João M. Souto Maior is an educational data scientist who investigates how unequal educational opportunities emerge—and how they might be mitigated. His research centers on two core areas: (1) how organizational decisions contribute to or reduce inequality among students within the same institution; and (2) how adult learning and training can help individuals navigate a rapidly changing labor market while advancing social and economic mobility.

Trained in computational social sciences, João leverages innovative methodological approaches to explore new data sources and generate fresh insights. He employs tools such as agent-based modeling, machine learning, and large-scale data analysis to produce rigorous research that informs both policy and practice.

He is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar (New Map of Life Fellow) at the Stanford Center on Longevity, where he works on a project led by Professor Mitchell Stevens to reimagine educational infrastructure in ways that better integrate learning opportunities across the life course. As a New Map of Life Fellow, João specifically studies how higher education institutions and other organizations can more effectively serve the educational needs of adult and working learners.

Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, João earned his Ph.D. in Sociology of Education from New York University (2023) and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (2017). More about his research can be found at https://joaosoutomaior.github.io.