Derek Hyra
Founding Director, Metropolitan Policy Center; Professor of Public Administration and Policy, American University
Derek Hyra is a Professor of Public Administration and Policy at American University and the Founding Director of the Metropolitan Policy Center. His research focuses on processes of neighborhood change, with an emphasis on housing, urban politics, and race. He is the author of a number of books, including Race, Class, and Politics in the Cappuccino City (2017, University of Chicago Press), and is currently working on his fourth manuscript, Roots of the Revolts. Hyra’s work has been highlighted in high-profile academic journals and he has received several important grants to conduct research. As a former Planning Commissioner in Alexandria and 2014 Congressional candidate, Hyra has a strong belief in public service which is reflected in his work. He was awarded the 2023 Publicly Engaged Scholar Award from the Community and Urban Sociology section of the American Sociological Association.