She is known for her research on the sociology of risk and responsibility, and on the connections between regulation, ethics, and law in medical practice.

[3][4] Her dissertation committee included Charles Bidwell, Edward Laumann, Paul Hirsch, Donald Levine, and Michael Schudson.

[5] Heimer married prominent sociologist Arthur Stinchcombe[6] and with him co-authored the essay "Love and irrationality: It's got to be rational to love you because it makes me so happy" (1980)[7][8] and the books Crime and punishment–changing attitudes in America (1980)[9] and Organization theory and project management: administering uncertainty in Norwegian offshore oil (1985).

Her choice of insurance as a model that could have broader application was hailed as "brilliant" by reviewer Margaret Levi.

[3][13][14] Heimer has examined the delivery of AIDS drugs in clinics in South Africa, Uganda, Thailand and the United States.