Angela C Incollingo Rodriguez

Angela C Incollingo Rodriguez is an Associate Professor in the Social Science & Policy Studies department at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), with affiliations in Psychological Science, Neuroscience, Biology & Biotechnology, and Global Health. She serves as the Assistant Director of the Psychological & Cognitive Science Program and directs the Stigma, Eating, & Endocrinology Dynamics (SEED) Lab.

Dr. Rodriguez earned her BA in Psychology & Spanish from Rutgers University in 2012, followed by an MA in Health Psychology (2015) and PhD in Health Psychology (2018) from UCLA. Her academic journey has positioned her at the intersection of psychological, biological, and social approaches to health.

Her research employs an integrated biopsychosocial approach to investigate psychosocial predictors and mechanisms driving health behaviors, overall health, and health disparities. Dr. Rodriguez's work focuses on the intersection of social phenomena (particularly weight stigma), biomarkers (such as cortisol and inflammation), and psychological factors (including stress and behavior change). She teaches Social Psychology, Health Psychology, Psychophysiology, and Advanced Psychophysiology courses at WPI.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on weight stigma across the reproductive spectrum, examining its impact on maternal health, relationship quality, and health outcomes from preconception through postpartum. Her work also explores technology's influence on eating behaviors, race-based differences in chronic pain interventions, and methodological approaches for studying structural racism's health impacts. Her research consistently connects psychological, physiological, and social factors in understanding health behaviors and disparities.

Awards:

• Romeo L. Moruzzi Young Faculty Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Education (2023)

Dr. Rodriguez is deeply committed to mentoring students and leads an active research team in the SEED Lab. She encourages interested students to contact her about research opportunities, including work, volunteering, or conducting projects. Her media engagement includes contributions to Self Magazine on pregnancy body image and NPR discussions on postpartum weight stigma, demonstrating her commitment to translating research into public understanding.

She directs the Stigma, Eating, & Endocrinology Dynamics (SEED) Lab, which conducts interdisciplinary research throughout WPI and collaborates with researchers globally. The lab focuses on how social phenomena like weight stigma interact with biological markers and psychological factors to influence health behaviors and outcomes.