Duncan Lindsey received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University while working with adolescents in a residential treatment center. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Duncan was also a post doctoral fellow in the Social Analyses of Science System at Cornell University in the Department of Sociology. His major interests include the study of public programs for children and the social studies of science.

Duncan recently completed the second edition of his book The Welfare of Children from Oxford University Press. He is the editor of the major research journal in the child welfare field, Children and Youth Services Review published by Pergamon Press. His studies have focused on the importance of public policies and programs to ensuring opportunity for all young people. In 2003 Duncan was awarded the prestigious ProHumanitate medal for his research in child welfare. This year he is completing a book on child poverty to be published by Oxford University Press.

Duncan has been active in the Academic Senate. For two years he served as Chair of the Graduate Council and was awarded the James Lu Valle award by the Graduate Student Association. This year Duncan is Chair of the system wide equivalent of the Graduate Council (Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs). Duncan is past Chair of the UCLA Academic Senate.

Duncan and his wife Debbie have two grown children. Their son Ethan lives in Los Angeles and can be heard on Marketplace radio where he is a reporter. Their daughter Sierra lives in New York and works at MTV. Debbie is a fourth grade teacher at Chase Elementary School in Panorama City. Duncan and Debbie enjoy the outdoors including hiking and camping.