David McMillon is an assistant professor of economics at Emory University where he teaches a newly designed course, "The Economics of Systemic Racism." He received his doctoral degree at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy.  He holds Master’s degrees from the University of Michigan in Applied Mathematics and in Industrial and Operations Engineering, and a Bachelor’s in Mathematical Sciences. The goal of his work can be summarized as using systems thinking to combat systemic discrimination, but it is situated at the intersection of stratification economics (substantively) and applied theory (methodologically).  His work explores how features of complex systems can be exploited to amplify or sustain the effects of racial equity-focused interventions, for the same reasons they amplify inequities in the status quo.  This includes work on the academic achievement, the school to prison pipeline, crime policy, reparations and wealth inequality, and formal models of systemic discrimination.  David’s work has been funded by the Spencer Foundation, the American Educational Research Association, and the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. David is also affiliated with the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank, the Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility, and the Samuel Dubois Cook Center for Racial Equity.

Ph.D., Public Policy
University of Chicago 
Dissertation Title: The School-to-Prison Pipeline: 
Three Essays on the Policy Implications of Systems Thinking 
Committee: Stephen Raudenbush (Co-Chair), Steven Durlauf (Co-Chair), Kerwin Charles, Susan Levine, Michael Dinerstein 
2021

M.S. Applied Mathematics
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 
2014 

M.S. Industrial and Operations Engineering,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 
2014 

B.S. Mathematics
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 
2012