Dr Dana Goldman: Awards Like Seema S. Sonnad Acknowledge People Who Translate Evidence Into Policy

Awards need to also recognize researchers whose work has an impact on policy and can be translated for policy makers and even the broader public to understand, said Dana Goldman, PhD, the Leonard D. Schaeffer Chair and director of the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics and Professor of Public Policy, Pharmacy, and Economics at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and USC School of Pharmacy.

Transcript

Why should academic institutions nominate exemplary candidates for awards such as the Seema S. Sonnad Emerging Leader in Managed Care Research Award?

Academic institutions have a problem that they tend to reward scientific publications and our ability to communicate to scientific audiences. But it’s increasingly important in today’s world that we come out of the ivory tower and we have an impact in policy circles and with the broader public, and that includes the media, as well. And Dr. Trish’s work has shown that she can have an impact on all those arenas.

So, I think it’s very important that academic institutions reward people who can translate evidence into policy. One of the things we’ve tried to do at the Schaeffer Center is to make sure that that activity is supported, that is translating evidence into policy. And Erin Trish exemplifies that, perfectly.