I am an Assistant Professor of Consumer Science at University of Wisconsin-Madison.  My research is motivated by a desire to understand the causes and consequences of socioeconomic and financial inequality, particularly in the American context. I draw on economic sociology, sociology of finance, and social stratification literatures to examine a range of topics, including financial security among young adults and consumer access to financial services.

I received a PhD in Sociology from Cornell University and BA in Economics and French from Bryn Mawr College. Prior to graduate school, I worked as the Associate Director of the Group of Thirty, a think tank focused on issues in international economics and finance.

email: mbea@wisc.edu | twitter: @Meg_Bea