Michelle Yin

Biography

Michelle Yin, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy, Director of the Dual Master’s Degree Program in Applied Economics and Social Policy (jointly offered with The Chinese University of Hong Kong), and Founding Principal Investigator of the Research and Innovation for Social and Economic Inclusion Lab.

Dr. Yin works at the nexus of technology, labor economics, and social policy, with a focus on marginalized populations including people with disabilities, at-risk youth, and adult learners. Her research investigates how automation, artificial intelligence, and broadband access reshape opportunities in the labor market and intersect with social insurance and healthcare policies such as Medicare, Medicaid, and SSDI. She has been nominated to the National Academy of Social Insurance in recognition of her contributions to understanding the future of work and equity in social safety net systems.

She also leads a strong portfolio of work in data science and process data analysis, applying advanced methods such as machine learning and process mining to evaluate accessibility and universal design in education and workforce systems. As co-investigator on a U.S. Department of Education–funded project, she analyzes NAEP process data to generate new evidence on how students use accommodations and accessibility features, advancing both methodological innovation and policy relevance in large-scale assessment research.
Dr. Yin directs a research portfolio totaling more than $50 million in lifetime external funding, with approximately $4 million in active support from the U.S. Department of Education and national nonprofits. Her ongoing projects include multi-state evaluations of disability employment policy, impact analyses of subminimum wage reform, and international studies of inclusion in education and workforce systems.

In addition to her scholarship, Dr. Yin is a recognized leader in institution building and global partnerships. She designed and launched Northwestern’s dual master’s degree program with CUHK, created evaluation frameworks now used by more than 170 countries through Special Olympics International, and regularly advises U.S. federal and state governments on disability, workforce, and education policy. She has delivered invited briefings at the U.S. Capitol, served as a Senior Advisor to the U.S. Department of Labor, and given keynote addresses at international forums in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

Her work has been published in leading journals such as the Journal of Labor Economics, the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, AERA Open, and featured in outlets including The Wall Street Journal and The Hill. She is also an Executive Scholar in Nonprofit Management at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, reflecting her dedication to building sustainable and globally connected institutions.

Select Publications

Journal Articles

Yin, M., Orellana, A., and Siwatch, G. (2025), Whole-School Inclusion Programs and Student Academic and Behavioral Outcomes, in press at AERA Open.

Danielson, E. C., Smith, M. J., Ross, B., Camp, J. K., Evangelist, M., Smith, J. D., Yin, M., Atkinson, M. S. & Jordan, N. (2025). Limited cost-benefit analysis of virtual interview training for transition-age youth with disabilities in pre-employment transition services. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals.

Ogut, B., Circi, R., Huo, H., Hicks, J., & Yin, M. (2025). Running out of time: Leveraging process data to identify students who may benefit from extended time. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 17(2), 253–265.

Ogut, B., Webb, B., Hicks, J., Circi, R. & Yin, M. (2024). Exploring mathematical problem solving through process mining: Insights from large scale assessment log data. Computers in the Schools, 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380569.2024.2416422

Yin, M., Siwach, G. and Lin, D. (2022), Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Labor Market Outcomes for Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities in Maine. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. Vol. 00, No. 0, 1–32 https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.22446

Yin, M., Siwach G., and Belyakova Y. Impact of Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools Program on High School Completion (2020) American Educational Research Journal. Vol. 59, No. 2, pp. 315–344 https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312211032744

Yin, M., Pathak, A., Lin D., and Dizdari N. Identifying Racial Differences in Vocational Rehabilitation Services (2020) Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00343552211048218

Yin, M., Cronen, S., Condelli, L., and Ogut, B.Teacher Effectiveness in Adult Education: The Relationship Between Teacher Characteristics and Student Test Gains and Transitions Into Postsecondary Education (2020) Adult Education Quarterly. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/07417136211044515

Figlio, D., Rush, M., & Yin, L. (2012). Is it live or is it Internet? Experimental estimates of the effects of online instruction on student learning. Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 31(4), pages 763-784.

Select Grants/Funding

Principal Investigator, Pathways to Partnerships Model Project in Maine, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation Services (2023-2028, $2,980,000)

Principal Investigator, Real Pay for Real Jobs (RPRJ) Education and Outreach, Partnership Development, provisions of Individualized Services and Capacity Building (EPIC) project, Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services, funded by U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration (2022-2028, $4,290,000)

Principal Investigator, Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Health Screening Services, Special Olympics, Inc. (2024-2025, $120,393)

Co-Principal Investigator, Rethinking Accessibility Using NAEP Process Data: Exploring Universal Design and Accommodations, U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (2020-2023, $699,533)

Principal Investigator, Making Transition Work: An Evaluation of A Promising Work-Based Learning Model in Maine, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation Services (2016-2021, $3,307,323)

Principal Investigator, Global Evaluation of Unified Schools Programs Phase II, Special Olympics, Inc. (2020-2024, $391,393)