Katherine Michelmore Wins the 24th David N. Kershaw Award and Prize

Dr. Katherine Michelmore, associate professor of public policy at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy has been awarded the 2024 David N. Kershaw Award and Prize for her contributions as a leading scholar and educator on the social safety net, education policy, and labor economics. Michelmore will be will be recognized at the upcoming 2024 Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) Fall Research Conference. As the 24th recipient of the David N. Kershaw Award and Prize, Michelmore will deliver the Kershaw Lecture during the conference.

The David N. Kershaw Award recognizes professionals who make significant contributions to the field of public policy analysis and management before the age of 40. Award recipients receive a $20,000 cash prize. David N. Kershaw, for whom the award is named, was the first president of Mathematica and helped guide the establishment of APPAM before his death from cancer at age 37. The award was created in 1983 in his memory and is jointly administered by Mathematica and APPAM.

“Dr. Michelmore’s ability to not only conduct research of the highest quality but apply this evidence sets a strong example for how data and evidence can and should shape the important policy discussions of our time,” said Paul Decker, president and chief executive officer of Mathematica. “Her work is already helping policymakers understand the impacts of social policies on households with lower incomes and identify novel approaches to improve access to high-quality education.”

Michelmore’s research has found that children from families that receive the Earned Income Tax Credit go on to experience higher educational attainment, lower teen fertility rates, and less poverty in adulthood. Her work on the Child Tax Credit has been critical in helping policymakers better understand its impact on various populations and consider the costs of potential expansions. And her evaluations of new approaches to promote access to higher education have produced several key insights into what types of interventions work best to increase enrollment of students with lower incomes at selective institutions.

"I am delighted to see APPAM and Mathematica recognize Katherine Michelmore for her exceptional scholarship on the U.S. social safety net and education policy,” said Celeste Watkins-Hayes, dean of the Ford School. “Her influential research and engagement with policymakers address the challenges of economic disadvantage and explore how public policy can create opportunities for better outcomes. Katherine's dedication to these critical issues reflects the high standards of excellence we uphold at the Ford School. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and this well-deserved honor."

In addition to her role at the Ford School, Michelmore is currently a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and serves on a National Academy of Science committee studying recent tax credit expansions. Previously, she was assistant professor of public administration and international affairs at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Michelmore completed her Ph.D. in policy analysis and management at Cornell University. She holds a B.A. in economics and psychology from Wesleyan University.

The 2024 APPAM Fall Research Conference will take place in November near Washington, DC.