In the Department of Sociology of Case Western Reserve University, students are able to pursue graduate education in an environment in which both faculty and fellow students share interest in the sociology of aging and the life course, and in medical sociology. Our department provides unique opportunities for early professional socialization and meaningful hands-on involvement in research projects. Students are viewed as junior colleagues, collaborating with faculty members and conducting independent research. Please feel free to ask questions you may have about any of us, our research areas, our program, or CWRU.
Scott Adams
scott.a.adams@case.edu
Education
B.A., Sociology, John Carroll University
Research Interests
Successful aging; technology use among older adults; end of life issues; social security and policy
Employment
Research Assistant for Dr. Eva Kahana at the Elderly Care Research Center
Personal interests/achievements
Play music, karaoke, going to concerts, hiking, IHOP
Dawn Aliberti
dma10@case.edu
Education
A.A.B., Applied Business, Lakeland Community College
B.A and M.A., Sociology, Cleveland State University
Research Interests
Medical sociology (including sociology of disability); aging; sociology of the family; human rights and criminology
Employment
I am currently enjoying being an adjunct faculty member at several local colleges and universities.
Personal interests/achievements
Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award, 2006 (Tri-C Eastern Campus)
Publications
Hinze, Susan W. and Aliberti, Dawn (2005) "The Feminization of Poverty: A Global Perspective." Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, edited by George Ritzer.
Gran, Brian and Aliberti, Dawn (2003) "The office of the children's ombudsperson: children's rights and social-policy innovation" Volume 31, Issue 2, June 2003, Pages 89-106.
Tanetta Andersson
tea@case.edu
Education
Ph.D. Candidate, MA, 2005, Case Western Reserve University
B.A., Sociology and Psychology, minor in Women's Studies, Case Western Reserve University, 1999
Research Interests
Social stratification; race, gender, class, and ethnic inequalities; women's health (e.g., menopause & use of equine estrogens in hormone replacement therapy); third world & transnational feminims; sociology of the body; mental health, depression, suicide bereavement; qualitative methodology & visual sociology; sociology of sport; animals and society; service learning & applied sociology
Employment
Graduate Student Instructor
Dissertation Title
"Disenfranchised grief"?: An exploratory study of suicide loss in friendship dyads
Personal interests/achievements
Horses, horses, horses!
Recipient of the 2002 United States Eventing Association (USEA) Worth the Trust Adult Amateur Scholarship (national equestrian scholarship)
Recipient of the 1999 CWRU Student Leadership Award
Patricia B. Kilpatrick Award for Service to Others & CWRU Student Community Service Award
Publications
Settersten, R. A., Jr., & Andersson, T. E. (2002). Moving and still: Neighborhood effects, human development, and the life course. In R. A. Settersten, Jr. & T. Owens (Eds.), Advances in life-course research: New frontiers in socialization (pp. 197-227). London: Elsevier Science, Ltd.
Jacquelyn Arendt
jaa36@case.edu
Education
B.A., Sociology, Cleveland State University, 2005
Research Interests
Medical sociology as related to gender roles and issues.
Employment
Research assistant to Gary Deimling at the cancer center.
Personal interests/achievements
Jigsaw puzzles, chai tea and Law and Order:Criminal Intent
Rachel Bryant
rachel.bryant@case.edu
Education
B.S., Sociology, University of North Alabama
Research Interests
Comparative sociology; healthcare policies; health disparities
Employment
Research assistant to Professors David Warner and Brian Gran
Antje Daub
antje.daub@case.edu
Education
J.D., (German equivalent), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt/Main
LL.M., International Law, Case Western Reserve University
M.A., Sociology, Case Western Reserve University
Research Interests
Social policy and the life course: (cumulative advantage/disadvantage; gender); political economy; social theory
Employment
Research Assistant (previous)
Professors Gunhild Hagestad, Eva Kahana, Jacqueline Lipton, Dale Dannefer, Brian Gran (RA/TA) & Richard Settersten
Research Assistant (current)
Professors Sandra Barnes & Dale Dannefer (RA/TA)
Personal interests/achievements
Books, movies, travel
Lynn Gannon Falletta
lmg14@case.edu
Education
B.A., Psychology, The University of Akron
M.P.A.., The University of Akron
M.A., Sociology, Case Western Reserve University
Research Interests
Health and mental health across the life course; social contributions to inequalities in health and mental health; cumulative advantage/disadvantage; children’s rights; child welfare
Employment
Current: Research Grants Administrator, Akron Children's Hospital
Personal interests/achievements
Music (especially U2 and live shows), travel, sunshine, any beach with a large body of water
Current CV
Karie Feldman
karie.feldman@case.edu
Education
B.A., Sociology, Case Western Reserve University
M.A., Sociology, Case Western Reserve University
Current CV
Michael Flatt
maf34@case.edu
Education
B.A., Sociology, Cleveland State University
M.A., Sociology, Cleveland State University
Research Interests
Gender; sexuality; inequality in health care and education; issues of race and social class
Employment
R.A. for Brian Gran, working on the Children's Right Index
R.A. for Sue Hinze, work includes a qualitative look at married physicians and the gaming phenomena among college students.
Also recently employed by:
Cuyahoga Community College: Adjunct Sociology Faculty Case Western Bioethics Dept: R.A. under P.I., Laura Siminoff, on a study on tissue donation.
Personal interests/achievements
Personal interests include working with the NE Ohio chapter of GLSEN-- Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, which works to ensure safe schools for everyone by promoting awareness and offering training on dealing with discrimination relating to sexuality and gender indentity issues in Ohio schools.
Crowning achievement would be the fact that I have seen Madonna live in concert over 30 times in 3 countries and 2 continents. Avid Madonna fan (some say fanatic) for over 20 years.
Publications
In progess
Emily Fleisher
emily.fleisher@case.edu
Education
B.A., Political Science, The University of Iowa
M.S.S.A, Case Western Reserve University
Research Interests
Medical sociology; child welfare; children's rights
Employment
Research assistant to Professor Brian Gran
Personal interests/achievements
Travel, cooking, spending time with my friends and family
Greg Graham
gxg27@cwru.edu
Education
B.A., Communication, Cleveland State University
M.A, Sociology, Case Western Reserve University
Research Interests
Research methodology as applied to nursing research and the social sciences; Gerontology; healthcare disparities; developing a scale of quality of care in a long-term care setting; quality of fit between a resident and the constellation of long-term care options; public policy and the aged
Employment
Currently a Lecturer in Research Methodologies in the School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University
Personal interests/achievements
Travel & cooking
Publications
Siminoff, L., Graham, G., Gordon, N. (January 2005) Breast Cancer and Patient Care: Demographic Differences. Oral presentation at American PsychoOncology Society annual meeting.
Siminoff, L., Graham, G., Gordon, N. (2006) Cancer Communication Patterns and the Influence of Patient Characteristics: Disparities in Information-giving and Affective Behaviors. Patient Education and Counseling. Patient Educ Couns, 62(3):355-60.
Zhang, X., Hans, M., Graham, G., Kircher, H.L., and Redline, S. (2007) Correlations Between Cephalometric and Facial Photographic Measurements of Craniofacial Form. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Vol. 131, No.1:67-71.
Siminoff, L., Mercer M.B., Graham G., Burant, C. (2007) The Reasons Families Donate Organs for Transplantation: Implications for Policy and Practice; The Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and Critical Care , 62:4.
Faculty Webpage
http://fpb.case.edu/Faculty/Graham.shtm
Current CV
Rachel Hammel
rjh31@case.edu
Education
M.P.A., University of Akron, 2005
B.A., Sociology, University of Akron, 1998
Research Interests
Medical sociology; life course
Employment
Research assistant to Eva Kahana at the Elderly Care Research Center
Judith (Jude) N. Harris
jnh8@case.edu
Education
B.A, Sociology with concentrations also in Biology and Chemistry, Northern Michigan
Research Interests
I am very interested in how lay people learn about medicine and their bodies, and hope to dissert on how mothers communicate information to their daughter about menarche, and furthermore, how this information helps to shape an adolescent girls self-concept throughout the lifecourse.
Employment
After working with Dr. Kahana for two years at the Elderly Care
Research Center, I am excited to start new research positions with
Gary Deimling and Dale Dannefer, where I will be studying cancer
survivors and institutional care, respectively.
Personal interests/achievements
When I am not busy with school, I enjoy relaxing with my
boyfriend Brendan and my cats, and traveling to obscure locations
whenever possible, often to visit friends and family. I love to
crochet and sew, and I also recently became very interested in health and fitness. Other than that, I have an unhealthy interest in Pop Culture and can spend hours discussing music (especially The
Beatles!), Fashion, and reality tv (from a sociological perspective of
course!).
Andrew J. Hund
axh69@case.edu
Education
M.A. Sociology, Humboldt State University (2000)
B.A. Sociology, University of Alaska Anchorage (1998)
B.A. History, University of Alaska Anchorage (1998)
Research Interests
Social epidemiology; Alaskan Native groups; circumpolar peoples health issues/disparity; social-history of illness; health/medical factors related to toxic plants and industrial chemicals; disasters; astronauts health; and space medicine.
Personal interests/achievements
Photography, fishing, and Alaska.
Marcie Lambrix
mal31@cas.edu
Education
M.A. Sociology, Cleveland State University (2002)
B.A. Sociology, Cleveland State University (2000)
Research Interest
Medical Sociology; anti-aging therapies; medicine and consumerism; end of life decision making; research methods
Employment
2006-Present
Anti-Aging Project Coordinator,
Department of Bioethics, Case Western Reserve University
2002-2006
University Memory and Aging Center, Caregiving Research Program Manager, Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals
Recent Publications
Smyth, K.A., Rose, J.H., McClendon, M.J., & Lambrix, M. (In press). The relationship of caregivers' demographic characteristics and ratings of social support importance to their expectations of computer-mediated support groups. Journal of Applied Gerontology.
Mild Cogntive Impairment- Who Really Benefits?
American Sociological Association, August, 2006
Carolyn Lechner
cbl2@case.edu
Education
B.A., Sociology/Anthropology, Allegheny College, 1991
MSSA, Case Western Reserve University, 1995
MNO, Case Western Reserve University, 1995
Research Interests
Improving quality of care/quality of life in long term care; dementia; end-of-life
Employment
Am currently employed as bereavement coordinator for Hospice of the Western Reserve
Personal interests/achievements
I continue to maintain pride in my ability to play consistent double- bogey golf
Publications
In the fall of 2006, I will have a chapter entitled "Internal versus External Evaluation" published in EVALUATION IN DEMENTIA CARE.
Melinda Laroco
mll38@case.edu
Education
B.A., Sociology, The University of Memphis, 2005
M.A., Applied Sociology, Old Dominion University, 2007
Research Interests
Medical Sociology; environmental factors and health disparities; life course; race/class/gender issues for poor and working class families
Employment
I am currently working as a Research Assistant for Dr. Jessica Kelley-Moore. The project I am helping with is entitled, Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS). The study focuses on the need to understand health disparities in one’s overall longevity by looking at differences in rates and risks for pathological conditions associated with aging. The study hopes to decipher the relationship between race, socioeconomic status, and health outcomes, and it has definitely led me into research that I want to pursue. I also enjoy studying certain areas of Gerontology (i.e. Caregiving for Alzheimer’s patients).
Personal interests/achievements
I love to travel, spend time with family and friends, read great books, experience new things, and most importantly, spend significant amounts of time laughing.
The greatest achievements I can think of thus far: being accepted into Case J, earning a Masters Degree from ODU, being awarded Ms. University of Memphis in college, watching The Sound of Music thousands of times, and most importantly, maintaining pleasant relationships with God, family, and friends.
Lisa Martin
lisa.martin@inova.com
Education
B.A., Psychology and Sociology, Walsh University, 1989
M.A., Sociology, Cleveland State University, 1997
Research Interest
Health related quality of life; hepatitis C, post-operative experiences of cardiac surgery patients, implementation of research methods
Employment
Manager, Biostatistics and Epidemiology Cardiac Surgery Research Inova Heart and Vascular Institute Falls Church, Virginia
Personal Interest/Achievements
Dogs, especially my Rhodesian Ridgeback Leah Marathon Runner Hiking and Traveling
Recent Publications
AA Dan, LM Martin, DW Farmer, C Crone, JP Ong, T Wise, SC Robbins, ZM Younossi. 2006. Depression, Anemia and Health-Related Quality of Life in Chronic Hepatitis C. Journal of Hepatology 44(3):491-8.
LM Martin, AA Dan, ZM Younossi. 2006. Measurement of health-related quality of life in patients with chronic liver disease. Liver Transplantation 12(1):22-3.
LM Martin, ZM Younossi. 2005. Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) in Chronic Liver Disease. Digestive and Liver Disease 37(11):819-20.
JP Ong, R Collantes, A Pitts, L Martin, M Sheridan, ZM Younossi. 2005. High Rates of Uninsured Among HCV-Positive Individuals. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology 39(9):826-830.
A Baranova, R Collantes, SJ Gowder, H Elariny, K Schlauch, A Younoszai, S King, M Randhawa, S Pusulury, T Alsheddi, JP Ong, LM Martin, V Chandhoke, ZM Younossi. 2005. Obesity-related differential gene expression in the visceral adipose tissue. Obesity Surgery 15(6):758-765.
ZM Younossi, AC McCullough, DS Barnes, A Post, JP Ong, R O'Shea, LM Martin, D Bringman, D Farmer, G Levinthal, KD Mullen, WD Carey, AS Tavill, R Ferguson, T Gramlich. 2005. Pegylated Interferon Alpha-2b, Ribavirin and Amantadine for Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C. Digestive Disease Sciences 50(5):970-975.
ZM Younossi, A McCullough, J Ong, D Barnes, A Post, A Tavill, D Bringman, LM Martin, J Assmann, T Gramlich, K Mullen, R O'Shea, W Carey, R Ferguson. 2004. Obesity and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Chronic Hepatitis C. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterolgy 38:705-709.
LM Martin, KS Irwin, ZM Younossi. 2002. Health-Related Quality Of Life and Chronic Liver Disease: Conceptual Challenges and Clinical Applications. Clinical Perspectives in Gastroenterology 1:60-63.
LM Martin, MJ Sheridan, ZM Younossi. 2002. The Impact of Liver Disease on Health-Related Quality of Life: A Review of the Literature. Current Gastroenterology Reports 4:79-83.
Casey Schroeder Miklowski
cms51@case.edu
Education
B.A. in Sociology, Maryville University-St. Louis, 2002
M.A. in Sociology, Case Western Reserve University, 2005
Research Interests
Health care access and quality for young adults who have recently aged out of the foster care system
Employment
Data coordinator for Research Division of Family Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, and part-time lecturer at Cleveland State University
Personal interests/achievements
Women's rights, volunteer work at women's clinics, reading, and walking my dogs
Recent Publications
Dannefer, D., and Miklowski, C. (2006). Developments in the life course. In (J.A. Vincent, C. Phillipson, and M. Downs, Eds.).The Futures of Old Age, pp. 32-42. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Schroeder, C., & Gran, B. (Feb 2005).Abortion, motherhood, and mental health: Medicalizing reproduction in the United States and Britain. (Book Review). Journal of Marriage and Family 67 (1): 263-265.
Adam Perzynski
atp@case.edu
Education
M.A. Sociology, University of Toledo (1999)
B.A. Anthropology, University of Toledo (1998)
Research Interests
Ethnography and narrative research; the conceptualization and operationalization of "quality of life"; research methods, particularly multilevel longitudinal data analysis, ; the relationship between liver disease, alcohol, and stigma; the Internet as a medium for emancipatory social exchange.
Research Experience
Adam is a full-time research assistant on the NIH funded project "Alcohol Reduction in Medical Illnesses: HCV as Prototype." He works under the supervision of Dr. Eleanor Stoller and in conjunction with Dr. Neal Dawson at Metrohealth Medical Center. He is currently working on preparing presentations for the upcoming conference of the Association of Internet Researchers.
Personal interests/achievements
Admits to being an eclectic music lover, Internet junkie, and outdoor enthusiast.
Current CV
Robert Peterson
rbp19@case.edu
Education
B.A. Sociology,Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia
Research Interests
Medical sociology, health and social policy; race, class and gender; social inequality; issues of masculinity; African American men's health; the increasing intersections and interactions of HIV/AIDS on aging and the lifecourse; qualitative methods; cumulative advantage/disadvantage; medicalization and medicine in the market; influence of political actors and institutions on individual health and the structure of healthcare; physician practices; and chronic illness and long-term care.
I know it seems like I have very broad research interests but I do believe I can develop more understanding of each here at Case, specifically within the department.
Employment
I am currently working as a TA for Dr. Sue Hinze in Introduction of Sociology and Social Inequality courses. I also have worked with Sue as a RA on issues of "deservingness" in physician's decision making to prescribe opioid analgesics. Also this year I look forward to begin working with Department Chair Dr. Dale Dannefer as a Research Assistant. This summer I worked with the United Steelworkers Union and the Cleveland AFL-CIO political department to prepare for the 2006 mid-term elections in Ohio.
Personal interests/achievements
I enjoy listening and singing (I really can not "sing" per se but...) various genres of music, I am a News Junkie...for entertainment purposes only I.e.. CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN, FOX, ABC NEWS, NY Times, Washington Post, the Atlanta Journal Constitution etc. Socializing with my fraternity brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., cooking, shopping for clothes, wrist watches and cologne, community involvement typically dealing with HIV/AIDS or mentoring in the educational system. Lastly, and probably most importantly, I enjoy occasional "Me" days, days in which I take long walks and reflect on life and ask GOD for the strength to make it through, it can get stressful sometimes and without a doubt it works, for me at least.
Terrance R. Richardson
terrance.richardson@case.edu
Education
B.A. in special Education from Ursuline College (2004)
Research Interests
The political, social and economic ramifications for individuals with disabilities in the United States.
Causes and consequences of deviant behavior during the life course.
Class status and power within the United States compared to the class structure in other cultures.
Employment
Manager of Dispatch Operations for Case Western Research University’s police/security.
Paulette Sage
pas11@case.edu
Education
M.A. Sociology, Cleveland State University (1999)
B.S. Education, University of Akron
Certificate in Paralegal Studies, Lakeland Community College
Research Interests
Medical sociology; aging and the life course
Research Experience
Paulette is a Senior Research Assistant and field interviewer for the Cancer Survivors Research Project. Prior to starting graduate work, Paulette worked in market research for over 20 years, including some time as a private contractor in marketing research with several health care providers, such as the Cleveland Clinic, Humility of Mary, and Sisters of St. Francis Health System.
Personal interests/achievements
Golfing, canoeing, cross country and downhill skiing, and spending ime with family and friends.
Michael Schaefer
michael.schaefer@unitedbiosource.com
Education
M.A. Sociology, Case Western Reserve University (1998)
B.A. Sociology, Tufts University (1996)
Research Interests
Quality improvement in health care; physician practice behavior; physician satisfaction; health care systems; health and social policy
Research Experience
I work at Medstat as an Analyst in our Chronic Care and Disability research group. I defended my dissertation prospectus "Examining the Quality of the Physician-Organization Relationship: Physician Autonomy and Satisfaction in the Managed Care Era." I am now collecting data for the dissertation.
Personal interests/achievements
Cleveland native; Enjoys fly fishing and traveling.
Current CV
Christine Schneider
cms80@case.edu
Education
B.A., Sociology, Baldwin-Wallace College
Research Interests
The commodification/medicalization of the male body; gender differences in mental health; social inequalities within the medical profession
Employment
Research Assistant for various faculty members at Case Western
Research Assistant for the VA Medical Center in Wade Park on the “Joint Replacement Utilization Disparity: The Role Of Communication” study
Personal interests/achievements
I would like to study the Hispanic, in conjunction with African American and white populations to study factors regarding patient-physician relationships that perpetuate social inequalities. In my free time I like to golf and fish the nearby rivers
Recent Publications
The NSA and privacy, in addition to the USPS and privacy encyclopedia entries
Current CV
Robin Shura
rsp19@case.edu
Education
M.A., Sociology, Case Western Reserve University, 2006
B.A., Sociology/Russian, minor in Religious Studies, Kent State University, 2001
Research Interests
I’m interested in inequalities in aging and health; how social systems (e.g. schools & colleges, insurance provision, long-term care organizations, global markets) create and sustain inequalities; and solutions developed to improve the welfare of vulnerable groups (e.g. culture change initiatives in long-term care settings; establishment of offices of children’s ombudspersons as regional advocates for children’s rights). I’m also interested in medicalization, including the expanse in popularity of genetic understandings of health and illness, and how such understandings influence personal struggles to attribute meaning to experiences.
Employment
Currently Project Coordinator under Professor Dannefer’s leadership on a nursing home research project, “Learning from Those Who Know,” which employs a multi-method approach--including ethnography, semi-structured interviews, participatory action research and structured observational techniques--to understand life, work and the Eden Initiative of culture change from staff and residents’ perspectives within a nursing home and assisted living facility.
Personal interests/achievements
I enjoy time with family and friends, hiking, baking, traveling, Scrabble, and any movie with Will Ferrell.
Current CV
Rebecca Siders
ras71@case.edu
Education
B.S., Human Development/Family Studies, minor in Gerontology, Pennsylvania State University
Research Interest
Life course and aging research; institutional care – specifically long-term care facilities and/or retirement communities; family care-giving; and healthcare policies.
Employment
Previous work: as a Certified Nurse’s Aide, Activity Director/Aide, and Fitness Trainer at St. Paul Homes, Greenville, PA.
Currently working with Dr. Dale Dannefer both as T.A. and an R.A. on a research project about culture change in a local long-term care facility. I look forward to working with Dr. Eva Kahana at the Elder Care Research Center beginning this fall.
Personal interests/achievements
Biking, hiking, exercising and/or fitness training, MUSIC – especially ‘live,’ ballet, musicals – the theater, traveling, and peace and quiet.
Noah Webster
njw5@case.edu
Education
2001 – present, Doctoral Program in Sociology, Case Western Reserve University,Cleveland, Ohio.
M.A., Sociology, Case Western Reserve University, 2004
Specializations in Medical Sociology and Research Methodology
B.A., Sociology, Le Moyne College, Syracuse, New York-Summa Cum Laude, 2000
Research Interests
Medical sociology; sociology of Aging; health services research; racial/ethnic disparities in health
Current CV
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