Zachary Simoni

Zachary Simoni serves as Associate Professor of Sociology within the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Geography at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's College of Arts and Sciences, specializing in medical sociology and community-engaged health research.

His educational credentials include:

• PhD in Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham (2015)
• MA in Sociology, Northern Illinois University (2010)
• BA, North Central College (2008)

Research focuses on medicalization processes, social determinants of health, dementia caregiving, and the opioid epidemic, examining how social class, cultural capital, and structural forces shape health experiences through mixed-methods approaches. His work bridges academic scholarship with community health initiatives in Chattanooga.

Recent publications reveal intensifying focus on pharmaceuticalization policy impacts, caregiver economic burdens, and medical encounter dynamics, reflecting growing community-partnered research addressing the opioid crisis and health disparities.

Service contributions include founding UTC's Alpha Kappa Delta chapter and Sociology Club, serving as department curriculum coordinator, and active roles on Hamilton County's Opioid Abatement and Health Disparities Task Forces, demonstrating deep institutional and community commitment.