John Scott

John Scott serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and currently directs the Retirement Income Security Project at The Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington D.C. His work focuses on retirement policy, aging populations, and public policy analysis. Previously, he held academic positions teaching tax policy and public policy while maintaining advocacy roles in retirement and compensation issues. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Swarthmore College, M.A. in Sociology from University of Maryland, J.D. from Penn State, and Ph.D. in Sociology from Cornell University.

Dr. Scott’s research emphasizes employer-based retirement programs, policy barriers to retirement savings, and the role of disclosure in retirement plan management. His Pew project bridges academic research with policy advocacy, engaging stakeholders across government and civil society to address retirement insecurity through evidence-based strategies. His work combines quantitative analysis with social network methodologies to map lobbying dynamics and policy influence networks.

Key projects include evaluating state/federal retirement savings proposals, analyzing employer plan features’ impact on savings rates, and studying lobbying strategies in policy formulation. While no formal awards are noted, his contributions to public policy discourse are recognized through extensive publications and direct policy engagement.

As project director, Scott oversees a team of researchers and policy analysts, coordinating with policymakers, media, and advocacy groups to disseminate research findings. His career spans legal practice in pension design compliance, academic research, and think-tank leadership, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach to solving complex social and economic challenges.