Core Department Faculty Member

Kristen W. Springer is Associate Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University (PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2006; MA, Yale University, 2000; MPH, Emory University, 1997; BS, University of California at Santa Cruz).

Her current scholarship focuses on the health effects of gendered norms and family dynamics among older adults. Specifically, most of her research centers on three related areas: 1) long-term health effects of childhood abuse; 2) marital income dynamics and men’s health; and 3) masculinity ideals, socioeconomic status, and health outcomes. She has also begun extending this agenda to theorize and model the biological and biosocial processes underlying these substantive areas. She has research published in journals including American Journal of Sociology, American Journal of Public Health, Gender & Society, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Journal of Marriage and Family, Social Science & Medicine, and Social Science Research. Professor Springer’s research has also been featured in national and international news sources including ABC News, LA Times, The New York Times, US News & World Report, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. Professor Springer teaches advanced research methods, sociology of the family, and classes on incorporating biology and the social environment.