Current Scholar Bios
John Friedman received his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 2007. His fields of interest are public economics, political economics, and contract theory. John's research investigates government policies and policymaking, examining the effect of various public programs in light of the political institutions that produce them. Among other specific topics, he has written on the effectiveness of incentive schemes in the public sector and in healthcare organizations; modeled gerrymandering and estimated its influence on various aspects of government; looked at ways in which government policies signal intentions for future policy changes; and explored incentives that cause legislative gridlock on political issues that cut across traditional party divisions, such as social security, healthcare, and immigration reform. As a RWJ Scholar, John will continue his work along these lines with a specific focus on health- and healthcare-related policies and policymaking.