Dr. Ma is an Assistant Professor in the TSET Health Promotion Research Center and the Department of Family and Community Medicine. A health economist by training, her research focuses on substance use and tobacco control, with extensive experience studying online marketing and characteristics of novel tobacco products in the evolving marketplace. Dr. Ma's work integrates a variety of methodologies, including behavioral economics, causal inference, qualitative interviews, stated preference choice experiments, and machine learning.
She has led and published multiple interdisciplinary research studies, aimed at generating rigorous scientific evidence to inform policymaking at federal, state, and local levels in the U.S. Dr. Ma is passionate about team science in cancer prevention and control. Through her research, Dr. Ma seeks to advance public health and improve well-being among different populations.
Dr. Ma received her PhD in Economics from the City University of New York, and completed postdoctoral training at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and Center for Tobacco Research. During her postdoc, Dr. Ma was awarded the prestigious Pelotonia Postdoctoral Scholarship at the Ohio State University, a highly competitive two-year mentored award supporting cancer research.
Education:
Degree-Granting Institutions
Ph.D. in Economics, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, 2020
M.A. in Economics, Miami University of Ohio, 2017
B.A. in Economics, Shandong University, China, 2013
Postgraduate Training
Postdoctoral Scholar, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and Center for Tobacco Research, Columbus, OH, 09/2020 – 06/2024
Funding:
Principal Investigator, Pelotonia Postdoctoral Scholarship, The Ohio State University, 06/01/2022 – 05/31/2024
Select Publications:
#Mentees
#Zhang, S., Thai, V., Ma, S., #Ahn, S., Chen, J., Mays, D., Berman, M., Wagener, T. & Shang, C. (2026). Trends in product characteristics of disposable e-cigarettes sold in online stores between 2022 and 2024. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, ntag101. DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntag101.
Ma, S., #Ahn, S., Park, H., Yang, Q., Bridges, J. & Shang, C. (2026). How do US adults who vape choose among different e-cigarette (EC) models and cigarettes in response to prices and taxes. Health Economics. DOI: 10.1002/hec.70097.
Ma, S., Qiu, Z., #Hernandez, G., #Zhang, S., Thai, V., #Chaudhry, E., Jiang, S. & Shang, C. (2025). E-cigarette concept flavors in the United States: An analysis of product packages from online stores. Preventive Medicine Reports, 103361. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2025.103361.
Hardin, A., Ahn, S., Ma, S., Thai, V., Mays, D., Chen, J., Paskett, E., Wagener, T. & Shang, C. (2025). The Association Between Product Attributes and Oral Nicotine Pouch (ONP) Preference – Evidence from Online Stores. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, ntaf137. DOI:10.1093/ntr/ntaf137.
#Ahn, S., Ma, S. & Shang, C. (2025). Where Do E-cigarette Users Buy Their E-cigarette Products? Result from a Nationally Representative Sample of E-cigarette Users in the United States. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, ntaf110. DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntaf110.
Ma, S., #Chaudhry, E., #Ahn, S., Brinkman, M., Berman, M., Wagener, T. & Shang, C. (2025). E-cigarette market proportion by nicotine claims in the United States. Preventive Medicine Reports, 54, 103087. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2025.103087.
Ma, S., Shang, C., Do, V., Huang, J., Pechacek, T. & Weaver, S. (2025). The Impacts of Product Characteristics and Regulatory Environment on Smokers’ Preferences for Tobacco and Alcohol Co-Use: Evidence from A Volumetric Choice Experiment. PLOS One, 20(3), e0320023. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0320023.
Ma, S., #Ahn, S., #Kaareen, A., Yang, Q., Qiu, Z., Chen, J., Berman, M., Mays, D., Wagener, T. & Shang, C. (2025). Features of disposable e-cigarettes and their association with pricing and consumer preference: Evidence from web data of US online stores. Addiction, 120(3), 514-523. DOI: 10.1111/add.16719.
Ma, S., Yang, Q., #Ahn, S., Park, H., He, Y., Bridges, J. & Shang, C. (2025). Cost Comparison and Spending on Tobacco Products: Evidence from A Nationally Representative Sample of Adult E-Cigarettes Users. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 27(8):1367-1375. DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntae250.
Ma, S., #Kaareen, A., Park, H., He, Y., Jiang, S., Qiu, Z., Xie, Z., Li, D., Chen, J., O’Connor, R. J., Fong, G. T. & Shang, C. (2024). How to Identify e-Cigarette Brands Available in the United States During 2020-2022: Development and Usability Study. JMIR Formative Research, 8, e47570. DOI:10.2196/47570.
Ma, S., Jiang, S., #Yang, O., #Zhang, X., Fu, Y., Zhang, Y., #Kaareen, A., Ling, M., Chen, J., & Shang, C. (2024). Use of Machine Learning Tools in Evidence Synthesis of Tobacco Use among Sexual and Gender Diverse Populations. JMIR Formative Research, 8, e49031. DOI: 10.2196/49031.
Ma, S., Jiang, S., Wagener, T., Mays, D., Chen, J., & Shang, C. (2023). The Associations Between E-Liquid Characteristics and Its Pricing: Evidence from Online Vape Shops. PLOS One, 18(5), e0286258. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286258.
Ma, S., Jiang, S., Ling, M., Lu, B., Chen, J., & Shang, C. (2023). Excise taxes and pricing activities of e-liquid products sold in online vape shops. Tobacco Control, 33(1), 7–14. DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-057033.
Shang, C., Ma, S., & Lindblom, E. N. (2023). Tax incidence of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) in the USA. Tobacco Control, 32(e2), e160–e165. DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-056774.
Ma, S., Qiu, Z., Yang, Q., Bridges, J., Chen, J., & Shang, C. (2022). Expanding E-liquid Flavor Wheel: Classification of Emerging E-Liquid Flavors in Online Vape Shops. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(21), 13953. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192113953.