Melanie Rucinski

I am a Lecturer on Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where I teach courses on applied linear regression and causal inference. I am co-chair of the Evidence foundations course for Ed.M. students, faculty lead of the Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Research Methods, and a faculty advisor in the Education Policy and Analysis program.

My research focuses on teacher labor markets and inequality in education. In partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MA DESE), I study students’ education and career pathways to inform policies to increase the supply and racial diversity of the teacher workforce. Previously, I studied barriers to racial diversity in Boston exam school admissions. My work on these topics has been featured on WGBH and WBUR and in The Boston Globe.

I hold a PhD in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BA in Social Studies from Harvard College. Outside of my teaching and research, I can often be found playing piano.