Maria Krysan, PhD
LAS Distinguished Professor & Director of Undergraduate Studies
Sociology
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Contact
Building & Room:
4140D BSB
Address:
1007 W Harrison St.
Office Phone:
Email:
CV Download:
About
Research Interests: racial residential segregation, racial attitudes, survey methods, multi-methods
Recent Courses:
- Sociology 490: Senior Capstone Experience
- Sociology 501: Sociological Research Methods (2nd semester)
- Sociology 509: Survey Research Methods
Maria Krysan, LAS Distinguished Professor of Sociology at University of Illinois Chicago, has spent decades teaching, researching, and writing about residential segregation and racial attitudes. Her 2017 award-winning book with Kyle Crowder, Cycle of Segregation, proposes an innovative framework for understanding the causes of racial residential segregation and served as a springboard for her growing engaged work, especially with Chicago social justice artist Tonika Johnson. Their co-authored book, Don’t Go: Stories of Segregation and How to Disrupt, is one outcome of their collaboration. Krysan’s writing has been published widely in conventional field-defining academic outlets as well as nonacademic publications (e.g., The Hill Reporter, Crain’s Chicago Business, Visible Magazine, Block Club Chicago) and she has been interviewed and/or cited in local and national media (e.g., WBEZ, Block Club Chicago, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, CityLab, CNN, WGN, WTTW, ABC7, TeenVogue, Vox.Com, Washington Post, New York Times). She frequently presents her work outside of academia, sharing her expertise with, and learning from, her engagement with advocates, mayors, legislators, housing agencies, real estate agents, researchers, teachers, K-12 and college students, foundation staff, lawyers, library patrons, and so on.
Arriving at UIC as an assistant professor in 2000, in addition to teaching and research, Professor Krysan has served in a variety of administrative roles, including as Sociology Department Head (2015-2019) and Director and co-founder of the Chicago Area Study. Most recently, she was appointed Director of Undergraduate Studies and looks forward to building on her prior experience envisioning (and eventually teaching) the Sociology Undergraduate Capstone Course, which places teams of Sociology majors with Chicago-area nonprofits to undertake projects that build their sociological skills while also supporting their professional development.
Krysan’s research has been funded regularly by federal agencies and private foundations, including a current grant from the Spencer Foundation with UIC colleague Professor Amanda Lewis in which they examine Chicago-area middle/high school social science teachers’ experiences teaching about race, racism, and U.S. racial history.