معرفی
Patricia Thomas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Purdue University, where she has been a faculty member since 2013. Her work bridges sociology and public health, focusing on the interplay between social relationships, societal positions (e.g., race, gender, socioeconomic status), and health outcomes across the life course.
- Education: Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from Duke University, with a graduate certificate in Women’s Studies; B.A. in Sociology and American Studies from California State University, Fullerton.
Her research examines how social support and strain affect cognitive and physical health in older adults, disparities in dual-function life expectancy, and the impact of socioeconomic status on racial variations in mortality. She has published extensively in journals such as the American Journal of Public Health and Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences.
Notable scientific awards include the Daryl P. Evans Outstanding Teaching Award (2017) and the Burkhart Award for Excellence in Research About Families (2018). Dr. Thomas also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, emphasizing her contributions to advancing scholarship in health sociology.
She teaches courses on social research methods, health and social behavior, and sociological theory, and is affiliated with the Center on Aging and the Life Course at Purdue University.
