Samuel Asare, PhD

Principal Scientist
Tobacco Control Research

What Inspires My Research

The pain and death of cancer patients both sadden me and inspire my research. I'm focused on helping people reduce behaviors that increase their cancer risks and improve cancer prevention by informing tobacco-control policies and advocating for interventions during bad economic times (such as the coronavirus pandemic)."

At ACS since 2021

As a Principal Scientist for the Tobacco Control Research team within the American Cancer Society's (ACS) Surveillance & Health Equity Science department, Samuel Asare, PhD, leads and collaborates on research projects that aim to reduce cancer risks in the United States.

A health economist, Asare's expertise is in the use of cutting-edge econometrics techniques and quasi-experimental (i.e. non-experimental) data. His goal is to provide evidence on the impacts of policy interventions (e.g. tobacco-control policies) and natural experiments (e.g. changes in economic conditions and coronavirus pandemic) on smoking-related outcomes and health.

Research focus and accomplishments

Asare studies how national-, state-, and local-level tobacco interventions and policies affect smoking behaviors. 

During his doctoral studies at Georgia State University, he received multiple awards, travel grants, and fellowships, including the:

  • Provost Dissertation Fellowship (2020-2021)
  • Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Teaching Economics Award (2020)
  • Center for the Economic Analysis of Risk Dissertation Fellowship (2018 - 2020)

To learn more about Asare's past and current research, visit his website.

Publications

For a full list of Dr. Asare's publications, visit his Google Scholar page.

 

 

Contact

samuel.asare@cancer.org

Work before ACS

  • Georgia State University, Graduate Research Assistant, 2015–2020 
  • American Cancer Society, Intern, 2017–2018 
  • University of Akron, Graduate Assistant, 2013-2014

Professional organizations

  • American Economic Association (AEA)
  • AEA Minority Mentorship Group 
  • Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM)
  • Southern Economic Association (SEA)

Education

  • PhD: Economics, Georgia State University in Atlanta, 2021
  • MA: Economics, University of Akron in Ohio, 2014
  • BA: Economics and Mathematics, University of Ghana in Legon, 2012