My research agenda is tied together by an interest in understanding the mechanisms underpinning persistent inequalities. I take a life course approach to this question, focusing on how the timing, sequencing, and duration of life events produce different outcomes for different people. I pay attention to how human action, at critical turning points in the life course, is constrained by structure, and contextualized by historic and temporally moments. I use both quantitative and qualitative techniques to study these issues, with a particular focus on the contours of gender, race, and socioeconomic inequalities in workplaces, families, and health.
The following provides a brief overview of my three main research domains. Feel free to get in touch if you would like to see any unpublished manuscripts.
The following provides a brief overview of my three main research domains. Feel free to get in touch if you would like to see any unpublished manuscripts.
Gender, Work and Family across the Life Course
Despite rapid progress towards gender equality in United States workplaces and households since the 1960s, progress towards gender parity has stalled in the past twenty years.
In a series of papers, I demonstrate the utility of the life course perspective in articulating the mechanisms underpinning this persistent gender inequality in the labor force and within families.
In a first-authored paper (with Sarah Burgard, Advances in Life Course Research 2018), we use fixed effect models and multi-wave data to document how work-home spillover ebbs and flows for parents as children age from infancy to adolescence to adulthood, and whether this pattern differs for mothers and fathers (Mid-Life in the United States 1995-2006). Click here to see my work-home spillover paper.
In a solo-authored paper I analyze interview data from 60 medical trainees at two different stages of training – the end of medical school and the end of medical residency – to investigate how work and family factors shape their early career decisions (working paper).
In a second-authored paper (with Catherine Doren), we document gender disparities in earnings trajectories by race and education by estimating individual growth curve models using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. We argue that male labor market advantage uniquely intersects with racial and educational advantages, in cumulative ways, to produce divergent or parallel trajectories between men and women, across social groups. (forthcoming at Socius, manuscript available upon request).
Despite rapid progress towards gender equality in United States workplaces and households since the 1960s, progress towards gender parity has stalled in the past twenty years.
In a series of papers, I demonstrate the utility of the life course perspective in articulating the mechanisms underpinning this persistent gender inequality in the labor force and within families.
In a first-authored paper (with Sarah Burgard, Advances in Life Course Research 2018), we use fixed effect models and multi-wave data to document how work-home spillover ebbs and flows for parents as children age from infancy to adolescence to adulthood, and whether this pattern differs for mothers and fathers (Mid-Life in the United States 1995-2006). Click here to see my work-home spillover paper.
In a solo-authored paper I analyze interview data from 60 medical trainees at two different stages of training – the end of medical school and the end of medical residency – to investigate how work and family factors shape their early career decisions (working paper).
In a second-authored paper (with Catherine Doren), we document gender disparities in earnings trajectories by race and education by estimating individual growth curve models using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. We argue that male labor market advantage uniquely intersects with racial and educational advantages, in cumulative ways, to produce divergent or parallel trajectories between men and women, across social groups. (forthcoming at Socius, manuscript available upon request).
Health Disparities over the Life Course
In this stream of research, I utilize a life course perspective to examine the production and maintenance of health inequality, focusing on health disparities in aging populations. I am particularly interested in how work and home factors shape health experiences later in life.
In a second-authored paper (Journal of Gerontology: Series B Social Sciences 2018), my co-authors and I investigate how individuals transition between health behavior profiles as they age. Click here to see my health behavior profiles paper
In a first-authored paper (with James Raymo, Rob Warren, and Andrew Halpern-Manners) my co-authors and I investigate how lifetime work histories, such as access to employer-based health insurance (see figure above) can explain educational health disparities at later-life. (working paper)
In this stream of research, I utilize a life course perspective to examine the production and maintenance of health inequality, focusing on health disparities in aging populations. I am particularly interested in how work and home factors shape health experiences later in life.
In a second-authored paper (Journal of Gerontology: Series B Social Sciences 2018), my co-authors and I investigate how individuals transition between health behavior profiles as they age. Click here to see my health behavior profiles paper
In a first-authored paper (with James Raymo, Rob Warren, and Andrew Halpern-Manners) my co-authors and I investigate how lifetime work histories, such as access to employer-based health insurance (see figure above) can explain educational health disparities at later-life. (working paper)
Professional Socialization and Autonomy:
The Case of the Medical Profession
My other on-going research focuses on the medical profession during a period of system-wide healthcare reform. I am particularly interested in the socialization and professionalization processes in medical education as well as the state of professional autonomy amongst practicing physicians.
In a sole-authored paper published in Social Science and Medicine, I use four waves of the CTS Physician Study to examine how physicians practicing in a variety of practice types (solo, small group, and large group practices) perceive their levels of autonomy. Click here to see my physician autonomy paper.
In a first-authored paper also published in Social Science and Medicine, I use qualitative interview data to document how premedical students strike the balance between competing and cooperating with their peers. Click here to see my premedical experience paper.
The Case of the Medical Profession
My other on-going research focuses on the medical profession during a period of system-wide healthcare reform. I am particularly interested in the socialization and professionalization processes in medical education as well as the state of professional autonomy amongst practicing physicians.
In a sole-authored paper published in Social Science and Medicine, I use four waves of the CTS Physician Study to examine how physicians practicing in a variety of practice types (solo, small group, and large group practices) perceive their levels of autonomy. Click here to see my physician autonomy paper.
In a first-authored paper also published in Social Science and Medicine, I use qualitative interview data to document how premedical students strike the balance between competing and cooperating with their peers. Click here to see my premedical experience paper.
