Jingwen Liu is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Sociology at Rice University. Her major research interests include Family and Social Networks, Race/Ethnicity, and Health. She received her Ph.D. from the Department of Sociology at University of Maryland, College Park. Her dissertation investigates middle-aged and older adults’ health and social well-being in face of increased risks of aging alone against the backdrop of drastic declines in marriage and fertility in recent decades. It extends existing research lines by examining whether older adults can compensate for their lost social connections by strengthening non-kin relations, increasing civic engagement, and adopting modern communication technologies. In her current role, she works with Dr. Christina J. Diaz, Dr. Jenifer Bratter, and Dr. Sergio Chávez on social institutions, intermarriage, and undocumented immigrants’ social networks.

Recent Publications 

Liu, Jingwen. Racial/Ethnic Differences in Living Arrangement, Distant Relations, and Later-Life Mental Health. (2024) Journal of Marriage and Family. 86(2), 309-330. 

Caudillo, Monica, Seungwan Kim, Jaein Lee, and Jingwen Liu. (2024). Racial-Ethnic Disparities in Dyadic Pregnancy Intentions Preceding Births in the United States. Population Research and Policy Review. 

Liu, Jingwen and Zhiyong Lin. (2023). Race/Ethnicity, Nativity, and Gender Disparities in Mental Health Trajectories from Mid- to Later-Life: A Life Course-Intersectional Approach. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.

Liu, Jingwen and Feinian Chen. (2021). Intergenerational Caregiving Patterns, Living Arrangements, and Life Satisfaction of Adults in Mid and Later Life in China. Research on Aging. 44(7-8), 545-559.