About

Roger Figueroa is an Assistant Professor in Social and Behavioral Science in Nutrition within the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. He is also the Director and Founder of the Figueroa Interdisciplinary Group (FIG) Lab, where his research team designs conceptual frameworks, measures, and multi-faceted studies to understand how policy, systems, and environmental factors influence diet- and health-related outcomes. Dr. Figueroa is a transdisciplinary scientist with expertise in public health, nutrition, implementation science, participatory research, and team science. His current research examines the role of social services and policies, such as childcare and food assistance, as well as sustainable food systems, in the prevention of diet-related chronic diseases in low-income and minoritized communities. He has developed a comprehensive skill set in research methods, including advanced quantitative techniques, qualitative methods, and mixed methods research. Dr. Figueroa has received research funding support from agencies such as the USDA and NIH, and he actively contributes to the field through his scholarly publications and professional activities.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Geography
• Psychology
• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Chemistry
• Statistics
• Mathematics
• Developmental psychology
• Social psychology
• Food science
• Environmental health

Selected publications

• SNAP recipients’ experiences during the 2025 government shutdown: implications for food access

  Frontiers in Public Health · 2026-05-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Background: The 2025 United States government shutdown (October 1-November 12) resulted in historic disruptions to benefit distribution for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The purpose of this study was to examine South Carolina SNAP recipients' perceptions of the 2025 government shutdown and how it impacted their food access. Methods: = 74) in SNAP participating in an ongoing clinical trial were invited to complete a brief online survey between November 19 and 27, 2025 to assess if/how November SNAP benefits were impacted and what strategies were used to access food during this time. Descriptive statistics were applied to survey items. Responses for open ended questions were coded into themes. Results: Fifty-five caregivers completed the survey (76% response rate). Most (85.5%) reported their November SNAP benefits were impacted. Of those impacted, the most common response was a delay in distribution (80.9%). Some caregivers (43.6%) used new or different strategies to access food during the shutdown, the most common being community food resources (e.g., food banks; 62.5%) and support from friends and family (29.2%). When asked to describe these impacts in detail, caregivers described four main themes: constrained food choices, shift toward different foods, financial coping strategies, and emotional strain. Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of continuous SNAP benefit distribution and enacting contingency plans during federal disruptions to prevent future undue hardship.

  PublisherDOI

• Examining the effect of the 2018 Camp Fire and the COVID-19 public health emergency on Market Match utilization at farmers’ markets among CalFresh recipients in Butte County, California

  Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · 2026-04-09

  articleCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Structural and Institutional Barriers in Nutrition and Dietetics Education for English-as-a-Second-Language Students

  Journal of Critical Dietetics · 2026-04-20

  articleOpen access

  Objective: To explore barriers and enablers to nutrition and dietetics education among English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students and identify potential strategies for success.Design: Qualitative study using in-depth semi-structured interviews.Setting: Midsized public university in western United States (US). Participants: Thirteen (13) current or former ESL students were recruited using snowball sampling.Analysis: The research team employed a thematic analysis approach using an iterative coding process. Three trained researchers independently coded transcripts and collaboratively identified themes.Results: The primary barriers for ESL students included language, financial difficulties, immigration concerns, and a lack of support systems. Overcoming these barriers required self-motivation, confidence, and support from trusted sources, such as faculty and peers. Academic strategies that aided learning included visual learning techniques, opportunities to practice their English skills, and sharing their culture. Participants recommended tutoring for nutrition and didactic programs in dietetics courses, cultural considerations, and recording classes to support future ESL students.Conclusions and Implications: Multiple barriers exist for ESL students in nutrition and dietetics. They rely heavily on support systems that include faculty and advisors, and when those are absent, their perceived barriers increase, impacting career outcomes. Further exploration of these barriers may help ensure an equitable learning experience for ESL nutrition students, fostering diverse growth, strengthening the workforce and advancing the nutrition and dietetics profession.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Leveraging Head Start and WIC to Address Food Insecurity in Immigrant Mixed-Status Families: A Perspective Paper

  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior · 2025-08-23

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• The Role of Food-Related Strategies and Social Support: A Qualitative Study on the Lived Experiences with Food Among Income-Eligible Food Assistance Beneficiaries

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Associations Between Diabetes Knowledge, the Prevalence of Diet-Related Chronic Conditions, and Dietary Behavior Among Hispanic/Latino Farm Workers with Type 2 Diabetes in the Salinas Valley, California, USA

  Hispanic Health Care International · 2025-01-29 · 1 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  IntroductionStudies on diabetes prevalence among U.S. farmworkers indicate prevalence ranging from 9.3% in California to 16.1% in Arizona, with 39.9% of the California cases previously undiagnosed. Hispanic/Latino farmworkers in California face unique barriers that place them at high risk for undiagnosed and poorly controlled Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Despite this, limited research has been conducted to assess their T2D knowledge.MethodsThis cross-sectional survey tests associations between diabetes knowledge, prevalence of concurrent chronic health conditions, and dietary behavior. Participants (n = 118) were recruited using unstructured and snowball sampling approaches.ResultsOn average, diabetes knowledge among participants who use insulin was considered low with a score of 9.57/20 (48% correct) and 9.15/18 (51% correct) for participants who do not use insulin. It was found that health insurance status (p = 0.015) and general education level (p = 0.001) were predictors of diabetes knowledge. Hypertension was the most prevalent chronic health condition among study participants (n = 61) and no significant correlation was found between diabetes knowledge and prevalence of a chronic health condition or dietary behavior.ConclusionFindings suggest that insurance status and general education attainment may influence diabetes knowledge among Hispanic/Latino farmworkers.

  PublisherDOI

• The Veggie Vouchers intervention to promote SNAP fruit and vegetable incentive program use for families with food insecurity: a single arm feasibility study

  Pilot and Feasibility Studies · 2025-12-02

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has financial incentive programs where recipients can purchase fruits and vegetables (F&V) at select sites for half price or less, leading to increased F&V consumption and projected savings in healthcare costs. Yet, limited awareness and uptake of these programs present barriers to widespread utilization, thus limiting potential impact. OBJECTIVE: The Veggie Vouchers intervention was designed to increase awareness and uptake of a SNAP F&V incentive program in South Carolina among families with children 2-17 years of age. The primary aim of this study was to determine intervention feasibility and acceptability among caregivers and pediatricians. Patterns of preliminary efficacy were secondarily examined for changes in diet-related outcomes. METHODS: This single-arm feasibility study leveraged social determinants of health screenings in a pediatric clinic to identify families who were eligible for a SNAP F&V incentive program. Eligible caregivers received brief education about this program from their pediatrician and an initial free trial to incentivize uptake. Free trial redemption rates were tracked, along with subsequent SNAP F&V incentive program use after the free trial ended. Surveys assessed intervention acceptability and changes in household food security, nutrition security, and children's dietary intake. RESULTS: Caregivers (n = 91; 100% female; 77% Black) and pediatricians (n = 37) were enrolled within 10 months. Most caregivers (70.3%) used their free trial (redeemers), with 58% of "non-redeemers" reporting transportation challenges as reasons for non-redemption. Over 91% of "redeemers" were satisfied with the amount, variety, and quality of F&V; 90.5% reported the free trial made it easier for them and their child to eat more F&V; and 18.8% utilized the SNAP F&V incentive program after the free trial ended. Most assessment time points achieved ≥ 70% survey completion rates. Pediatricians (88.9%) felt the intervention was easy to implement, and 100% reported minimal-to-no disruptions in clinic flow. Initial patterns indicated potential improvements in household food security and nutrition security throughout the intervention for "redeemers," compared to "non-redeemers". CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the feasibility and acceptability of the Veggie Vouchers intervention, yet additional strategies should be explored in a larger randomized controlled trial to enhance sustained SNAP F&V program use. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06593028. Retrospectively registered on September 11, 2024, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06593028 .

  PublisherDOI

• <p>Barriers and Enablers to WIC Participation: Systematic Review of Evidence from Studies Published between 2019 and 2024</p>

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Feasibility of an Online-supported Delivery Program Bringing Nutritious Groceries to Households with Children at Risk for Food Insecurity (FOODBOX): A Study Protocol

  Research Square · 2025-06-30

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Implementation Considerations for an Urban Produce Prescription Program: Perspectives from Implementers and Participants

  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior · 2025-08-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Reah Chiong

  Cornell University

  23 shared

• Josiemer Mattei

  Harvard University

  18 shared

• Alan M. Delamater

  14 shared

• Katherine Baker

  University of Southern California

  13 shared

• Ruyu Liu

  Cornell University

  12 shared

• Kirsten K. Davison

  Boston College

  12 shared

• Alyssa Aftosmes‐Tobio

  Pacific Arts Association

  9 shared

• Carmen R. Isasi

  Albert Einstein College of Medicine

  8 shared

Education

• PhD, Human Development and Family Studies

  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  2017

• MPH, Kinesiology and Community Health

  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  2014

• MSc, Kinesiology, Health, and Nutrition

  University of Texas at San Antonio

  2011

Awards & honors

• Chair, Advocacy Council, Society of Behavioral Medicine
• Fellow, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Ph…