Health Politics and Policy (Section 39)
The organized section on Health Politics and Policy provides the ideal infrastructure in which members can more thoroughly, efficiently arm themselves with the additional expertise we need to explore health politics and policy questions. The Section will define “health politics and policy” just as broadly as the phrase implies. Everything from the politics of Medicare Part D to the politics of women’s health; everything from comparative politics of AIDS in Africa, Eastern Europe, and South Asia to the comparative state politics of Medicaid and SCHIP, everything from the ethics of end of life decisions to the regulation of stem cell research, everything from public budgeting and regulation to public health disaster preparedness – all these and more fall with the scope of the Section.
Founded: 2008
Public Discussion List: APSA Connect discussion
Publication: OSHPP Newsletter
Website: https://connect.apsanet.org/s39/
Section Membership Dues
| Student | Regular |
|---|---|
| $0 | $16 |
Donate to Section 39
Section Officers
Section Officers
Section Awards
Section awards are presented during the APSA annual meeting awards ceremony. To learn more about any award listed, contact the award committee chair for the award.
All section 39. Health Politics and Policy awards to-date »
Emerging Health Politics Scholar Award
Purpose: The purpose of this award is to recognize a junior scholar (pre-tenure or equivalent) who is emerging as a leader in the field of health politics through their teaching, research, and service.
Eligibility requirements: Nominees for the award will have demonstrated early excellence in their research, teaching, and service and distinguished themselves from other early career scholars in the area of health politics. Nominees must be in an early career stage and cannot have been tenured or promoted as of September of the year the award is given. They must be a current member of the APSA Organized Section on Health Policy and Politics.
Deadline for nominations: May 1, 2026
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Erika Fowler | Wesleyan University | efowler@wesleyan.edu |
| Ashley Fox | SUNY – Albany | afox3@albany.edu |
| Alan Zarychta | University of Chicago | azarychta@uchicago.edu |
Outstanding Public Engagement in Health Policy Award
The Outstanding Public Engagement in Health Policy Award is offered to an individual who has contributed to health and health care system improvement through sustained engagement in the political and policy making process.
Deadline for nominations: May 1, 2026
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Renu Singh | Durham University | renu.singh@durham.ac.uk |
| Scott Greer | University of Michigan | slgreer@umich.edu |
| Shan Gadarian | Syracuse University | sgadaria@syr.edu |
| Carmen Ho | University of Guelph | carmen.ho@uoguelph.ca |
| Lauren Peterson | University of Chicago | lapeterson@uchicago.edu |
Leonard S. Robins Award for the Best Paper on Health Politics and Policy
The section’s Best Paper on Health Politics and Policy Award is named in honor of Leonard S. Robins, who through his presence and gentle questioning at virtually every health politics panel graciously nurtured the scholarship of both junior and senior scholars. The award recognizes the best paper on any subject that fits under the rubric of Health Politics and Policy presented at the previous annual APSA meeting.
Deadline for nominations: May 1, 2026
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Eric Patashnik | Brown University | eric_patashnik@brown.edu |
| Ling Zhu | University of Houston | lzhu4@Central.UH.EDU |
| Caitlin McMurtry | Washington University in St. Louis | mcmurtry@wustl.edu |
Career Achievement Award
The Career Achievement Award is given to a senior scholar who has made a significant lifetime contribution to the student of health politics and policy.
Deadline for nominations: Not awarded in 2026
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
Excellence in Mentoring Award
The Excellence in Mentoring Award recognizes a section member who has demonstrated a continued dedication to supporting and encouraging the development of graduate students and junior scholars in the field.
Deadline for nominations: May 1, 2026
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Renu Singh | Durham University | renu.singh@durham.ac.uk |
| Scott Greer | University of Michigan | slgreer@umich.edu |
| Shana Gadarian | Syracuse University | sgadaria@syr.edu |
| Carmen Ho | University of Guelph | carmen.ho@uoguelph.ca |
| Lauren Peterson | University of Chicago | lapeterson@uchicago.edu |
The David Kline Jones Distinguished Scholar Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize a junior or mid-career scholar for their distinguished contributions to the field of health policy and politics. The award honors the significant contributions of David Kline Jones, a scholar who had an enormous impact on the field of health policy and politics through impactful research, commitment to health equity, and generous and devoted attention to teaching and mentoring.
Deadline for nominations: Not awarded in 2026
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|