Bridget Terry Long
Bridget Terry Long, Ph.D. is the Saris Professor of Education and Economics at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). Long is an economist whose work focuses on improving educational opportunity and student postsecondary success. Her research has provided evidence on the effectiveness of financial aid and college support programs on educational outcomes. She has also developed and tested interventions that aim to help families complete financial aid forms, utilize college savings accounts, and persist in higher education. As Dean of HGSE from 2018 to 2024, Long led the school through the launch of their redesigned master’s degree program, the pivot to remote education during AY20-21, and the introduction of its first online master’s degree. She also substantially increased the availability of financial aid to students and expanded HGSE’s external engagement with educators and school communities. Long previously served as Academic Dean from 2012 to 2017.
Long is a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). She serves as Chair of the Board of MDRC, a nonprofit policy research organization, and is a Trustee of the Axim Collaborative, a social enterprise dedicated to expanding educational access and improving learning. She also serves as a member of the Red Sox Foundation Board. During the Obama administration, Long served as Chair of National Board for Education Sciences, the advisory panel appointed by the President to advise the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education. Long has testified numerous times before U.S. Congressional committees and served as an expert witness in court cases related to college admissions and financial aid.
Long’s scholarship, leadership, and impact have been recognized with her elections to the National Çï¿ûÊÓƵ of Education and the International Çï¿ûÊÓƵ of Education. She has also been awarded the Peter H. Rossi Award for Contributions to the Theory or Practice of Program Evaluation from APPAM, the Spencer Foundation Mentor Award, and the Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award for excellence in research from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). Long has won numerous research grants, including major awards from the U.S. Department of Education, National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Long completed her Ph.D. and M.A. from the Harvard University Department of Economics and her A.B. from Princeton University in Economics with a Certificate in Afro-American Studies.