Heather E Jacobson

Heather E Jacobson is a Professor of Sociology at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), affiliated with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the Women's and Gender Studies program. She has held roles including Department Chair (2022–present) and interim chair (2021–2022). Her research focuses on assisted reproduction, surrogacy, adoption, and family dynamics, with a particular emphasis on the sociological implications of reproductive technologies and kinship formation.

Education: Jacobson earned a PhD in Sociology from Brandeis University (2006), MA in Sociology (2001), and MPhil in Women's Studies (1995). She also holds dual degrees in History (BA) and Drama (BFA) from Carnegie Mellon University (1993).

Research Interests: Her work explores surrogacy labor, embryo disposition, cross-border reproductive practices, and the intersection of race/gender in adoption. Notable publications include Labor of Love: Gestational Surrogacy and the Work of Making Babies (2016) and articles on transnational surrogacy and embryo-related kinship debates.

Honors: She has received awards for research (UTA College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Research Award, 2019) and teaching (FLOC Favorite Faculty, 2012). Her grants include funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and UTA.

Service: Jacobson actively contributes to academic governance at UTA, including roles in Faculty Senate and diversity initiatives. She also serves on editorial boards, such as Adoption Quarterly, and advises international scholars via Surrogacy360.

Teaching: She specializes in qualitative methods and courses on reproduction, family sociology, and gender studies. Recent courses include Qualitative Research Methods and Sociology of Reproduction.