Julia has published over 70 articles in leading economics journals, and authored or edited ten books. She has been the recipient of over $50 million in grants; from foundations such as the National Science Foundation, the Sloan Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, the National Institutes of Health; from government agencies such as the Departments of Commerce, Labor, and Health and Human Services in the U.S., the ESRC in the U.K., and the Department of Labour and Statistics New Zealand in New Zealand, as well as from international organizations such as the World Bank.

She has organized over 40 national and international conferences, received several national awards, given keynote speeches all over the world, and serves on a number of national and international advisory boards. A native of England who grew up in New Zealand, Julia has worked in a variety of countries, including Australia, Germany, Malaysia, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Sweden, and Tunisia.