Austin Cummings joined the Center on Poverty and Community Development as a Research Associate in November. Austin's career has focused on addressing systemic forms of oppression and creating equitable, socially just outcomes. Before joining the Poverty Research Center, Austin consulted on a variety of applied research projects focused on expanding access to family planning resources in Southern Oregon, evaluating the development and implementation of bike share equity policy in North America, and understanding the dynamics of housing discrimination, racial disparities in the mortgage market, and barriers that individuals with criminal convictions face in finding housing in Cuyahoga County. Along his academic and career journey, Austin has co-authored a handful of book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles broadly focused on urban planning, community development, and racial inequality.
Austin earned a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy and Psychology and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Oregon.