Jim Stimpson, Ph.D.

I am a medical sociologist dedicated to advancing population health through evidence-based public policy and transformative health systems change. My research focuses on the social and structural drivers of health, health communication, and access to care. I have published more than 170 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and reports, and my work has directly informed local, state, and national policy.

My methodological expertise includes the design and analysis of patient and population surveys; application of advanced quantitative techniques such as difference-in-differences (DiD), structural equation modeling, multilevel modeling, matching and weighting methods (e.g., propensity scores, entropy balancing), and latent variable methods including factor analysis and latent class analysis. I also have experience with qualitative research design, content analysis, and translating findings into actionable policy and practice.

Recent NIH projects include examining the etiology of mis- and disinformation among Latino immigrants and the resulting “chilling effects” on Medicaid enrollment and health care access; assessing the cumulative impact of public health emergencies (e.g., hurricanes, earthquakes, and COVID-19) on Puerto Rico’s health system; and evaluating the effects of the 2023 Maui wildfire disaster on Native Hawaiian survivance. A grant from the American Cancer Society is supporting research on how the combination of paid leave laws and Medicaid expansion improves colorectal cancer screening and reduces financial hardship.

I am currently a member of the PROPEL Health Equity Research Network, a multi-institutional initiative funded by the NIH to advance community-engaged health equity research, and the Scholars Strategy Network, a national network of researchers committed to informing public policy with evidence.

In addition to my academic and research roles, I am actively engaged in community service. I volunteer in both national and local initiatives, including legislative advocacy, grant review, and patient navigation through the American Cancer Society, as well as neighborhood revitalization efforts with the City of Plano.

Over the past decade, I have held senior academic leadership roles at three public universities. As the founding Director of the UNMC Center for Health Policy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, I brought together over 50 faculty affiliates and 23 organizational partners in our first year. We produced more than 20 policy and technical reports and regularly advised state policymakers, including legislative testimony. I also played a key role in securing $35 million from the City of Omaha to build the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center—funded in part by a citywide occupation tax on tobacco retailers.

As Senior Associate Dean for Education at the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, I led efforts that doubled enrollment, achieved reaccreditation with the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), and strengthened academic operations and instructional quality—including during the pivot to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Public Health, I served as Associate Dean of Academic and Faculty Affairs, overseeing all academic departments, faculty development, and student-facing operations. During my tenure, the school achieved CEPH reaccreditation and earned new accreditation for its dietetic internship program.

I welcome opportunities to collaborate on impactful research, consult on policy-relevant methods and health system strategies, and mentor the next generation of public health scholars and leaders.