Jennifer Graves

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Jennifer L. Adams (formerly Jennifer L. Graves*) received her Master of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Houston (UH) in the Spring of 2008. Jennifer now works full-time as a Sociology Lecturer at UH and part-time at Lonestar College-University Park. She has taught introductory courses as well as courses on social problems, research methods, health and health care, culture, gender, addiction and recovery, punishment, sexuality, and immigration. Jennifer’s sociological interests include gender, body, fat studies, media, health and health care, the criminal legal system and punishment, as well as addiction and recovery.

In the past she has worked as a research and writing consultant for the National Development and Research Institute (NDRI) in New York City on various projects about drug use in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and for Healing & Hope Therapy in Houston on a study about gaslighting among sex addicts and their partners. She also served as the Research Coordinator on a large National Institute of Health (NIH) grant funded study examining the ethics of consent processes.

She is the co-author of a book entitled "Framing Fat: Competing Constructions in Contemporary Culture" which explores the social construction of fat in contemporary US culture and the co-author of "Under the Knife: Cosmetic Surgery, Boundary Work, and the Natural Fake" that examines the experiences of cosmetic surgery patients. She is currently working diligently as the co-investigator on a new sociological exploration of oral health and aesthetics.

When Jennifer is not teaching or working on her research, she and her husband Lance take care of four 4-legged kiddos -- a tabby cat named Kiwi, a five pound senior Chihuahua named Eve, an eight pound goofy terrier mix named Dory, and a fourteen pound super mutt with all the characteristics of the Cowardly Lion named Albert -- all of whom are rescues. She also works closely with the longest running animal rescue in the Houston area (Special Pals) and serves as a foster parent for, often, 10+ puppies at a time. She enjoys traveling, reading, going to local sporting events (Go Coogs!), live performances, going to the dog park, and volunteering her time in the recovery community.

*Also published under the name Jennifer L. Fackler prior to 2010.