Elizabeth Bingham Thomas

Ph.D. candidate, Department of Anthropology

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Liz researches the intersection of health, migration and religion. Her current research focuses on Latino/Latina Latter-day Saints (LDS, Mormon) understandings of social support. She examines how their social experiences of support are associated with their biological experiences of stress. She is a member of the SMU Molecular Anthropology Lab, where she measures hormonal concentrations, particularly in hair and saliva. 

ROAD TO THE MOODY SCHOOL:

Liz received her B.S. in cultural anthropology from Utah State University. While living in Northern Utah, she frequently volunteered with immigrant and refugee support groups. She was part of research teams that explored religious gender roles and their correlation with college women’s mental health, as well as how robots can be used to facilitate communication between elementary school students that speak different languages.