income households, immigrants, veterans, or individuals with disabilities. I have served as principal investigator or co-investigator on studies documenting population-level trends in economic well-being or social program participating and evaluated specific public policies for causal impacts on direct outcomes of participation as well as documented unintended consequences. As a result of these studies, I have learned how to coordinate research teams and collaborate across disciplines.  My research relates to the CAPS signature themes of health and well-being, as well as the cross-cutting themes of policy and specific populations. My research trajectory includes the continued study of economic well-being throughout the life course and the joint participation of public programs often considered in isolation.