معرفی
Kristy Maher is a Professor of Sociology at Furman University, where she has served since 1993. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from Yale University and a B.A. from St. Michael’s College. Her research focuses on medical sociology, social determinants of health, and health disparities, with a particular emphasis on global health inequalities and qualitative evaluations of healthcare interventions like the Medical Legal Partnership. She has directed study-away programs in Southern Africa, Cuba, and Denmark, fostering students’ exploration of global health and happiness studies.
As Chair of the Sociology Department for six years and Prisma Health Science Center Director, Maher bridges academic and clinical research collaborations. Her honors include the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Career Advanced Planning Grant (2006–07), Freeman Foundation Award (2006), and Greenville’s Best and Brightest Under 35 (2002). She has also led numerous grants evaluating healthcare programs, including the HRSA Healthy Connections initiative and March of Dimes’ Babies and You program.
Her published work spans medical ethics, healthcare access, and interdisciplinary scholarship, with notable contributions to Journal of the South Carolina Medical Association and edited volumes on humanities and healthcare. Maher’s career reflects a commitment to integrating liberal arts education with real-world health challenges, enriched by her global fieldwork and collaborative research ethos.
Outside academia, Maher enjoys extensive travel, including a 150-day RV journey across the U.S., and resides on an ostrich farm in Botswana with her husband.
