Paula Lantz, recently retired from the University of Michigan, has been named the recipient of the J. Michael McGinnis Leadership Excellence Award from the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science.
Each year, IAPHS presents seven awards recognizing outstanding contributions to population health science. The J. Michael McGinnis Leadership Excellence Award honors a leader whose accomplishments, commitment, values and contributions reflect the association's mission to advance population health science through science, translational activities and mentoring.
Lantz held the titles of University Professor of Diversity and Social Transformation, James B. Hudak Professor of Health Policy, and Professor of Public Policy at U-M. Over the course of her career, she served in several major administrative leadership roles, including associate dean for academic affairs at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, chair of the Department of Health Management and Policy, and director of the Robert Wood Johnson Scholars in Health Policy Research program.
A social demographer and social epidemiologist, Lantz has made significant contributions to population health science through her scholarship, teaching, policy engagement and mentorship. Her work has focused on the role of public policy in improving population health and reducing social inequalities in health.
She is widely known for her research on the critical role socioeconomic factors play in health disparities across the life course. She also has been influential in examining the "medicalization" of population health, including how an over-reliance on medical care policy can limit approaches to addressing broader population health challenges.
Lantz's research has contributed to scholarly understanding and has been used by local, state and federal health agencies and organizations. She is an elected member of both the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Social Insurance.
The award recognizes Lantz's outstanding leadership, influential scholarship and enduring commitment to advancing population health, health equity and the next generation of population health scholars.
