Scholars on the Market

All NYU Silver PhD candidates have received personalized mentoring and cutting-edge research opportunities throughout their doctoral training, positioning them to be top social work scholars and leaders in the field. The following scholar is currently seeking an academic appointment.

Rei Shimizu

Rei Shimizu’s research focuses on social determinants of health, specifically related to dietary quality among low-income young adults. Her research aims to understand (1) why intentions to eat healthy do not always translate into behavior and (2) how psychosocial factors developmentally relevant to young adulthood, such as mental health, social dynamics, and poverty, may moderate the intention-behavior relationship. She has led and co-authored quantitative and qualitative studies demonstrating ways in which mental health, interpersonal relationships, and socioeconomic status can affect food and food behaviors, above and beyond nutritional considerations. Her policy research and dissertation further highlights disparities in diet by socioeconomic status and the discriminatory ideologies ingrained in the U.S. food assistance policy. Her research program seeks to inform her long-term goal: to design a nutrition intervention program tailored to improve dietary quality among low-income young adults. Rei’s research is informed by her international and domestic experience as a social work clinician and researcher. She believes access to adequate amounts of nutritious food is a universal human right and is an advocate for food justice and equity. Rei received her MSW from Columbia University School of Social Work. She is currently also an adjunct lecturer at NYU Silver School of Social Work, with experience teaching research methods.   

Highlights:

• Publication: Shimizu, R., Rodwin, A. H., & Munson, M. R. (2021). A Systematic Review of Psychosocial Nutrition Interventions for Young Adults. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2021.01.002

• Publication: Shimizu, R. (2020) Who deserves to eat well? An analysis of equality and efficiency in U.S. food assistance policy. Journal of Poverty, 24(5-6), 451-472. https://doi.org/10.1080/10875549.2020.1731046

• Publication (under review): Shimizu, R., Barocas, B., Cipollina, J.E., Murakami, N.J., Cotner, M.A., Park, Y. & Yang, S. The role of food and food behaviors in intimate partner violence.