Meta Schroeder Beckner Outreach Professor | Professor of Civil Society & Community Studies | Integrated Specialist
School of Human Ecology | Maternal Child Health Equity & Safety (MatCHES) Lab
Hometown: St Paul, MN
My interdisciplinary scholarship lies at the intersection of sociology, epidemiology, and medicine. My research portfolio includes (i) maternal and child health, (ii) international migration (including the healthy immigrant effect), (iii) Indigenous health, (iv) racism and discrimination as social determinants of wellness, (v) community-based approaches to health equity, and (vi) cultural safety. I examine these issues in collaboration with underserved and marginalized populations such as immigrants/refugees, Indigenous peoples, and racial/ethnic minorities in Canada and the United States. As an Extension Integrated Specialist, I also focus on expanding health care access to rural residents in Wisconsin.
Dr. Vang’s talks can also be offered in Hmong.
Talks:
Refugee integration, health
I can speak generally about refugee integration and health (access, status, needs), especially as they pertain to women, infants and children.
Indigenous health in northern and remote regions
I can speak about my 10+ years of collaborative research with Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic, addressing issues of self-determination and cultural safety in health care, maternal-child health, and women’s health.
Rural health
I can speak about the unique aspects of rurality and how it intersects with health care access and health outcomes for rural residents.