Research Expertise and Interest

political science, health politics, public policy, public administration, disaster response, expertise in public decision-making

Research Description

As a political scientist in the UC Berkeley School of public health, I focus on the political dynamics surrounding the formation and implementation of public policies aimed at improving health.  I have expertise in environmental health politics as well as the politics surrounding research related to issues in public health, including tobacco, automobile safety, vaccines and firearms.  I have published on dynamics related to the EPA, CDC, WHO, NIH, and PCORI including issues like acid rain, climate change, nuclear waste disposal,  violence prevention, pandemic and epidemic response, and comparative effectiveness research.  I also study the role of experts in public decision making, the role of disease organization in shaping health policy, and compare the stakeholder dynamics across environmental health and health care issues. My training in political science, organization theory, public administration and science, technology and society supports my research in these areas.