BUSSW and CISWH Welcome Internationally Recognized Health Economist and Global Policy Expert Dr. Allyala Nandakumar and His Research Team
Dr. Nandakumar joins Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW) as a research professor and as Global Social Work and Public Health Lab director at the School’s Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health (CISWH). He is joined by his distinguished research team bringing rich expertise in global health, health economics, and policymaking to BUSSW and CISWH.
Dean Barbara Jones states, “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Nandakumar and his team to the BUSSW community. He is a globally renowned leader in health economics and health equity policy who will further BUSSW’s leadership in public health social work and health equity, both domestically and globally. His international influence and extensive scholarship are perfectly aligned with BUSSW’s mission to be a leader in global health justice and economic justice.”
Dr. Nandakumar will lead several signature projects, including the Economic Value of Social Work in Health Equity Project, a philanthropically funded initiative based at CISWH. The research team will also continue their extensive scholarship and high level policy engagement on a number of issues related to the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), including understanding the spillover effects of HIV investments; how resource allocation decisions affect outcomes; analytics to assist countries navigate shifts in donor support, and the use of Activity Based Costing data to optimize resource use.
Through CISWH’s Global Social Work & Public Health lab, the research team is also developing new partnerships and projects to study the impact of climate change on health and how artificial intelligence can be used to improve access to mental and other health services for vulnerable populations.
“We’re energized to welcome Dr. Nandakumar and his extraordinary team to CISWH. Their leadership in global health finance, PEPFAR, and health economics will supercharge our ability to drive bold, innovative, multidisciplinary solutions for health equity globally,” shared Dr. Tami Gouveia, CISWH director and Paul Farmer professor of the practice at BUSSW.
Dr. Nandakumar previously served as the first chief economist at the Global Health Bureau at USAID, the first chief economist at GHSD/PEPFAR, and as a senior advisor to USAID’s health office in India. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Mathematics from Bangalore University, specializing in the General and Special Theory of Relativity, and a MAPE and PhD in Economics from Boston University.
“We are really excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the School of Social Work and CISWH. As a BU alum this makes it even more special,” says Dr. Nandakumar. “Shifts in domestic and global health spending creates the urgent need and opportunity for collaborating with researchers from the school and around the world to both understand the impact of these shifts as well as articulate the economic value and case for continued investments in global health and social work.”
Dr. Nandakumar and his externally funded research team come to BUSSW and CISWH from the Institute for Global Health and Development at Brandeis University. The team includes Dr. William Crown, distinguished research scientist; Senior Research Scientists Drs. Gary Gaumer and Moaven Razavi; Monica Jordan, senior project manager, Collins Gaba and Debbie Stenoien, research associates.