WestEd’s Anthony Petrosino is the recipient of the prestigious Robert Boruch Award for Distinctive Contributions to Research that Informs Public Policy.

This award, given by the Campbell Collaboration, recognizes and honors individuals who have made a significant contribution to research on social interventions that inform public policy in areas such as criminal justice, education, and social welfare.

“I am so appreciative to be honored with an award that commemorates the work of Robert Boruch, one of the most influential social scientists in the world,” Petrosino says. “I am especially grateful because Bob has been a mentor to me over the years and someone I always look to for advice.”

Petrosino serves as Director of the WestEd Justice & Prevention Research Center, focusing on high-quality research to identify solutions that promote positive community and school environments. He is also Associate Director of the Health & Justice Program, and Senior Research Fellow at George Mason University’s Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy.

In addition, he has more than 30 years of experience conducting research in areas such as violence prevention, school safety, and juvenile justice with an emphasis in program evaluation and research synthesis. He co-directs a number of federally funded research studies, including randomized controlled trials, for the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The Campbell Collaboration promotes positive social and economic change through the production and use of systematic reviews and other evidence synthesis for evidence-based policy and practice. The award was announced at the 2018 Global Evidence and Implementation Summit in Melbourne, Australia.