Jennifer Van Hook

Jennifer Van Hook is the Roy C. Buck Professor of Sociology and Demography at Pennsylvania State University, and Director of the Population Research Institute (PRI). She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Texas (1996). Her research focuses on immigration, particularly the health and well-being of immigrant children, demographic techniques for estimating migration flows, and social demography. She is co-funded by the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI).

Her work examines the assimilation of Mexican immigrants across the 20th century, comparing educational attainment trajectories with European immigrant groups like Italians and Irish. She investigates how civil rights-era reforms impacted opportunities for immigrants and their descendants, engaging with contemporary debates on integration of diverse populations. Key areas include unauthorized migration, dietary acculturation among Mexican immigrants, and the relationship between naturalization and health outcomes.

Her articles span topics like obesity disparities, immigration policy impacts, and demographic modeling of unauthorized populations. She has analyzed school environments' role in childhood obesity prevention and the effects of food policies on vulnerable populations. Her research often bridges demographic methods with policy analysis, emphasizing data limitations and methodological rigor in studying marginalized groups.

Van Hook collaborates with PRI and SSRI on interdisciplinary projects, contributing to debates on citizenship, health equity, and educational access. Her work underscores the intersection of demographic trends with broader societal challenges, offering evidence-based insights for immigration and public health policies.