Dr. Garcia—assistant professor, Department of Sociology, Institute for Ethnic Studies
What is your area of specialization?
Aging and the Life Course, Minority and Immigrant Health
Why did you choose this field?
I first became interested in health while working as an undergraduate research assistant for a community-based health promotion disease prevention program in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas (one of the poorest regions in the country). This experience introduced me to how inequalities and social stratification can perpetuate health disparities among minority and immigrant groups.
What is your favorite course to teach?
Minorities, Aging, and Health. This course provides an overview of physical and mental health disparities among racial/ethnic, and immigrant groups, and highlights how a host of issues (i.e. socioeconomic, historical, and cultural) lead to a constellation of factors that influence health over the life course.
What are you currently researching?
My current research focuses on identifying potential mechanisms and sociocultural processes underlying the life-course pathways that create and sustain physical health, cognitive functioning, and mortality disparities among older racial/ethnic and immigrant groups.
What professional organization(s) you are affiliated with?
American Sociological Association, Population Association of America, Gerontological Society of America, Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science, Society for the Study of Social Problems
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Outside of work I enjoy riding my Harley across the country, hoking, camping, and fishing.
