Christine Meyer

Christine Meyer is a Professor of Sociology and Demography at the Lewis College of Science and Letters, Illinois Institute of Technology. Her expertise encompasses demography of aging, obesity's impact on health, family caregiving, and health/mortality patterns in later life. She previously served at Syracuse University (1995-2012) as Director of the Center for Policy Research and at Pennsylvania State University (1989-1995). She has consulted for the U.S. Bureau of the Census and the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Sociology and Demography, University of Pennsylvania (1989)
• M.A. in Demography, University of Pennsylvania (1986)
• B.A./B.S. in Russian Language/Management, Purdue University (1979)

Research Focus:
Her work investigates the intersection of aging, obesity, and social structures. Key themes include obesity's role in geriatric disability, health behavior-mortality relationships, demographic shifts in body size, and policy implications of changing marriage patterns for Social Security. Her research employs demographic methods to analyze health disparities across lifespans.

Publications Overview:
Meyer's 15 most recent works (2005-2012) cluster around three themes: 1) Obesity's impact on aging populations (disability, falls, health behaviors), 2) Demographic analyses of health disparities (educational gradients, cohort trends), and 3) Policy examinations (Social Security, Medicare eligibility). Her scholarship bridges sociology, gerontology, and public health.

Awards and Honors:

• Maxwell Professor of Sociology (2008)
• Fellow, Gerontological Society of America (2003)
• University Scholar/Teacher of the Year, Syracuse University (2007)
• Daniel Patrick Moynihan Award (1999)
• Brookdale Foundation Fellowships (1991-1993, 2009)
• Visiting Scholar, Max Planck Institute (2001)
• NICHD Traineeship (1985-1987)