Scott Langford, PhD

I am a post-doctoral research fellow in the School of Public Affairs at Arizona State University. I earned my Ph.D. in Public Policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and my BS in Chemistry  at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. I am a fourth-generation Eastern North Carolina native.

The central goal of my career is to improve economic and health policy using a data-driven approach. I use economic and policy theoretical frameworks, coupled with rigorous research designs, and advanced econometric methods, to answer policy-relevant questions. Substantively, my interests lie at the intersection of economics, finance, public health, and the environment. I examine how economies react to shocks (e.g., hurricanes), and identify moderating conditions (e.g., entrepreneurship).

My independent research has been funded by the Kenan Institute for Private Enterprise. I have also had the opportunity to serve as a research assistant on projects funded by the Kaufman Foundation and NCIDEA. My research has appeared in leading journals, such as Pediatric Research, JAMA Pediatrics, Economic Development Quarterly, and the Journal of Regional Science. I have also had the opportunity to teach courses, on-line and in-person, at UNC-Chapel Hill, Arizona State, UNC-Pembroke, and West Texas A&M.