Frederick J. Zimmerman

Dr. Frederick J. Zimmerman is Professor of Health Policy and Management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and a core faculty member of the UCLA Center for Health Advancement. An economist by training, he integrates economic, sociological, and psychological perspectives to illuminate how economic structures—from poverty and inequality to housing markets—shape population health outcomes.

Education:

• PhD, Economics, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Research Interests:

Dr. Zimmerman’s scholarship centers on the political economy of health and social policy. He examines how housing affordability, transportation systems, media exposure in early childhood, and health equity measurement influence population-level health. His Win-Win simulation model demonstrates how multi-sector interventions ripple through high-school graduation rates, crime statistics, and local government finances, providing an evidence base for cross-sector health policy.

Using advanced statistical methods and agent-based simulations, he quantifies the opportunity costs of excess medical spending, tracks long-term BMI disparities, and crafts policy frames that increase public support for obesity prevention. His work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, the BBC, and Radio France Internationale.

Teaching:

• Advanced Statistical Research Methods
• Determinants of Health
• Public Health Ethics

Current Projects & Labs:

At the UCLA Center for Health Advancement, Dr. Zimmerman leads efforts to build systematic measures that track health equity across jurisdictions over time. The center serves as a hub for interdisciplinary teams employing simulation modeling to inform policymakers on the health and economic returns of social investments.