Zong Huang
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSZong's research is focused on examining the drivers of economic inequality and understanding the effects of social welfare programs.…
Nayla Bezares
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSFood systems affect multiple elements of society, influencing well-being from health, economic and environmental perspectives. In Puerto Rico, recent…
Motunrayo Tosin-Oni
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSMotunrayo's research interests lie at the intersection of health equity and community-driven policies. In her work, she explores the…
Lauren Prox
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSDo we have a say when it comes to the air we breathe? Well, that depends on who you…
Lastascia Coleman
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSLastascia's research interests include investigating the intersection of Medicaid policy and maternal racial and geographic health disparities. She will…
Ginny Emiko Oshiro
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSAs a formerly incarcerated scholar, Ginny has learned that her lived experience is connected to larger communities and societal…
Gabriel Lorenzo Aguilar
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSHumanitarian organizations have problems in their distribution of aid that need critical attention from researchers and practitioners interested in…
Chlece Walker-Neal-Murray
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSChlece would like to create a family court that is more therapeutic in nature, prioritizing the health of individuals…
Alexis Rowland
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSIn the pursuit of abolishing prisons, Alexis studies prisons, penal policy, and punishment, especially those issues which affect gender…
Lauren M. Peters
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSThere were fourteen Unangax children buried in the Carlisle Indian Industrial School cemetery in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, including Lauren’s great…
Monica De La Cruz
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSMonica’s research interest focuses on ways to ameliorate family poverty as a means to positively impact children’s health, specifically…
Shlon A. Smith
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSShlon’s research interests center around addressing the academic and mental health needs of students in low-income and urban communities.…
Morgan D. Farnworth
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSMorgan's research focuses on the role of government in advancing health equity. Applying an interdisciplinary lens to the opioid…
Melinda M. Adams
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSMelinda is a doctoral student in Native American Studies and also conducts research in Environmental Policy and Management at…
Kate Somerville
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSKate’s work aims to explore and promote effective models of mental health support and services for students in K-12…
Justin W. Morgan
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSJustin is primarily interested in how communities could interact with their social, political, and ecological environments to eliminate health…
Jessica Drescher
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSJessica is interested in changing the opportunity structure surrounding children living in poverty in service of equalizing those opportunities…
Denae Bradley
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSIn recent decades, much of the public debate about mass incarceration has centered on Black men. Incarcerated women have…
Bryant Jackson-Green
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSBryant's research lies at the intersection of criminal justice policy and organizational theory, focusing on how organizations make decisions…
Alberto Cifuentes, Jr.
By Nicole Racovites onFOCUSUrban sex workers, regardless of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, experience high levels of prejudice and discrimination that negatively impact…
The Program at a Glance
Who is Health Policy Research Scholars for?
Doctoral students from a variety of disciplines—such as urban planning, political science, economics, anthropology, education, social work, geography, and sociology—who are committed to using policy change to advance population health and health equity.
Applicants must be:
- Full-time doctoral students who are starting the second year of their programs in fall 2023 and do not expect to graduate before spring/summer 2026.
- From historically marginalized backgrounds and/or populations underrepresented in specific doctoral disciplines.
- Pursuing a research-focused discipline that can advance a Culture of Health.
- Interested in health policy and interdisciplinary approaches.
What do scholars receive?
- Annual award funding of up to $30,000 for up to four years or until they complete their doctoral program (whichever is sooner).
- Mentoring and training in health policy and leadership.
- Professional ties to public health and policy leaders and innovators from diverse fields.
- Opportunity to compete for an additional dissertationgrant of up to $10,000.
- Membership in a network of scholars and alumni for research and advocacy collaborations.
