John Friedman

John Friedman is Professor of Economics and International and Public Affairs and Chair of the Economics department at Brown University and a founding co-director of Opportunity Insights. He studies the causes and consequences of inequality for kids, as well as policies to improve opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. His work has appeared in top academic journals and major media outlets and has shaped policies at the federal, state, and local levels. His most well-known papers estimate the long-term effects of teachers on student outcomes and most recently the paper “Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Causal Effects of Admission to Highly Selective Private Colleges” which addresses that highly selective private colleges currently amplify the persistence of privilege across generations but could diversify students’ socioeconomic backgrounds by changing their admissions practices. Friedman previously worked as special assistant to the President for economic policy at the National Economic Council in the White House. Friedman is also a member of the Treasury Advisory Council on Racial Equity for the U.S. Department of the Treasury and co-editor of the American Economic Review. He holds a Ph.D. in economics, an AM in statistics, and a BA in economics from Harvard University.