Biography
Dr. Bangs is Associate Director of the Center on Race and Social Problems in the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Bangs’ current research is on improving African American high school education and transitions to post-secondary school and on increasing contracting with minority and women-owned businesses.
Dr. Bangs is co-editor of the book The State of Black Youth in Pittsburgh and has produced more than 40 reports on the Pittsburgh region. Many of these reports can be found at www.ucsur.pitt.edu; click on publications. The reports include:
Black-White Benchmarks Reports in 2004 and several other Black-White benchmarks reports in the 1990s
Three reports on diversity among board members and elected officials in the region
Three “Black Papers” on African American Health in Allegheny County in 2002 A Basic Living Cost and Living Wage study in 1997 on local poverty conditions by race
In 1997 the YWCA of Pittsburgh gave Dr. Bangs a Racial Justice Award for speaking out on the findings of his Benchmarks reports. Dr. Bangs was also recognized as “Best Researcher” by In Pittsburgh newspaper in March 2000.
Dr. Bangs received a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh in Public Policy Research and Analysis and a Masters of Public Administration from Ohio State University.
Selected Funded Grants
- Co-Principal Investigators: Ralph Bangs, PhD, and Audrey Murrell, PhD, A National Study on Minority and Women Business Contracting, Funder: The National Dream Fund -- The Ford Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Open Society Institute, and the Falk Foundation
- Principal Investigator: Ralph Bangs, Race and Income Effects of Alternative Designs for the Pittsburgh Promise, Funder: The Falk Foundation