Web Bio

George Julnes is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Utah State University, with primary interests in community psychology and the use of program and policy evaluation to improve society. His current evaluation efforts center on reforming employment-related policies for persons with disabilities in the United States. One ongoing study, funded by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, focuses on the effects of providing benefits counseling and continued Medicaid coverage for persons with disabilities wishing to increase their earnings but needing continued medical coverage. A related effort involves evaluating the Utah component of a four-state Social Security Administration-funded policy demonstration pilot project that examines the effect of continuing to provide some cash benefits (SSDI) to persons with disabilities who earn more than the standard cut-off threshold. This study is notable for employing a random assignment experimental design that allows a better estimate of the impact of the policy initiative.

Prof. Julnes received his Ph.D. in psychology (clinical/community) at the University of Hawaii-Manoa in 1984. In support of his further development in program and policy evaluation, he earned subsequent graduate degrees in public policy (MPP) and business (MBA) at the University of Michigan in 1989. He is a co-chair of the Quantitative Methods Topical Interest Group of the American Evaluation Association and serves as a grant and journal reviewer in the general area of evaluation methods and theory. He is married to Patria de Lancer Julnes (Associate Professor of Political Science at Utah State University) and has three children.