Rhiannon's postdoctoral fellowship at the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin is funded by an F32 NICHD Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award). She received her PhD in Sociology in August 2012. Her dissertation is entitled ‘Union Formation, Parenthood, and Health Risk Indicators among the Socially Disadvantaged.’ IPR affiliates Dr. Kristi Williams (advisor), Dr. Reanne Frank, Dr. Kammi Schmeer, and Dr. Christopher Browning served on her dissertation committee.

During her graduate studies at Ohio State, Rhiannon was actively involved in IPR, participating in research activities and event as well as IPR community activities. In addition, she was appointed as a research assistant on several IPR seed grants led by Drs. Frank and Schmeer, and served the IPR graduate administrative associate from 2010 to 2012.

Rhiannon’s research combines the areas of family and health, socioeconomic status and health, and race/ethnicity and health. Broadly, she is interested in the ways in which racial and socioeconomic stratification fundamentally shape the influences of other institutions, such as the family, on health. At the PRC, Rhiannon is working with Drs. Debra Umberson, Robert Hummer, Robert Crosnoe, and Kelly Raley to study 1) how social and racial stratification shape the structure and quality of intimate unions, and 2) whether any socioeconomic and racial differences in the structure and quality of intimate unions contribute to socioeconomic and racial health disparities throughout the life course. Dr. Kroeger's current research is based upon work supported by Grant No. F32 HD072616.