Education

• 2010: BA, Bryn Mawr College, 2010
• 2012: MSW, Columbia University, School of Social Work
• 2021: PhD, New York University, Silver School of Social Work

Biography

Rei has a clinical background providing trauma-focused therapy to survivors of domestic violence (DV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) in the United States and Japan. Her research integrates her clinical expertise in DV/IPV and her interest in food to examine social determinants of health, particularly related to dietary quality. Specifically, her research aims to understand how psychosocial constructs such as poverty, mental health, and interpersonal relationship dynamics can influence food-related decision-making and diet among low-income young adults. Her overarching professional goal is to expand the presence of social workers in developing, implementing, and testing community-based nutrition interventions to mitigate dietary disparities and resulting health outcomes among marginalized populations. She further hopes that social work research examining food behaviors through an equity lens can influence social welfare policies to promote universal access to nutritious food.

Teaching Responsibilities

• Writing for Social Work Practice
• Advanced Practice with Individuals
• Social Welfare: Policies and Issues

Research Interests

• Social determinants of health related to dietary quality.
• Health disparities (dietary disparities) and health equity (food equity)
• Food-related decision-making
• Young adulthood
• Intervention research methods
• Restorative justice approaches

Publications

Shimizu, R., Rodwin, A.H., & Munson, M.R. (2021) A systematic review of psychosocial nutrition intervention on improving dietary intake in young adults. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 53(4), 316-335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2021.01.002

Shimizu, R. (2020) Who deserves to eat well? An analysis of equality and efficiency in U.S. food assistance policy. Journal of Poverty, 24(5-6), 451-472. https://doi.org/10.1080/10875549.2020.1731046

Barocas, B., Avieli, H & Shimizu, R. (2020) Restorative justice approaches to intimate partner violence: A review of interventions. Partner Abuse. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1891/PA-2020-0010

Munson, M. R., Jaccard, J. J., Scott Jr, L., Narendorf, S.C., Moore, K. L., Jenefsky, N., Cole, A., Davis, M., Gilmer, T., Shimizu, R., Pleines, K., Cooper, K., Rodwin, A.H., Hylek,L., Amaro, A. (2020). Engagement intervention versus treatment as usual for young adults with serious mental illness: A randomized pilot trial. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 6, 107. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-020-00650-w

Shimizu, R. & Munson, M.R. (2019) A systematic review of psychosocial nutrition intervention on improving dietary intake in young adults: Protocol Number CRD42019134992. PROSPERO. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42019134992

Barocas, B., Shimizu, R., Cipollina, J.E., Murakami, N.J., Cotner, M.A., Park, Y., Yang, S., Gajic, M., & Noll, N. (2019) Group work in research: creating a research family. Social Work with Groups, 43(1-2), 172-179. https://doi.org/10.1080/01609513.2019.1638643

Shimizu, R. (2018) Book Review: Living a feminist life. Affilia, 34(1), 133-134. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886109918770826

Barocas, B. & Shimizu, R. (in press, TBP 2021) Restorative Justice. In Russell, B. & Hamel, J. (Eds.), Intimate partner violence beyond the gender paradigm: A criminal justice perspective. Oxford University Press.

Shibusawa, T. & Shimizu, R. (2019) America no social to sono naitetachi [Social work in America – it’s leaders and primary providers.] In Sekai no shakaifukushi [Global Social Welfare]. (pp.85-99) Tokyo, Japan: Junposha.

Shimizu, R. (2014, August) Hontouni manzokudo ga takai oshigoto ranking, ni-I shinri counselor [Most rewarding jobs ranked, No. 2. Counselor/therapist], Keiko to Manabu [Keiko and Manabu]