Dr. Michael A. Lindsey Tapped to Spearhead University-Wide Inequality Initiative

Michael A. Lindsey, Constance and Martin Silver Professor of Poverty Studies and Director of NYU Silver’s McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, has been selected by NYU President Andrew Hamilton to spearhead the University’s new Strategies to Reduce Inequality (SRI) initiative.

Dr. Lindsey is leading a team of NYU faculty from schools and disciplines across the university who are working on issues of inequality with the aim of extending their impact through focus and collaboration. “SRI reflects NYU’s recognition that a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach is necessary to identify and actualize meaningful, sustainable solutions to persistent inequality in New York City and around the world.” Dr. Lindsey said.

The SRI faculty will explore ways to advance research, work collaboratively with practitioners, bring speakers to campus, convene workshops, and identify courses that deepen students’ understanding of structural inequality to cultivate strategies that promote equity and inclusion.

Under Dr. Lindsey’s leadership, the McSilver Institute is supporting SRI by maintaining the initiative’s website, which includes up-to-date news and a calendar of events related to structural and economic inequality and injustice; a searchable database of NYU’s relevant course offerings; a link to NYU’s collection of research related to inequality; and a listing faculty associated with the initiative – ten of whom are affiliated with NYU Silver – in order to facilitate cross-school collaboration and research. The McSilver Institute has also taken a lead role in research coordination among SRI faculty from diverse disciplines.

NYU Silver Dean and Paulette Goddard Professor of Social Work Neil B. Guterman said, “Reducing inequality is fundamental to social work’s social justice mission. It is fitting that Dr. Lindsey, who has distinguished himself in the profession as a researcher, scholar, and educator, has been appointed to lead this priority, university-wide initiative.”