IPR to Welcome Leading Sociologist as Its Third Visiting Scholar

UT Austin’s Bridget Goosby brings deep expertise in examining inequality through a biosocial lens

Bridget Goosby will join IPR as a Visiting Scholar this May.

Bridget Goosby, a sociologist and demographer at The University of Texas at Austin and a leading scholar on the health impacts of racial discrimination over the life course, will join Northwestern’s Institute for Policy Research (IPR) as its third visiting scholar in May 2026. 

IPR visiting scholars are outstanding researchers who examine critical social policy issues and have demonstrated success in connecting their work with policymakers, community organizations, and the public. Goosby’s appointment coincides with IPR’s effort to bring additional focus to our research areas. 

“This year at IPR, we’ve been focusing on our research area of health inequalities. We just held a panel with public health officials, and Dr. Goosby’s visit is a wonderful extension of that conversation,” said IPR Director Andrew Papachristos, the John G. Searle Professor of Sociology. “Her research shows us that health isn’t just an individual issue—it’s always shaped by broader social forces.” 

Goosby has made influential contributions to understanding how racism and inequality “get under the skin.” Her research shows how these stressors influence physical health and aging and helps explain why some groups experience higher health risks—such as hypertension, obesity, and cardiovascular disease—than others. She often combines lab-based measures, wearable technology, and interviews or survey data to build a more complete picture of how inequality affects health.  

Most recently, Goosby led a Spencer Foundation-funded study examining the health profiles, racism experiences, coping mechanisms, and professional navigation of Black women faculty on the tenure track. 

Goosby will be on Northwestern’s Evanston campus from May 18–22, meeting with members of the IPR community and sharing perspectives on her research and academic journey. She will also give a public talk on Monday, May 18, from noon to 1 p.m. More information about her colloquium will be available soon. 

“It is an honor to be a visiting scholar at IPR. The Institute hosts a vibrant intellectual community and produces groundbreaking work,” Goosby said. “Coincidentally, attending the Cells to Society Biomarker Institute early in my career played a critical role in my decision to study inequality through a biosocial lens. I view IPR as my second intellectual home with phenomenal scholars and collaborators. It’s exciting to be here again.”  

Goosby is a lifetime fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the Sociological Research Association. She co-directs the LifeHD Research Lab and earned her PhD in sociology and demography from The Pennsylvania State University.  

About IPR’s Visiting Scholars Program 

Launched in May 2025, the program brings exceptional researchers to Northwestern who excel in science outreach, fostering collaboration and intellectual exchange with IPR faculty and students. For more information about the program and our past visiting scholars, visit our web page.

Photo credit: The University of Texas at Austin, Marketing and Communications

Published: March 17, 2026.