Luke Shaefer - Ann Arbor

H. Luke Shaefer is an author and associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work and Ford School of Public Policy. His research interests focus on the social safety net, low-wage workers, economically disadvantage families, and nonprofit management.

Luke Shaefer.He co-authored the book "$2.00 A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America" with Kathy Edin, a professor at Johns Hopkins. It was released in the fall of 2015 and received favorable reviews. From the New York Times review by Harvard professor William Julius Wilson:

This essential book is a call to action, and one hopes it will accomplish what Michael Harrington’s “The Other America” achieved in the 1960s — arousing both the nation’s consciousness and conscience about the plight of a growing number of invisible citizens. The rise of such absolute poverty since the passage of welfare reform belies all the categorical talk about opportunity and the American dream.

He is married to Susie Shaefer, a vicar at St. John's in Clinton. They have two young children, Bridget and Michael, who in 2015 are 6 and 2 years old, respectively. The family lives in Ann Arbor's Burns Park neighborhood.

In the news

Sunday Book Review of "$2.00 A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America" – New York Times, Sept. 2, 2015

Q&A with Luke Shaefer – UM Ford School of Public Policy, July 14, 2015

Timeline

2015: Co-authors "$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America" with Kathryn J. Edin.

2014: Is promoted to associate professor.

2011: Is a visiting fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and a visiting scholar at the University of Wisconsin's Institute for Research on Poverty.

2008: Is hired as an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. Also holds the position of research affiliate with UM Ford School of Public Policy's National Poverty Center.

2008: Earns Ph.D in social service administration from the University of Chicago.

2002-2006: Works as Project Director & Policy Associate for the Community Connections project in Chicago.

2001: Earns undergraduate degree in politics from Oberlin College.