Harsha Thirumurthy, PhD, Professor, Medical Ethics & Health Policy and Co-Director, Behavioral Economics and Global Health Insights Lab, has been awarded the 2024 Faculty Prize in Global Health
In 2021, Penn alum Robert Suskind, MD (C’59, M’63) and his wife, Leslie Lewinter-Suskind, MSS, MFA, generously endowed an annual award for a PSOM faculty member who exemplifies their lifelong commitment to improving global health and access to care through training partnerships, research, or clinical work.
Dr. Thirumurthy is currently Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Interim Division Chief of Health Policy, the Associate Director of the Center for Health Incentives & Behavioral Economics (CHIBE), Co-Director of Penn Research Development Initiative (PDRI) and Co-Director of the Behavioral Economics and Global Health Insights (BEGIN) Lab. His commitment to improving lives around the world by applying principles of behavioral economics to critical global health challenges, such as improving HIV and malaria outcomes through low-cost and innovative interventions, spans his entire career. From his time as a doctoral student through his interdisciplinary research today, Dr. Thirumurthy has had a tremendous, big-picture impact on two of the historically largest burdens of infectious disease areas in multiple lower-resourced countries (LMICs). Commendably, he has begun applying his expertise to the areas of environmental health and non-communicable disease in LMICs at a time when there is an opportunity to mitigate disastrous consequences from these rapidly increasing global health threats.
His impressive research collaborations spanning clinicians, epidemiologists, partner country researchers, and multilateral and bilateral organizations as well as policymakers exemplify the change-making power of rich interdisciplinary engagement. His approach serves as a model for us all and embodies the Penn spirit of combining collaborative innovation with global citizenry. Critically, his devotion to training Penn and LMIC students and junior researchers will continue to elevate the role that health and behavioral economics play in improving global health outcomes for generations to come.
A celebration for this year’s recipients will be held on Thursday, May 16 at 12:00 PM EDT in 253 Biomedical Research Medical Building (BRB), with a virtual option. Click here for more information.