Catherine Solheim

Degrees

Ph.D., Family Social Science, University of Minnesota
M.A., Family Social Science, University of Minnesota
B.A., Home Economics Education, University of Minnesota

Honors & Awards

2008 Family Social Science Multicultural Recognition Award nominee- College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota

1998 Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award, Auburn University

1992 Phi Upsilon Omicron, Honor Society in Home Economics, Alpha Chapter

1992 Outstanding Faculty Award in the College of Human Sciences, Auburn University

1991 Marvin B. Sussman Competitive Family Scholars Award, Groves Conference on Marriage and the Family

1991 Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars, Alpha Upsilon Chapter

1991 Doctoral Research Award, Southeast Regional Association of Family Economics and Home Management

Teaching & Learning

FSoS 3101: Personal and Family Finances

FSoS 3104: Global and Diverse Families

FSoS 8003: Current Issues in Family Science

FSoS 8014: Family Policy

FSoS Special Topics: Families and Healthcare in Thailand (January Term 2009, 2011, and Tentative 2013)

Research & Discovery

Mekong Mosaic: Life Along the Mekong River. Dr. Solheim and and Dr. Linda Buturian (Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning) received travel grants from CEHD and GPSA, with additional funds from the Post-Secondary Teaching and Learning department, to travel to northern Thailand in August 2011. There they interviewed community organizers, educators, and fishermen about the impact of globalization on the Mekong River and the villagers’ ways of living. They also established contacts for a proposed learning abroad seminar that would combine their disciplinary interests, which they plan to offer to students in May 2013. Upon returning to campus, Linda and Cathy, with the support of ATS, developed a digital story about their trip, titled "Mekong Mosaic":

Immigrant Family Resource Management- This research project examines financial management behavior of Minnesota’s recent immigrant families (Hmong, Somali, Oromo, Russian) in the context of cultural beliefs, gender roles, and environmental supports and constraints.

Mexican Agricultural Workers in Minnesota: This bi-national research project examines transnational work and family issues of Mexican agricultural workers in southern Minnesota and thei rfamilies in Minnesota and Mexico. A video and educational materials based on this research are available online.

Families, Culture, Communities, and Environment: This work with collaborator Linda Buturian, faculty member in the Department of Post Secondary Teaching and Learning, explores the impacts of globalization on families, communities, culture, and the Mekong River in northern Thailand. Digital stories based on their 2011 interviews with fishermen, villager, and the NGO staff in Chiangrai Province, Thailand, will be available in early 2012.

Bolivian Health and Well-being: This work involves collaboration among faculty and students in the Departments of Family Social Science and Family Medicine, and staff from Mano a Mano, a non-profit organization based in Minnesota that seeks to address complex individual, family, and community problems in rural regions of Bolivia. A community-based participatory evaluation research project is being developed and will be pilot tested and refined through field work in Bolivia.

Family Assets for Independence Minnesota (FAIM) - This study seeks to understand savings behavior in low-wage working families. Current evaluation efforts (in collaboration with FAIM partners – Community Action, the Office of Economic Opportunity, Women Venture, and the Greater Twin Cities United Way) examine changes in financial status and well-being, financial knowledge and financial practices over time through participation in FAIM, a matched savings program across the state of Minnesota.

Financial Education Certification: A 12-module online financial education certificate is being developed for teachers and non-profit and human services agency staff who work with limited resource families. Modules are being developed by a steering group of community-based educators and University of Minnesota faculty.

Financial Management and Savings Behavior - This multi-state research project explores the economic and psychological influences on family savings behavior, including preferences for savings strategies. Findings will potentially provide input to asset development policy and financial industry products.

Outreach & Engagement

The cycle of scholarship integrates research, teaching, outreach and engagement in order to discover new knowledge, create opportunities for learners on and off campus, and apply new knowledge to everyday problems of family and community life. Additionally, family scholars must embrace diverse worldviews and cultures; family social science students must understand the complexities of the global marketplace and community. The phrase “global is local” takes on new meaning in an increasingly diverse Minnesota.

Publications

1. Levchenko, P., & Solheim, C.A. (2012, accepted for publication).  International Marriages between Eastern European-Born Women and US-Born Men.  Family Relations.

2. Solheim, C.A., Rojas-Garcia, G., Olson, P.D., & Zuiker, V.S. (2011, accepted for publication). Family influences on goals, remittance use, and settlement of Mexican immigrant agricultural workers in Minnesota. Journal of Comparative Family Studies.

3. Velasquez, J., Knatterud-Hubinger, N., Narr, D., Mendenhall, T., Solheim, C. (2011). Mano a Mano: Improving health in impoverished Bolivian communities through community-based participatory research.  Family Systems and Health

4. Solheim, C.A., Zuiker, V.S., & Levchenko, P. (2011). Financial socialization family pathways: Reflections from college student narratives. Family Science Review, 16(2).

5. Solheim, C., Longo, B., Cohen, B.A., & Garret Dikkers, A. (2010). Interdependent catalysts for transforming learning environments... and the faculty who teach in them. Educause Quarterly, 33(3)

6. Solheim, C.A. & Yang, P.N.D. (2010). Understanding generational differences in financial literacy in Hmong immigrant families. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 38(4), 435-454.

7. Yang, P.N.D., & Solheim, C.A. (2008). Financial management in Hmong immigrant families: Change and adaptation. Hmong Studies Journal, 8, 1-33.

8. Hogan, M., Solheim, C., Wolfgram, S., Nkosi, B., & Rodrigues, N. (2004). The working poor: From the economic margins to asset development. Family Relations, 53(2), pp. 229-236.