My research focuses on questions of inequality, poverty, social exclusion, returns to education and social policy (especially, the redistributive role of the state). I have published over ninety five articles in scholarly journals and contributions to collective volumes, participated in a large number of conferences and workshops and have been a partner in over fifty international and national research and consultancy projects. I am Research Fellow of the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA, Bonn) and Senior Research Fellow of the Hellenic Observatory (LSE, London). During the period 2012-2014 I was Chairman of the Greek Government’s Council of Economic Advisors and member of the EU Economic and Financial Committee (EFC) and Eurogroup Working Group (EWG) and alternate member of Ecofin and Eurogroup. I have also been Social Policy advisor to Prime Ministers G. Papandreou (2010-2011) and L. Papademos (2011-2012) and a member of the EU Economic Policy Committee (EPC, 2010-2011).