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Mark Robert Rank

Professor of Social Welfare, Washington University in St Louis
Mark Robert Rank is the Herbert S. Hadley Professor of Social Welfare at Washington University in St. Louis. He is recognized as a foremost expert on issues of poverty, inequality and social justice. His research on the life course risk of poverty has demonstrated for the first time that a majority of Americans will experience poverty at some point during their lives.

To date he has written 10 books on a range of subjects, including an exploration of the American Dream, a new understanding of poverty and inequality, and the role of luck and chance in shaping the course of our lives. In addition, he has published articles in numerous academic journals across a wide variety of fields.

Rank’s research has been reported widely throughout the news media, and cited in virtually every major newspaper in the country. He has also been featured in other media outlets including various programs on National Public Radio, NBC Nightly News, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and many others.

He has provided research expertise to members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, as well as many national organizations involved in issues of economic and social justice. His work has been cited by then-President Barack Obama, as well as Senator Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Rank has developed a website, Confronting Poverty, that allows users to explore in greater depth the issues of poverty and economic inequality. The site, whose centerpiece is an innovative poverty risk calculator, is being used in universities and high schools across the country, along with various social justice and religious communities and organizations. To date, the website has over 1 million page views, and has had visitors from more than 200 countries.

Why luck plays such a big role in hockey

Apr 19, 2024 06:25 am UTC| Sports

The NHL playoffs are almost like a second season two months of bruising, relentless play, as the top teams compete for the chance to hoist Lord Stanleys Cup. The 16 hockey teams that have made it into the postseason...

Oppenheimer feared nuclear annihilation – and only a chance pause by a Soviet submariner kept it from happening in 1962

Mar 07, 2024 09:24 am UTC| Insights & Views

History has often been shaped by chance and luck. One of the blockbuster films of the past year, Oppenheimer, tells the dramatic story of the development of the atomic bomb and the physicist who headed those efforts, J....

Economy

ECB Signals Possible Rate Hike as Middle East Tensions Push Euro Zone Inflation Higher

The European Central Bank (ECB) is increasingly likely to raise interest rates in June as escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue driving energy prices higher across the euro area. ECB policymaker and...

Asian Stocks Rally as Nvidia Earnings Boost Tech Shares, Samsung Jumps on Wage Deal

Asian stock markets surged on Thursday after strong earnings from Nvidia reignited investor confidence in artificial intelligence-related technology stocks. The positive momentum spread across regional markets, while...

Australia Regulator Flags Private Credit Risks Amid Global Market Uncertainty

Australias financial regulator has warned that the countrys growing private credit sector faces increasing risks tied to global market instability, geopolitical tensions, and rapid technological change. The Australian...

Japan Manufacturing Growth Slows in May as Services Sector Stagnates Amid Rising Middle East Supply Costs

Japans manufacturing sector continued to expand in May 2026, although growth slowed slightly as escalating supply-chain pressures tied to the Middle East conflict increased business costs and weighed on overall economic...

Moody’s Downgrades Mexico Credit Rating Amid Rising Debt and Fiscal Pressure

Moodys Ratings downgraded Mexicos long-term local and foreign-currency issuer ratings from Baa2 to Baa3 on Tuesday, while revising the outlook to stable from negative. The agency also cut the ratings for Mexicos senior...

Politics

Trump Warns Iran of Renewed Action as Nuclear Deal Talks Stall

Iran said Thursday it is reviewing Washingtons latest proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that military action could resume if Tehran fails to reach an agreement. The...

Trump-Taiwan Talks Could Reshape U.S.-China Relations

Taiwan said President Lai Ching-te would welcome direct talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, signaling a potentially historic moment in U.S.-Taiwan relations. If the conversation happens, it would mark the first direct...

Trump Delays Iran Strike as Peace Talks Continue, Markets Watch Strait of Hormuz Closely

Iran said it is reviewing the latest proposal from the United States aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled he may delay military action in favor of reaching a diplomatic...

Raul Castro Indicted by U.S.: Cuba’s Revolutionary Leader Faces Renewed Scrutiny in 2026

Former Cuban President Raul Castro, the longtime revolutionary leader and younger brother of Fidel Castro, has been indicted by the United States over Cubas deadly 1996 shootdown of aircraft operated by the anti-communist...

Trump Warns of Renewed Military Action Against Iran as Peace Talks Stall

U.S. President Donald Trump warned that the United States is prepared to launch additional military strikes against Iran if Tehran fails to agree to a peace deal, raising fears of renewed conflict in the Middle East....

Science

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

Technology

SoftBank Shares Surge as OpenAI IPO Buzz and SB Energy Filing Boost AI Optimism

SoftBank Group (TYO:9984) shares soared on Thursday as investor confidence returned to the Japanese technology giant, driven by growing excitement around its artificial intelligence investments. The companys stock jumped...

X Corp Loses Legal Battle Over Australia Child Safety Fine

Elon Musks social media company X Corp has officially admitted breaching Australias Online Safety Act after failing to provide required details about its child protection measures, ending a legal dispute that lasted nearly...

Samsung Shares Surge After Strike Deal Eases Labor Tensions

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KS:005930) shares climbed sharply on Thursday after the company reached a last-minute agreement with a major South Korean labor union, avoiding a potentially disruptive strike. Investor optimism...

Intuit Raises Full-Year Forecast After Strong Q3 Earnings Despite Stock Drop

Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU) delivered stronger-than-expected fiscal third-quarter earnings and raised its full-year guidance, driven by growth in its AI-powered financial platform. Despite the upbeat results, Intuit stock...

Anthropic Revenue Surge Signals Strong AI Market Momentum in 2026

Anthropic is on track to dramatically increase its revenue in 2026, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing figures shared during the companys latest fundraising discussions. The artificial intelligence startup is...