Alexis Harper is a long time student of UT Dallas where she earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Criminology, and is currently in pursuit of a Ph.D., which she anticipates completing in 2016. She is a member of the Criminology Graduate Student Association at UT Dallas, and Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society. Alexis also holds memberships with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and the American Society of Criminology, and has presented original research at multiple conferences. Alexis works as a Research Associate at the Institute for Urban Policy Research with Dr. Timothy Bray, participating in program design, evaluation, and reporting for a variety of organizations. A few of her projects include offender reentry programs and after school programs for disadvantaged youth, data collection and assessment with local police departments, and collaboration with city officials to address issues pertaining to poverty and blight in Dallas. Her latest publications include reports assessing children's health in North Texas for a major hospital in Dallas-Ft. Worth. Many of her research interests involve community based initiatives to reduce crime.