Max Gulker

Max Gulker, Ph.D., is a senior policy analyst at Reason Foundation.

Gulker’s research and writing bring a fresh perspective to social policy issues and debates. Gulker's recent research topics include welfare and work requirements, the impact of recent government policy on urban poverty, childcare, and cash assistance. Rather than traditional top-down approaches, Gulker looks for social policy alternatives where the private, public, and non-profit sectors empower, rather than dictate to, people, families, and communities in need.

Prior to joining Reason Foundation, Gulker spent five years with the American Institute for Economic Research, where he wrote on social policy, including employment, education, healthcare, and emerging technology, including cryptocurrency, tech antitrust, and the sharing economy. Gulker has appeared on television news outlets, including the Fox Business Channel, print media, including the Wall Street Journal, and podcasts, including Kibbe On Liberty. He has presented research, given speeches, and participated in panels at conferences on economics, technology, and politics.

Gulker received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan in 2000 and his Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University in 2008. Prior to entering the policy research field, he spent several years in the private sector, consulting on litigation, including antitrust, intellectual property, bankruptcy, and shareholder class actions.