Distinguished Faculty Scholarly & Creative Achievement Award

November 19, 2010

Dr. Marshall Medoff

Economics

Dr. Marshall Medoff is one of the most prolific researchers in the College of Liberal Arts. In the 30 years that he has been a faculty member, he has published more than 75 articles. During the last five years, when many faculty members who have been teaching as long as he has are planning their retirements, he has published 21 articles. He is widely recognized outside CSULB and cited frequently for his research on women’s reproductive health issues.

After completing his doctorate at UC Berkeley, Dr. Medoff began a career of scientific investigation that touched on such topics as racial and sexual discrimination, the incidence of suicide and gun laws, who are the most productive economists and, beginning in the late 1990s, abortion. He has published 21 articles on various aspects of the subject and is now widely recognized in the fields of demography, sociology, psychology, public policy and political science for his scholarship.

Dr. Medoff is currently at work on a book Abortion, Sexual Activity and Social Policy, which will trace the evolution of the theoretical and empirical research on the demand for the procedure. The focus of the book is to review all the existing literature on the topic including demographic and economic factors, public policy, provider availability, political and public attitudes, anti-abortion activities, restrictive state abortion laws, pregnancy rates, sexual activity and adoptions as well as their implications for public policy.

Dr. Medoff looks back on a research career at CSULB he finds rewarding, prolific and satisfying. The university agrees.