Education

PhD, Population Health Science, University of Texas Medical Branch, 2016
BS, Psychology with a Minor in Sociology, Texas A&M University, 2011

Research

• Health Disparities
• Cognition and Dementia
• Marriage and Family
• Indoor Air Pollution
• Low- and Middle-Income Countries
• Aging among Racial/Ethnic Minorities

Overview

Joseph Saenz, PhD, is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Gerontology. Saenz’s research is broadly focused on both understanding and explaining disparities in late-life cognitive outcomes among older adults. Particularly, he focuses his research on the roles of life-course socioeconomic position, marriage, and environmental exposures throughout the life-course. He is especially interested in the health of the Mexican-American population in the United States and investigates cross-national differences in aging processes across the globe.

His current research projects focus on the life-course pathways through which educational attainment influences late-life cognitive health, how indoor air pollution relates with cognitive function, and how characteristics of marriage may influence cognitive function and depression among older adults.