Award Overview   |   Recipients

Award Year:   2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
	2009 - Steven D. Manners Faculty Development Awards
	Irina Murtazashvili, PhD · Assistant Professor · Department of Economics · "Heterogeneity of Family Motives:  Altruism vs. Exchange    in Intergenerational Transfers." The goal of this project is to expand society's understanding of motives for monetary transfers between generations.  The research explores two rival theories of transfers between families and generations that have realized mixed results in previous empirical studies, altruism versus exchange models.  The research here argues that transfers between generations in extended families are family-specific, and hence the results of testing the altruism versus exchange model may be misleading.  Using recently developed econometric methods, the research will focus on the family-specific motives for transfers in the U.S.  Additional work will also be conducted to perform a cross-country comparison in order to differentiate population groups and circumstances under which any particular motive dominates. Dr. Murtazashvili will conduct this work with Olena Nizalova, assistant professor at the Kyiv Economics Institute, in Kyiv, Ukraine.
	Brian A. Primack, MD, EdM, MS · Assistant Professor, Medicine and Pediatrics · "Waterpipe Tobacco SMoking at the University of Pittsburgh:    A Longitudinal Study." Although the prevalence of cigarette smoking in the U.S. is declining, tobacco smoking using a waterpipe, or hookah, is an emerging trend that poses a great threat to the public health.  Waterpipe tobacco smoking has been associated with substantial harm and addictiveness.   In previous research, Dr.  Primack and his colleagues found that at the University of Pittsburgh ever smoking of tobacco via waterpipe (40.5%) is now higher than ever having smoked a cigarette (39.6%).   Although this work has been highly valuable, it also has limitations including: (1) a weak response rate of 18.6%; (2) few items, since they were added to a larger study that was already long; (3) lack of focus on first year students, who seem to be most substantially impacted by waterpipe tobacco smoking; and (4) a cross-sectional design.  The current work will address each of these limitations.   This timely assessment will enable the researchers to (1) determine accurately the prevalence and uptake of waterpipe tobacco smoking among first-year students at the University of Pittsburgh; (2) test a theory-based meditational model relating waterpipe tobacco smoking to demographic, personal, and environmental predictors; and (3) gather pilot longitudinal data that will support a subsequent major grant application to the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Primack will conduct this work with Dr. Michael J. Fine, professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine and Director of the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.