Faculty Directory

Summer Sherburne Hawkins

Professor

Profile

Professor Summer Sherburne Hawkins, PhD, MS, joined the °¬¿ÉÖ±²¥ College School of Social Work (BCSSW) °¬¿ÉÖ±²¥in 2012. She is a social epidemiologist with an interest in addressing policy-relevant research questions in women’s and children’s health. Her research examines the impact of policies on health disparities in parents and children, particularly using methodology that integrates epidemiology and economics. She uses applied econometric techniques to evaluate natural experiments created through policy changes within and between US states, including substance use policies, reproductive health-related policies, breastfeeding policies, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Professor Hawkins has published in prominent peer-reviewed public health journals on the topics of tobacco and cannabis use, maternal morbidity and mortality, infant feeding practices, and preventive health services as well as the impact of state policies on disparities in these health behaviors and outcomes.

Professor Hawkins is the Associate Director for the Global Public Health and the Common Good program and the Assistant Director of theÌýInstitute of Early Childhood Policy at °¬¿ÉÖ±²¥ College. She is also the co-chair of the SACRU on Gender Equity in the University. Prior to joining BCSSW, Professor Hawkins was a Cohort 7 Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholar at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health from 2009-2011.

Select Publications

Hawkins SS, Carey N, Coley RL, Baum CF. Associations between tobacco 21 and flavor restrictions with young adult tobacco use. Tobacco Control 2024 Mar 25:tc-2023-058448. doi: ±Ê²Ñ±õ¶Ù:Ìý38527790

Coley RL, Carey N, Kruzik C, Hawkins SS, Baum CF. Recreational cannabis legalization and adolescent substance use through 2021. JAMA Pediatrics 2024;178(6):622-625. doi: PMID:Ìý38619849. PMCID:ÌýPMC11019436

Hawkins SS, Harper S, Baum CF, Kaufman JS. Associations between state-level changes in reproductive health services and indicators of severe maternal morbidity. JAMA Pediatrics 2023;177(1):93-95. doi: PMID: 36374506 PMCID: PMC9664365

Hawkins SS, Horvath K, Noble A, Baum CF. ACA and Medicaid expansion increased breast pump claims and breastfeeding for women with public and private insurance. Women’s Health Issues 2022;32(2):114-121. doi: PMID: 34802860

Hawkins SS, Hacker MR. Trends in use of conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and marijuana in pregnancy and impact of health policy. Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology 2022; 65(2):305-318. doi: PMID: 35125389

Hawkins SS, Baum CF. Invited commentary: Evaluating intersectionality of policies and populations. Pediatrics 2021;147(5):E2020049586. doi: Ìý±Ê²Ñ±õ¶Ù:Ìý33875538.

Select Grants

07/2024-06/2025 Office of the Vice Provost for Research RADS (Research Across Departments & Schools) grant – titled, Prenatal substance use laws and recreational cannabis legalization: A mixed methods study of their effects on women and health care providers
Role: PI

06/2024-12/2025 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) Health Data for Action (HD4A) program – titled, Impacts of abortion restrictions on fertility and maternal morbidity outcomes
Role: Co-I (PI: Joanna Venator)

09/2023-08/2024 Grodman Family Foundation – titled, Evaluating the health impacts of disasters on youth
Role: Co-PI (with Betty Lai)

09/2021-08/2023 National Cancer Institute & FDA Center for Tobacco Products (R21CA268199) – titled, Impact analysis of flavor restrictions and tobacco 21 policies on youth tobacco use
Role: PI

Select Appointments & Awards

Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Global Health & Social Medicine, King’s College London, England (09/18-08/19)

K99/R00 recipient – National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 5-year career development award (R00HD068506) (2011-2016)

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