New HSO member: Spencer Moore

Hello everyone, my name is Spencer Moore, and on January 1st, I started as the Chair of Health & Society. My background is in the fields of anthropology, health promotion, and social epidemiology. My research examines the social determinants of health, with a focus on social inequalities in health, social capital, and social networks. Over the years, I've conducted research in Canada, India, Mozambique, and the United States, often using social network analysis. 

I'm really excited about being part of this terrific chair group and contributing to HSO's continued growth in the coming years. We, in Health & Society, study how human health and health behaviors emerge out of our political and social systems. Whether we're studying policies, social networks, or the food environment, we recognize that the social contexts around us influence our health and shape the behaviors and choices that we make about our health. And, whether we use qualitative or quantitative methods, we understand the importance of translating knowledge into actionable strategies to improve health and society. 

COVID-19 has made clear the multiple ways in which society influences health and health influences society. In the coming years, I look forward to reaching out to other groups and researchers at WUR interested in using a social sciences lens to study the effects of public policies, climate change, the food environment, and other social factors on health. I also look forward to strengthening HSO's research and teaching in the areas of global health and the implementation sciences, including more opportunities for students to study health issues outside the EU. 

Please get in touch and let me know about your own interests in health and society.