Currently, I serve as Professor of Sociology at the University of California, where I direct the Urban Inequality Research Lab. My research has been published in leading journals including the American Sociological Review, Social Forces, and City & Community.
Beyond academia, I am committed to public sociology—translating complex research into accessible insights that inform public discourse and policy debates. I regularly contribute commentary to national media and speak at community organizations.
Education
Ph.D. in Sociology
Harvard University, 2010
Dissertation: “Displaced: Housing Precarity and Community Resilience in the Post-Industrial City”
M.A. in Sociology
University of Chicago, 2005
B.A. in Sociology & Latin American Studies
Stanford University, 2003 · Summa Cum Laude
Academic Positions
Professor of Sociology
University of California, Berkeley · 2018 – Present
Associate Professor
Columbia University · 2014 – 2018
Assistant Professor
New York University · 2010 – 2014
Research Interests
Urban Inequality
Examining how cities produce and perpetuate stratification, with a focus on housing, gentrification, and neighborhood change.
Migration & Mobility
Studying immigrants and refugees, with attention to integration, transnationalism, and belonging.
Sociology of Knowledge
Investigating how social positions shape knowledge and the role of expertise in public life.
Race & Ethnicity
Analyzing racial formation, intersectionality, and persistent urban inequality.
Community Organizing
Researching grassroots movements, collective action, and community resilience.
Public Sociology
Making sociological research accessible and relevant to public debate and policy.
Media & Public Engagement
Recent Media Appearances
- NPR “All Things Considered” — Housing crisis panel (2024)
- The New York Times — Op-ed on urban displacement (2023)
- MSNBC — Immigration policy analysis (2023)
- The Atlantic — Interview on gentrification (2022)
Speaking & Consulting
Available for speaking engagements, expert commentary, and consulting on urban policy, housing, and immigration issues.