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ATLANTA — Georgia State University doctoral student Sukriti Beniwal has been selected as one of only 20 scholars nationwide to receive a prestigious research grant from the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy. This highly competitive award recognizes exceptional doctoral research addressing pressing social policy challenges.
Beniwal is the sole recipient from Georgia State University for the 2024–25 award cycle.
The Horowitz Foundation, established in 1997, supports emerging scholars whose work tackles critical societal issues. This year, it received more than 500 applications and selected fewer than 4 percent of candidates based on the strength, policy relevance and potential impact of their work. The award includes a $10,000 grant to support Beniwal’s dissertation research.
Beniwal’s research focuses on how state licensing laws impact who can provide care to pregnant people — especially those covered by Medicaid. In her dissertation chapter, “Who Delivers? Midwives & Maternal Outcomes in Medicaid,” she studies what happens when states expand the authority of Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs), allowing them to provide more services independently.
Her findings show that when these regulatory barriers are lifted, CNMs help improve care for low-risk pregnancies and free up physicians to focus on more complex cases. Beniwal’s broader work reveals how hospital systems and insurance policies can either expand or limit access to high-quality, equitable maternal care, shaping not just provider decisions but patient outcomes.
Beniwal is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Economics at Georgia State University, which is nationally ranked No. 61 in economics by U.S. News & World Report and known for its emphasis on policy analysis through economic research. Her research directly stems from the department’s research inroads into public health data analysis.
Beniwal’s research is further supported by her position as a public finance fellow with Georgia State University’s Public Finance Research Cluster (PFRC), a nonpartisan consortium that informs policymakers on the financial impacts of policy changes domestically and internationally. The PFRC contributes to the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies’ national reputation, including a No. 5 national ranking in Public Finance and Budgeting by U.S. News & World Report.
“This award highlights Sukriti’s rigorous scholarship and deep commitment to advancing health policy,” said James H. Marton, chair of the Economics Department. “Her work not only elevates Georgia State’s academic reputation but also provides valuable insights to policymakers focused on improving maternal health outcomes.”
With this fellowship and research support, Beniwal is poised to continue making important contributions to economic research and public policy — work that has the potential to shape healthier, more equitable communities.
Featured Researcher
Sukriti Beniwal
Finance Research Fellow
Center for State and Local Finance, Fiscal Research Center, International Center for Public Policy
Sukriti Beniwal is a Ph.D. candidate in economics at Georgia State University and a pre-doctoral fellow at The Dartmouth Institute. Her research explores the intersection of health policy, institutions, market structure and gender economics. She focuses on how organizational and policy changes influence healthcare providers’ decision-making and affect patient outcomes, particularly within Medicaid populations.