A Life of Intellectual Balance: Integrating Scientific Rigor and Activism

In this keynote address, Derek Hyra will give an overview of how he has attempted to integrate his intellectual pursuits within the academy with scholarly activism. His research agenda is to reduce neighbourhood inequality, and he has partnered with community groups to understand processes, outcomes, and meanings of urban change. With this grounded knowledge, Hyra has worked collectively and independently to influence policies at multiple levels in order to shift place-based developments from stimulating gentrification and displacement to equitable neighbourhood redevelopment, where low- and moderate-income people participate in and benefit from the upgrading of their neighbourhoods.

The speaker will give examples of his community-engaged research partnerships, highlight how they have informed policy advocacy and change, and explain how he has been able to navigate academia as an activist. He will conclude with lessons to help early career scholars in their dual endeavours to generate insights and reduce social inequalities.

Derek Hyra is a professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy within the School of Public Affairs at American University. His research focuses on processes of neighborhood change, with an emphasis on housing, urban politics, and race. Dr. Hyra strongly believes in public and professional service, having held prominent leadership roles in local and federal governance, including an appointment to the U.S. Small Business Administration.