Biography
Michael McFarland, Ph.D., earned his doctorate in Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2012.
Education
2012 Ph.D. University of Texas at Austin
2012-2014 Postdoctoral Researcher, Princeton University Center for Research on Child Wellbeing
Research Activities
My research agenda focuses on understanding racial and socioeconomic disparities in mental and physical health with a special focus on poverty exposure and educational attainment. Specifically, my work is centered on employing a biosocial approach to health disparities which consists of four interrelated themes that seek to increase our knowledge of how social processes shape population health. These areas include: (a) elucidating biosocial mechanisms by which health disparities emerge; (b) investigating the impact of social exposures during biologically sensitive periods; (c) understanding genetic heterogeneity in social processes shaping health; and (d) providing causally informative tests for the health-related benefits of education.
Michael McFarland
Associate Professor
Areas of Interest: Health Disparities, Biodemography, Mental Health
619 Bellamy