The UVA Batten School is extremely pleased to welcome two new faculty members this fall: Tim Layton joins us as an associate professor of public policy, and Andrew Simon joins us as an assistant professor of public policy.

"We are thrilled to welcome professors Tim Layton and Andrew Simon to the UVA community,” said UVA Batten Dean Ian Solomon. “We know they will be outstanding teachers, caring mentors, inspiring colleagues and groundbreaking policy scholars. They will be a strong addition to our impressive faculty roster.”

Layton joins us from Harvard Medical School, where he was the 30th Anniversary Associate Professor of Health Care Policy in the Department of Health Care Policy, and co-chair of the economics track of the Health Policy Ph.D. Program. 

Layton’s most recent research has centered on the economics of health insurance markets, with a particular focus on markets and social health insurance programs for low-income households. He is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and an affiliated researcher at J-PAL at MIT. 

This summer, the American Society of Health Economists recognized Layton’s achievements with the Willard G. Manning Award for Best Research in Health Econometrics. The award is given for significant contributions to the field of health economics, providing a platform to celebrate exceptional scholars and helping to elevate the field of health economics and promote continued excellence in research.

Layton received his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and Ph.D. from Boston University. See his bio for more details.

Simon’s research has focused on issues in state and local public finance and labor economics, with a particular interest in higher education policy and taxation. In addition to publishing numerous research papers and teaching graduate courses, he secured a Sloan Foundation Grant and Russell Sage Foundation Presidential Grant, both highly prestigious awards. 

Simon received his bachelor’s in economics and mathematics from Cornell University, and his master’s and Ph. D. in economics from the University of Michigan. In Spring 2025, he will be teaching Economics of Public Policy, a core course in Batten’s bachelor of arts curriculum. See his bio for more details

“It is my great pleasure to introduce professors Layton and Simon to the Batten School community,” said Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Eileen Chou. “Professor Layton excels as both a mentor to students and an exceptional teacher of quantitative methods. His award-winning research focuses on the economics of health insurance markets and programs, particularly those serving low-income households, such as Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act.

“Professor Simon explores crucial yet often overlooked topics within public finance and labor economics. His research on inequality, social policy and college access and affordability aligns closely with UVA’s and Batten's missions to broaden access to the profession. We are truly delighted to welcome Tim and Andrew to Batten.”

Professors Simon and Layton join an impressive Batten faculty, which in addition to providing students with an exceptional educational experience, is committed to a wide range of research in topics related to health, politics, psychology, economics, global humanitarianism, environment and the law.