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Caroline OwensCohort 2018

Education

  • BA, Anthropology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 2018

Research

Motivated by documented disparities in health between and within populations, my research explores interconnections between environments, culture, and human well-being. I center my research around the outstanding questions: What factors shape patterns of health in living human populations? and What are the social and biological mechanisms underlying these patterns? I adopt a biocultural approach to address these questions because it is explicitly integrative— enabling the exploration of societal, behavioral, and health variation. Most of my research focuses on food insecurity as an avenue of inquiry into the linkages between environments, culture, and health outcomes. 

Specifically, my dissertation research examines the structural, social, and biological mechanisms underlying cycles of food insecurity and diet-related chronic disease in South Georgia (U.S.). I am also invested in applying anthropology to advance health equity. To achieve that aim, I work with colleagues at Grady Health System and Open Hand Atlanta to evaluate the effectiveness of Food as Medicine interventions in improving food and nutrition security and health outcomes.

Advisor: Dr. Hadley