Sam Trejo

Sam Trejo is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Charles H. Mcllwain University Preceptor at Princeton University's School of Social Science, Department of Sociology. His research focuses on the intersection of social and biological factors in human development across the lifespan, employing sophisticated quantitative methods to address complex questions in social genomics and inequality research.

Dr. Trejo received his Ph.D. in Sociology & Education, Economics & Education from Stanford University, establishing a strong foundation for his interdisciplinary approach that bridges sociology, genetics, epidemiology, and public policy. His methodological expertise includes quasi-experimental, computational, and biosocial quantitative methods, with extensive experience analyzing large administrative datasets and longitudinal studies containing molecular genetic data.

His research program spans two interconnected domains: First, he investigates polygenic scores and their relationship with social environments, examining how social contexts mediate, moderate, and confound associations between genetic predispositions and various outcomes. Second, he leverages field and natural experiments to explore educational and health inequality, with particular emphasis on the reciprocal relationship between education and health. His empirical work has examined childhood lead exposure, fatal school shootings, and economic segregation, generating findings with significant policy implications.

Dr. Trejo has published in premier journals including Science Advances, Social Forces, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. His paper 'Exploring the Fetal Origins Hypothesis Using Genetic Data' received the 2025 Best Paper Award from the American Sociological Association's Biology & Society Section. His research has been featured in major media outlets such as The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Harvard Public Health Magazine.

Currently, he is co-authoring a book titled 'What We Inherit: How New Technologies and Old Myths Are Shaping Our Genomic Future' with bioethicist Daphne Martschenko, scheduled for publication by Princeton University Press in early 2026. This work addresses critical social, ethical, and policy issues emerging from advances in genomic technologies.

Beyond his scholarly contributions, Dr. Trejo has engaged with public discourse through an editorial on the misappropriation of genomics research by white supremacists and a personal essay about his experience donating a kidney to a stranger. His work exemplifies rigorous scholarship with meaningful real-world impact.