Will Manning Memorial Lecture

On November 25, 2014, the world of health economics lost one of its most distinguished members, Willard (Will) Manning.  For most of the prior 15 years, Will Manning was a professor in the Harris School of Public Policy Studies and the Department of  Public Health Sciences at the University of Chicago.  Before his arrival in Chicago, he served in positions at the University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Harvard University, and the RAND Corporation.  He received his Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University in 1973.  His career was marked by extraordinary contributions in scholarship, service, and mentorship.

Professor Will Manning retires from the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago with a celebration at the Quad Club June 27, 2012. (Photo by Jason Smith)

Will Manning published more than 150 articles and several books, resulting in more than 11,000 citations.  Will first made his mark on the field with his work on the RAND Health Insurance Experiment.   His AER article resulting from that work (Manning et al., 1987) is still relevant and has been cited more than 700 times.  Subsequently, he made substantial scholarly contributions to the field of health economics across several broad areas:  health insurance, health econometrics, mental health, and health behaviors.  A key to the wide and deep impact of his work was his attention to both the methodological rigor and the institutional realities and real-world impact of the issues he studied.  He exhibited a deep and abiding commitment to improving public health and especially health care for vulnerable populations.

In recognition of his scholarly contributions, Will Manning received some of the most high-profile awards in the profession:  the 2009 AcademyHealth Distinguished Investigator Award, the 2010 Victor Fuchs Lifetime Achievement Award from ASHE, IHEA’s Arrow Award for the best paper in health economics in 2001, Article of the Year Award from AcademyHealth’s predecessor in 1990 and 1993, and membership in the Institute of Medicine starting in 1995. The field of health economics will be forever grateful for the time Will Manning devoted to advancing research and the training of so many of its participants.

Upcoming Lecture 

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Lindsey J. Leininger, PhD
Clinical Professor of Business Administration
Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth

Standing Up for Science:A Communication Playbook for the Next Health Emergency

Program: 3:30 – 5:00 PM
Location: Sky Suite at the Harris School

Register Here

Lindsey J. Leininger specializes in data-driven health policy, with a focus on the health care safety net and community health. She has a longstanding interest in publicly funded health insurance programs, with related research spanning quality measurement, risk segmentation, and program evaluation. Her community health work focuses on health education and promotion initiatives. Highlights include leading an award-winning crisis communication campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic; designing and delivering a nationally recognized curriculum for public benefits navigators; and leading the data and research efforts for a home-visiting program for high-risk pregnant women in Wisconsin. At Tuck she teaches courses on data-driven decision-making in the health sector. She also serves as Faculty Director for the Center for Health Care. Prior to Tuck, Lindsey spent a decade designing and leading research and technical assistance projects for Medicaid agencies, both as an academic and as a think-tank researcher. She holds a PhD in health policy from the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy.

Click here to view past Will Manning Memorial Lectures.