She has a Ph.D. in Sociology from Princeton University. Maureen Waller's research has provided insight into the situations of men and women at the forefront of the transformation that has occurred in American families. In particular, it has documented how unmarried parents in low-income communities understand the meaning of fatherhood and marriage in their lives and how their interpretations guide decisions about parenting and intimate unions. This work has also considered how social policies addressing family change may conflict with parents’ ideas and experiences.