Katherine A. Magnuson

Katherine A. Magnuson is the Vilas Distinguished Professor of Social Work at the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she also served as the former director of the Institute for Research on Poverty. She is a national expert on child well-being and development and her research examines how socioeconomic disparities impact children and families and how policies—particularly early childhood education and unconditional cash transfers—can mitigate these disparities. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and a former associate editor of Child Development and Developmental Psychology. Her contributions have been recognized with a University of Wisconsin–Madison Graduate School Romnes Faculty Fellowship and the Vilas Faculty Mid-Career Investigator Award. Magnuson received her PhD in human development and social policy from Northwestern University.

updated 2025