Jennifer Friedman

Dr. Jennifer Friedman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology & Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at the University of South Florida (USF), where she has served since 1988. Her research focuses on food systems, substance use, deviance, and social inequalities. She co-authored Surviving Heroin (2001) and has published extensively in journals such as Social Theory and Health and Sociology of Race and Ethnicity. Recent work examines family food management and middle-class health performance strategies.

Education:

• Ph.D., Sociology, Northwestern University, 1988
• M.A., Sociology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1984
• B.A., Sociology, University of Florida, 1982

Research & Awards: Dr. Friedman has secured grants totaling over $40,000 for projects like the Urban Food Sovereignty initiative (2023) and the GoLocal Cultivating Healthy Communities Grant (2015). She has received teaching awards in 1994 and 2002. Her work bridges sociology with community engagement, including collaborations on school gardening and food waste initiatives.

Teaching & Service: She teaches courses in research methods, inequality, and qualitative sociology. Active in university governance, she serves on the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Council and chairs undergraduate committees. Her community service includes roles with the S.T.E.P. Alliance and Feeding Tampa Bay.