Austin L. Wright is an Associate Professor and the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. His research leverages innovative data capture techniques, massive-scale datasets, and data science tools to study a range of public policy challenges, including economic development and state fragility. His work is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Minerva Research Initiative, World Bank, United Nations, International Growth Centre, Centre for Economic Policy Research, and Becker Friedman Institute.

At Harris, Austin primarily teaches in the Applied Statistics Core, with a focus on using causal inference tools to better understand public policy interventions. He has received a number of teaching prizes for his dynamic and engaging lectures, including the 2023 Outstanding Faculty of the Year Award (Harris), the 2017 Junior Faculty of the Year Award (Harris), and the 2015 George Kateb Prize for Best Preceptor (Princeton). He founded and continues to support the flagship non-degree programs at Harris, linking students from a diverse set of educational and professional backgrounds with the rigorous programming and analytical training provided to full-time graduate students.