Hello!

Thanks for stopping by! My name’s Josh. This website is a work-in-progress archive of publications, academic presentations, and materials used for teaching quantitative analysis methods.

Please feel free to reach out if you’d like to chat about demography, epigenetics, research methods, or other shared interests!

A Bit About Me

My Philosophy

The first thing that you should know about me is that I’m definitely not a “traditional academic.” Although I once made every effort to “fit in,” I was largely unsuccessful and found myself unhappy. As a sociologist by training, I am acutely aware that this is due—at least in part—to my lower-class background. Therefore, I decided to stop putting energy into being a poor imitation of others and focus on being the best version of myself. I hope that setting an example for young people who “don’t belong” might provide a spark of inspiration to remain true to themselves and share their unique viewpoints in an academic world that desperately needs them. Ultimately, I try to live by the advice that I received from one of my mentors in graduate school: “Take your work seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.” Although I have plenty of bad days just like everyone else, I make an effort to consistently remind myself that I am one of relatively few individuals who essentially earn a living by playing with cool ideas.

My Work

I’m currently a postdoctoral research fellow in the Survery Research Center at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, an incredible institution replete with amazing scholars who I am honored to work alongside. I’m also proud to be part of the Population Studies Center as a postdoctoral fellow affiliate.

I am broadly interested in how the social environment intersects with biological processes to shape differential outcomes of health and well-being across the life course. A large part of my current work utilizes a life course framework to examine the association between adverse childhood experiences and DNA methylation. Additionally, I am currently using machine learning to develop epigenetic biomarkers for a variety of early-life social exposures.

Alongside my substantive interests, I also have a passion for quantitative methods. For me, the chance to work with a new model is like opening a package on Christmas morning. I’ve recently been using the Structured Life Course Modeling Approach (SLCMA), which provides a framework for researchers to test a number of life course hypotheses in a systematic way. This is a really cool tool that I think could be useful to many social scientists. If this sounds intriguing, be sure to check out my Presentations page for more information. I have also been spending time over the past several months to develop my skills in machine learning because I’m convinced that these methods have incredible potential to advance our work across the social sciences.

My Life Outside of Work

Outside of my work, I’m a bit of a nerd. I absolutely love to read. I enjoy science fiction novels, comic books, and the occasional biography. I’m somewhat embarrassed to confess that I also love books on data analysis and programming. Although I don’t watch a great deal of television, I enjoy cartoons of the 80s and 90s, as well as science fiction shows. I have also recently developed an affinity for “real robot” mecha anime. Finally, although it’s painful to admit in light of recent history, I’m also a lifelong fan of the Denver Broncos.