Dr. Paul Ferraro

Biography

Paul J. Ferraro is the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Human Behavior and Public Policy at Johns Hopkins University, with joint faculty appointments in the Carey Business School and the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. His research primarily explores causal inference in complex systems, focusing on behavioral science, economics, and environmental policy. Ferraro combines methodologies from epidemiology and health sciences with randomized controlled trials to identify causal links between actions and their impacts on the environment and society. His multidisciplinary work has contributed to developing evidence-based programs that address critical issues such as clean water access and conservation effectiveness. Currently, he collaborates with natural and physical scientists to elucidate causal relationships within ecological and hydrological systems. Ferraro has advised various organizations, including the Global Environment Facility and the State Children's Environmental Health Protection Advisory Council in Maryland. His accolades include Fellow of the Association of Environmental Resource Economics and the Cozzarelli Prize from the National Academy of Sciences. Ferraro earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Duke University and his PhD from Cornell University, joining Johns Hopkins in 2015 after serving as Regents’ Professor at Georgia State University.

Research Interests