The Kate Ho ASHEcon Medal is awarded to early career economists who have made significant contributions to their field.
The American Society of Heath Economists (ASHEcon) has awarded this year’s Kate Ho ASHEcon Medal to Maria Polyakova of Stanford School of Medicine, in recognition of her exceptional work in health economics.
Professor Polyakova researches the impact of government interventions in healthcare markets and the links between information and individual health decisions. She presented research on multiple health policy initiatives at ASHEcon 2025, examining drug utilization, patient outcomes, and the wider economic effects of programs.
The ASHEcon Medal is awarded to health economists aged 40 or younger who have contributed outstanding research to their field.
The Kate Ho ASHEcon Medal is named in honor of Kate Ho, a distinguished professor of economics and business policy at Princeton University, who passed away in 2025. The medal is awarded annually to health economists aged 40 or younger who have contributed outstanding research to their field.
“We are delighted to see this recognition of Dr. Polyakova’s exceptional contributions across many areas of health economics,” said Doug Owens, M.D., chair of Stanford School of Medicine’s Department of Health Policy. “It’s an extraordinary achievement and so well deserved.”
Professor Polyakova will be honored at ASHEcon’s 2026 conference in Minneapolis. Read the announcement on the Society’s website.