Lerner Center Research Affiliates comprise an interdisciplinary group of scholars whose high-impact applied research demonstrates a commitment to improving community and population health.
Kevin Antshel
Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Training
Research specialties: ADHD, developmental psychopathology, and psycho-social treatment development
Email Dr. Antshel: kmantshe@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Dessa Bergen-Cico
Professor, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics; Public Health Coordinator, Addiction Studies Program
Research Specialties: Alcohol, drugs, and addictive behaviors; traumatic stress; mindfulness; violence and health
Email Dr. Bergen-Cico: dkbergen@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Rachel E. Fabi
Assistant Professor of Bioethics and Humanities at Upstate Medical University
Research Specialties: immigrant and refugee health; public health ethics; state and federal health policy
Email Dr. Fabi: fabir@upstate.edu and see faculty page.
Margaret K. Formica
Associate Professor, Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Upstate Medical University
Research Specialties: firearm violence and prevention; epidemiological methods; treatment choices and health outcomes among cancer patients
Email Dr. Formica: formicam@upstate.edu and see faculty page.
Rashmi Gangamma
Associate Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy; David B. Falk College of Human Sport and Dynamics
Research specialties: mental health in refugee and immigrant families; culturally responsive, trauma-informed interventions; family therapy theory development
Email Dr. Gangamma: rgangamm@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Sarah Hamersma
Associate Professor of Public Administration and International Affairs, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Research Specialties: Medicaid, child health, birth outcomes, food insecurity
Email Dr. Hamersma: sehamers@maxwell.syr.edu and see faculty page.
Madonna Harrington Meyer
University Professor of Sociology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence
Research Specialties: Grandparenting; Food insecurity among the elderly; Gender, race, and US old age policy
Email Dr. Harrington Meyer: mhm@maxwell.syr.edu and see faculty page.
Kevin S. Heffernan
Dean’s Associate Professor of Exercise Science, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
Research Specialties: exercise; vascular physiology; cardiovascular disease risk; aging; health disparities
Email Dr. Heffernan: ksheffer@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Colleen Heflin
Professor, Public Administration and International Affairs, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Research Specialties: social determinants of health, food and nutrition policy, and health consequences of participation in the social safety net
Email Dr. Heflin: cmheflin@maxwell.syr.edu and see faculty page.
Tyra A. Jean
2019-2020 PAIA Exceptional Scholar as a Master of Public Administration student on the Social Policy track
Research Specialties: race, social determinants of black and indigenous health, hunger & food policy, environmental justice
Email Tyra: tajean@syr.edu
Jennifer Karas Montez
Professor of Sociology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Gerald B. Kramer Faculty Scholar of Aging Studies
Research Specialties: social demography, social determinants of health, women’s health, spatial patterns and trends in mortality
Email Dr. Karas Montez: jmontez@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Scott Landes
Associate Professor of Sociology; Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Research specialties: disability, Veterans, mortality, aging and the life course
Email Dr. Landes: sdlandes@maxwell.syr.edu and see faculty page.
Andrew London
Associate Dean and Professor of Sociology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Research Specialties: social demography; sociology of health and health care; aging and the life course; veterans’ health; HIV/AIDS; sexuality studies
Email Dr. London: anlondon@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Len Lopoo
Professor, Public Administration and International Affairs, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Director, Center for Policy Research; Director, Maxwell X Lab
Research Specialties: child and family policy, behavioral economics, demography, evaluation
Email Dr. Lopoo: lmlopoo@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern
Associate Professor of Public Health, Food Studies & Nutrition
Food Studies Program; David B. Falk College of Human Sport and Dynamics
Research Specialties: race, labor, and immigration in the food system; agricultural politics and policy
Email Dr. Minkoff-Zern: lminkoff@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Shannon Monnat
Associate Professor of Sociology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Lerner Chair for Public Health Promotion
Research Specialties: social demography; social determinants of health; rural health; geographic trends in health and mortality; opioids and other diseases and deaths of despair
Email Dr. Monnat: smmonnat@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Amy Ellen Schwartz
Professor of Economics and Public Administration and International Affairs; Daniel Patrick Moynihan Chair in Public Affairs, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Research Specialties: public economics; health economics; school food policy; childhood obesity
Email Dr. Schwartz: amyschwartz@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Samantha Trajkovski
Postdoctoral Scholar, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Research Specialties: labor economics; school food policy; family policy; early childhood health
Email Dr. Trajkovski: setrajko@maxwell.syr.edu and see staff page.
Bhavneet Walia
Assistant Professor of Public Health, Food Studies & Nutrition; David B. Falk College of Human Sport and Dynamics
Research Specialties: health economics; econometric methodology; early childhood intervention; agricultural labor policy; refugee intervention programs
Email Dr. Walia: bwalia@syr.edu and see faculty page.
Janet M. Wilmoth
Professor of Sociology, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; Director, Aging Studies Institute
Research Specialties: demography of aging; migration and living arrangements; social support; health status
Email Dr. Wilmoth: jwilmoth@syr.edu and see faculty page.