Katherine Magnuson, PhD is a UWPRC Steering Committee Member. She is a Professor in the School of Social Work and Director of the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Magnuson’s research focuses on the health and development of economically disadvantaged children and families. She examines how disparities in socioeconomic status affect children’s development, and how policies and programs may alter these effects. She is specifically interested in the impacts of early childhood education programs and anti-poverty policies on children’s development.