Seminars and Lectures

Marshall J. Seidman Lecture Series

The Marshall J. Seidman lecture series has been held annually since 2001 with a health care policy expert from outside Harvard University providing insight on a current topic relevant to health care costs, quality, or improvements.

Upcoming: Vasant (Vas) Narasimhan, M.D., CEO, Novartis (Spring 2025, date TBD)

Past Marshall J. Seidman Lecture Speakers

"In the Trenches" Seminar Series

In order to provide the faculty and students with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by front-line managers and to provide a more comprehensive view of the delivery system itself, the Department of Health Care Policy started a unique seminar series in 2000. We invite guests to speak on issues affecting the financing and delivery of health care at their practices, institutions, or corporations. Dr. Bruce Landon coordinates the series; it is open to members of the university. 

Upcoming: Peter Bach, MD, Chief Medical Officer, DELFI Diagnostics (3/5/2025)

Gregg Meyer, MD, MSC, Practicing Physician and Senior VP for Quality and Safety, Massachusetts General Hospital/Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (date TBD)

Past ITT Speakers

Design of Experimental and Non-Experimental Studies (DENS) Seminar Series

The Design of Experimental and Non-Experimental Studies (DENS) seminar series feature rising stars and established leaders in the field of causal inference that visit the department to share their work. These seminars are coordinated by José Zubizarreta. 

Upcoming: Thomas Berrett, PhD, University of Warwick (January 2025)

Fall 2024 Speakers:

October 18, 2024

"Factorial Difference-in-Differences"

Peng Ding, PhD, UC Berkeley

October 11, 2024

"Beyond the funnel plot: New methods to address p-hacking and other biases in meta-analysis"

Maya Mathur, PhD, Stanford University

September 13, 2024

"Leveraging Text Data for Causal Inference Using Electronic Health Records"

Reagan Mozer, PhD, Bentley University

Past DENS Speakers

J.W. Kieckhefer Visiting Scholar Series

The JWK Visiting Scholar is a new program sponsored by the Department of Health Care Policy and was begun in 2022. A leading researcher in health economics from another academic institution is invited to visit the department for up to a week. During this time, he/she meets with students and faculty from Harvard schools with interest and research in health economics (i.e., FAS, HBS, HKS, HMS, Harvard Chan School of Public Health).

2023 J.W. Kieckhefer Visiting Scholars:

Liran Einav

Janet Currie

PhD in Health Policy Research Seminar

The Research Seminar is for students in the PhD Program in Health Policy who are third-year graduate students and above. It meets weekly throughout the year and gives students an opportunity to present dissertation research or job talks. The seminars are primarily for students in the program and faculty who are interested in the topic being presented. Anupam Jena and Leila Agha are the faculty coordinators. For more information, contact Colleen Yout by e-mail or at (617) 495-1357.

Fall 2024 Sessions and Speakers:

9/10: Mike Eber, G6, Decision Sciences – Numeracy and Stated Preference Valuation

9/17: Sarah Kotb, G6, Economics – The Fragmentation of Health Insurance and Underinvestment in Preventative Care

9/24: Mitchell Tang, G5, Management – From Exam Rooms to Zooms: The Hidden Costs of Hybrid Work in Primary Care

10/1: Graeme Peterson, G5, Economics – Adverse Selection and the Incidence of Medical Innovation: Evidence from Medicare Part D

10/8: Amanda Chen, G5, Methods for Policy Research – Nursing Homes and Insurers? The Role of Provider-Led Institutional Special Needs Plans

10/15: Olivia Zhao, G5, Management – Price Transparency and Prescribing: Evidence from Diabetes Care

10/22: Ye Shen, G5, Decision Sciences – The Insurance Odyssey in the Fragmented US Health Systems: Cumulative Experience of Health and Dental Coverage and Routine Utilizations over Childhood

10/29: Lindsay Overhage, G4, Methods for Policy Research – Emergency Department Boarding of Youth with Acute Mental Health Concerns: Association Between Inpatient Psychiatric Admission and Subsequent Service Use

11/5: Chris Lim, G3, Economics – More Harm Than Good: Income Transfers vs. Healthcare Subsidies

11/12: Reigne Dadey, G3, Economics

11/19: Katarina Swanson, G3, Methods for Policy Research

11/26: Lily Hsieh, G6, Decision Sciences

12/3: Nolan Kavanagh, G3, Political Analysis

Past PhD in Health Policy Seminar Sessions and Speakers

Health Economics Seminar

The Health Economics Seminar is run by third-year graduate students in the economics track of the PhD program in Health Policy. The seminar meets weekly throughout the year with a mix of internal and external speakers, predominantly graduate students presenting work in progress. The seminar attracts faculty and graduate students from the Economics department at Harvard, the Harvard Kennedy School, Boston University, and MIT.

Fall 2024 Seminar Dates and Speakers:

9/10: Anne Katrine Borgbjerg – Delayed Retirement: Effects on Health and Healthcare Utilization

9/17: Hailey Brace – Insurance Plan Characteristics and the Transition to Medicare

9/24: Woojin Kim – Political Polarization in Medicine

10/1 Marai Hayes – The Long Tail of Childhood Health: Evidence from the HRS and the Measles Vaccine

10/8: Yibo Sun – Pharmacy Networks, Drug Adherence, and Mortality

10/15: Ibou Dieye – Community-based Health Insurance and Health: Evidence from Senegal

10/22: Chris Lim – More Harm Than Good: Income Transfers vs. Healthcare Subsidies

10/29: Ilana Salant – The Impacts of Privatization: Evidence from the Home Health Care Sector

11/5: Graeme Peterson – Adverse Selection and the Incidence of Medical Innovation: Evidence from Medicare Part D

11/12: Joseph Hnath

11/19: Connie Xu

11/26: Michael Nguyen-Mason

12/3: Ralph Lawton

12/10: Marema Gaye

Spring 2024 Seminar Dates and Speakers:

Past Health Econ Seminar Speakers