Gary Oates joined the BGSU faculty in 2003. His research explores the reciprocal relationship between social structural factors and individual-level psychological and behavioral phenomena with significant bearing on social problems. Race or race-related factors figure prominently among the structural variables that his work addresses. Mental and physical health, dimensions of the self-concept, cognitive functioning, beliefs about inequality, and indicators of socioeconomic attainment are most prominent at the social psychological/behavioral end of the spectrum. Dr. Oates typically pursues his research questions with survey data-based structural equation models.