The Biosocial Equity Lab is a welcoming and productive space where students of varying research disciplines work together and learn from one another. Our mission is to produce rigorous, empirical work that examines how social disadvantage and inequality affect health and wellbeing across the lifecourse.
Meet the Principal Investigator
Dr. Lauren L. Schmitz
Assistant Professor, La Follette School of Public Affairs
University of Wisconsin-Madison
My research uses data and methods from economics, sociology, population health, and genomics to examine how social inequality erodes health at a molecular level and speeds up the aging process. I take a life course view of aging that considers how social disadvantage shapes health from the prenatal period through adulthood and into old age. I work with students individually and in teams, combining expertise from our lab with other experts in the field. I strive to create a welcoming atmosphere where students feel safe asking questions, taking risks, and pushing themselves to grow as researchers.
Our lab is an interdisciplinary team working collaboratively to tackle important questions at the intersection of economics, health, and biology. We strive to create a warm and inviting atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable asking questions, taking risks, and pushing themselves to grow as researchers.
Creative problem solving
We value openness to new ideas and the ability to come up with innovative solutions in the face of challenging research problems.
Attention to detail
We strive to produce rigorous empirical work that pushes the field forward. This requires laser-like focus, persistence, and attention to detail at every step.
Integrative thinking
We integrate theory and methods from multiple disciplines to produce cutting-edge work at the intersection of social science and biology.
