Cynthia Colen

Cynthia Colen is the Interim Chair and Professor in the Department of Sociology at The Ohio State University's College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on racial/ethnic inequalities and their impact on health outcomes, employing a life course perspective to analyze how social conditions influence health across generations. She specializes in health disparities, medical sociology, demography, and quantitative methods.

Education:

• PhD in Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan
• MPH in Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan
• BA in Women’s Studies, University of Michigan

Research Interests:

• Racial disparities in fertility and reproductive health
• Socioeconomic trajectories and health
• Discrimination and health deterioration
• Resiliency mechanisms among marginalized populations

Her recent work examines intersections between incarceration, maternal health, and environmental justice, with a focus on Black communities. She also explores how systemic racism shapes health outcomes across generations through mechanisms like 'weathering' and intergenerational discrimination.

Awards and Grants: Not explicitly listed in provided materials, but her research has been supported through major institutional grants.