Heather R. Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Position: Assistant Professor of Sociology
Email Address: hrodriguez@marian.edu
Office Location: Marian Hall, Room 307C
Areas of Specialization
Medical Sociology, Social Psychology, Gender and Sexuality, Race and Ethnicity, and Quantitative/Qualitative Research
Biography
Heather R. Rodriguez, a native of San Gabriel, California, was a pre-medicine and Sociology major, with a philosophy concentration in Science, Technology, and Values at the University of Notre Dame. After receiving her Bachelors, she joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) and worked as an HIV Prevention Education and Outreach Worker in Santa Monica, California. Following JVC, Dr. Rodriguez worked as an Associate Counselor at a group home for boys aged 11-14 yeards old. She then attended Purdue University and received her Ph.D. in Sociology in 2005. Dr. Rodriguez then spent two years as a post-doctoral research fellow at UCLA studying and researching service systems for persons living with HIV/AIDS. She has been an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Marian University since Fall 2007.
Since coming to Marian she has enjoyed organizing and attending Alternative Break trips for students to Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, CA and Coachella, CA. She is a faculty advisor for the Advanced Study program for high school students and helps the Marian Alliance organize events that bring awareness to issues of hate, gender/sex discrimination, and scholarly work on sexuality. Additionally, she teaches courses for the Peace and Justice program as well as the Global Studies pogram at Marian University.
Research
Dr. Rodriguez has conducted research studies on sexual health issues, HIV, and access to care as a graduate student, as a post-doctoral fellow at UCLA, and as a junior faculty member for more than 7 years. She has experience working with large-scale national datasets, various statistical packages, and qualitative software as well (ATLASti). She continues to present her research at various health-related conferences, teach on health strategies and interventions, and collaborate with other researchers in health services related fields.
Awards and Publications
Professional Development Grant, Marian University, Indianapolis, 2008 and 2010.
Summer Program Trainee, Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research(ICPSR), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. National Institute of Child health and Development: Data User Training for the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, July 2009.
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in UCLA AIDS Research Training Program, 2005-07.
Spotlight in Health Services Connections Newsletter, for and about Los Angeles, County Department of Health Services, 4(8), August 2005.
Social Psychology Section Newsletter Student Spotlight, Spring '05
Minority Doctoral Fellowship, Purdue University. 2003-05'
Publications
Anderson, J.G. and Rodriguez, H.R. (2003). Social theory in HIV prevention programs: A survey of prevention programs. Proceedings from the conference, HIV prevention in rural communities: Sharing successful strategies III, 10-16.
Works in Progress
Rodriguez, H. R. (2011). Supplement to Social Statistics for a Diverse Society: Teaching Tips, Discussion Questions, and Web Resources. Sage Publications.
Rodriguez, H. R. (2011). Exploring Agency, Sociology of the Body, and Self-realization in the Symbolic Nature of Frida Kahlo’s Paintings. (Paper in Progress)
Rodriguez, H.R. (2010). Personal Histories and Biographies of African and African-American Females in Higher Education: Interactive influence of family, culture, and religious beliefs. (in submission)
Courses Taught
SOC 320: Race and Ethnic Relations
SOC/POL 205: Statistics for the Social Sciences
SOC 305: Gender, Sex, Sexuality
SOC 380: Intoduction to Gender Studies
SOC 451: Social Psychology
GLS 377: Global Health Issues and Interventions
SOC 335: Health and Illness
SOC 101: Introduction to Sociology
Experiential learning courses:
SOC 100: Community Service
SOC 360: Social Justice in Action
SOC 460: Internship in Sociology
