Marc A Zimmerman

Marc A. Zimmerman is the Marshall H. Becker Collegiate Professor of Health Behavior and Health Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and a Professor of Psychology in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He co-directs the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention and leads the CDC-funded Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center. His research focuses on adolescent health, resiliency, and empowerment theory, particularly in the context of violence and firearm injury prevention. Zimmerman has developed the Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES) program, an evidence-based intervention for reducing youth violence through community-driven initiatives.

Education: PhD in Psychology from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana), MS from the University of Oregon, and BS from the University of Massachusetts. His work integrates community-based participatory research, longitudinal studies, and qualitative methods.

Research interests include youth violence prevention, firearm safety, community intervention strategies, and the application of empowerment theory. He directs multiple funded initiatives, including evaluations of vacant lot greening programs and the adaptation of YES for anti-racism efforts. His recent articles emphasize firearm storage practices, racial disparities in firearm violence, and the impact of community violence on youth behavior.

Zimmerman collaborates with organizations in Muskegon, MI, and Washington, DC, to address root causes of violence through interdisciplinary approaches. His work bridges public health, psychology, and urban policy to promote health equity and safety.