Research Interests

Tenure-Track Faculty

Louis (Lou) Burgio , Harold R. Johnson Professor of Social Work and Research Professor, Institute of Gerontology, Adjunct
Louis (Lou) Burgio Research Interests: Applied gerontology, interventions to improve quality of life for elders in nursing homes and community settings, translational research, clinical trials.
Letha Chadiha , Associate Professor of Social Work
Letha Chadiha Research Interests: Family caregiving involving older African Americans
Linda Chatters , Professor of Public Health and Professor of Social Work
Linda Chatters Research Interests: Religious involvement and well-being, social support networks of adult/elderly African Americans, intergenerational family relations, families and health.
Barry Checkoway , Professor of Social Work, Professor of Urban & Regional Planning
Barry Checkoway Research Interests: Community organization, social planning, neighborhood development.
Sandra (Sandy) Danziger , Professor of Social Work and Research Professor of Public Policy
Sandra (Sandy) Danziger Research Interests: Child, adolescent, and family policies and programs, effects of welfare reform.
Jorge Delva , Professor of Social Work
Jorge Delva Research Interests: Prevention and treatment of chemical dependency, drug epidemiology, program evaluation, survey research, cross-cultural and cross-national research, the use of multilevel statistics to study individual and contextual level variables.
Ruth Dunkle , Wilbur J. Cohen Collegiate Professor of Social Work
Ruth Dunkle Research Interests: Clinical gerontology, service delivery to the elderly, the oldest old, coping and service deliver strategies for the elderly, racial and ethnic variations in caregiving to the elderly.
Kathleen Faller , Marion Elizabeth Blue Professor of Social Work
Kathleen Faller Research Interests: Child welfare, child abuse/neglect, sexual abuse.
Briggett Ford , Assistant Professor of Social Work
Briggett Ford Research Interests: African-American families, mental health, violence, DSM-IV.
Larry Gant , Professor of Social Work
Larry Gant Research Interests: Program evaluation, African American populations, HIV/AIDS intervention research.
Karla Goldman , Sol Drachler Professor of Social Work
Karla Goldman Research Interests: American Judaism and American Jewish community and leadership, the history of Jewish women, black-Jewish relations, urban Jewish communities, and the construction of ethnic/racial identities in America.
Andrew (Andy) Grogan-Kaylor , Associate Professor of Social Work
Andrew (Andy) Grogan-Kaylor Research Interests: Poverty, neighborhoods, parenting, child well-being.
Lorraine Gutierrez , Director of Academic Programs, Professor of Social Work and Professor of Psychology
Lorraine Gutierrez Research Interests: Empowerment-oppressed groups, mental health, Latinos.
Joseph (Joe) Himle , Associate Professor of Social Work and Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Joseph (Joe) Himle Research Interests: Mental health, anxiety, depression, psycosocial interventions, cognitive-behavioral therapy, interface between neurobiology and psychosocial interventions in mental health.
Leslie Hollingsworth , Associate Professor of Social Work
Leslie Hollingsworth Research Interests: African American families, child welfare, adoption, foster care.
Berit Ingersoll-Dayton , Professor of Social Work
Berit Ingersoll-Dayton Research Interests: Social support of families in later life, employed caregivers, cross-cultural gerontology.
Sean Joe , Associate Professor of Social Work, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Faculty Associate, RCGD, I
Sean Joe Research Interests: Self-destructive behaviors, including suicidal behavior, community organizing, positive youth development.
Edith (Edie) Kieffer , Associate Professor of Social Work and Research Associate Professor of Social Work
Edith (Edie) Kieffer Research Interests: Ethnic and geographic disparities in health, including maternal and child health, obesity and diabetes, and multi-level community-based intervention research related to supply and demand for healthy food access and use, and promotion of regular physical a
Sherrie Kossoudji , Associate Professor of Social Work and Adjunct Associate Professor of Economics
Sherrie Kossoudji Research Interests: Immigrant work lives, labor market inequalities, migrant worker opportunities, gender economics.
Laura Lein , Dean and Collegiate Professor of Social Work
Laura Lein Research Interests: Households in persistent poverty, NGOs and human services, women's employment, child care, interdisciplinary approaches, and the combination of quantitative and qualitative data.
Edith (Edie) Lewis , Associate Professor of Social Work
Edith (Edie) Lewis Research Interests: Culturally competent practice, empowerment, women and families of color, international practice.
Lydia Li , Associate Professor of Social Work
Lydia Li Research Interests: Family caregiving, community-based long-term care, social support, elder suicide, cross-cultural gerontology.
Sandra (Sandy) Momper , Assistant Professor of Social Work
Sandra (Sandy) Momper Research Interests: Gambling, substance abuse, PTSD, mental health and health disparities among rural and urban American Indians.
Robert Ortega , Associate Professor of Social Work
Robert Ortega Research Interests: Child welfare, juvenile justice, serious mental illness.
Daphna Oyserman , Edwin J. Thomas Collegiate Professor of Social Work, Professor of Psychology and Research Professor,
Daphna Oyserman Research Interests: Culture, race, stigma, prevention, identity, adolescence, cognition, motivation.
Janice (Janie) Paul , Assistant Professor of Art and Assistant Professor of Social Work
Janice (Janie) Paul Research Interests: Prison art, integrated arts curricula in urban schools, university community partnerships in the arts, art programming in community development, perceptual development and children's art.
Brian Perron , Assistant Professor of Social Work
Brian Perron Research Interests: Community mental health, treatment processes, service access and utilization, evidence-based practices.
Thomas (Tom) Powell , Professor of Social Work
Thomas (Tom) Powell Research Interests: Mental health policies, self-help, and community-based support systems.
Beth Reed , Associate Professor of Social Work
Beth Reed Research Interests: Gender/ethnicity in social systems, feminist/multicultural practice, alcohol/drugs.
Lawrence (Larry) Root , Professor of Social Work
Lawrence (Larry) Root Research Interests: Social welfare/employment, employee assistance plans, workplace education.
Mary Ruffolo , Associate Dean for Educational Programs and Associate Professor of Social Work
Mary Ruffolo Research Interests: Intersection of mental health interventions with children, adolescents and their families.
Daniel (Dan) Saunders , Professor of Social Work
Daniel (Dan) Saunders Research Interests: Domestic and dating violence, direct practice, program evaluation.
H. Luke (Luke) Shaefer , Assistant Professor of Social Work
H. Luke (Luke) Shaefer Research Interests: Disadvantaged working families and U.S. social policy, nonprofit management, human service organizations in public policy.
Trina Shanks , Assistant Professor of Social Work
Trina Shanks Research Interests: Poverty, wealth and child well-being, intergenerational economic inequality, family policies and programs.
Kristine (Kris) Siefert , Edith S. Gomberg Collegiate Professor of Social Work
Kristine (Kris) Siefert Research Interests: Women's health, mental health, maternal and child health, prevention.
Marilyn Sinkewicz , Assistant Professor of Social Work
Marilyn Sinkewicz Research Interests: Gender as a social determinant of health, health policies/programs, quantitative and qualitative methods, children affected by HIV/AIDS.
Michael (Mike) Spencer , Associate Professor of Social Work
Michael (Mike) Spencer Research Interests: Disparities in health and mental health service use, communities, social justice education.
Karen Staller , Associate Professor of Social Work
Karen Staller Research Interests: Runaway and homeless youth, law, social problem construction, history of social welfare, qualitative research methods.
Robert Joseph (Robert) Taylor , Associate Dean for Research and Sheila Feld Collegiate Professor of Social Work, and Faculty Associa
Robert Joseph (Robert) Taylor Research Interests: Informal social support networks of adult/elderly African Americans.
Richard (Rich) Tolman , Professor of Social Work
Richard (Rich) Tolman Research Interests: Group work and family violence, interpersonal practice.
John Tropman , Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professor of Social Work
John Tropman Research Interests: Decision-making systems, social welfare policy, disadvantaged groups, management of human service organizations, executive burnout, organizational reward systems.
David Tucker , Professor of Social Work
David Tucker Research Interests: Organizational demography, organizational change, dynamic modeling of change processes, knowledge development and production.
Diane Vinokur , Associate Professor of Social Work
Diane Vinokur Research Interests: Nonprofit management, human service workplaces, collaboration between organizations and sectors.
Daphne Watkins Jacobs , Assistant Professor of Social Work
Daphne Watkins Jacobs Research Interests: Health promotion and disease prevention among underserved individuals and communities
Michael Woodford , Assistant Professor of Social Work
Michael Woodford Research Interests: Participatory policy analysis, organizational management and change, inclusion of vulnerable communities in HIV/AIDS prevention, community organizing, qualitative methodology.
Mieko Yoshihama , Associate Professor of Social Work
  Research Interests: Violence against women/immigrants, race, culture, class, mental health.
Bradley (Brad) Zebrack , Associate Professor of Social Work and Adjunct Associate Professor of Public Health
Bradley (Brad) Zebrack Research Interests: Psychosocial oncology research and practice, program development, health disparities, patient advocacy.

Clinical and Research Faculty

Susan McDonough, Associate Research Professor of Social Work and Associate Research Scientist, Center for Human Growt
Susan McDonough Research Interests: Children's mental health, preventive interventions.
Julie Ribaudo, Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work
Julie Ribaudo Research Interests: Infant mental health, post-institutionalized children, attachment patterns and school outcomes.
Katherine (Katie) Richards-Schuster, CASC Undergraduate Minor Director, Assistant Research Scientist and LEO Lecturer III
Katherine (Katie) Richards-Schuster Research Interests: Youth participation, community organization, neighborhood development, social planning, public policy and community-based advocacy, and community-based participatory evaluation and research.
Beth Sherman, Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work
Beth Sherman Research Interests: Children and youth, school social work, prevention, and early intervention.
Elizabeth (Betsy) Voshel, Director of Field Program and Clinical Associate Professor of Social Work
Elizabeth (Betsy) Voshel Research Interests: Field instruction, field instructor training, social work ethics, safety preparation for social workers, interdisciplinary collaboration, case management.
Kathleen Wade, Director of Social Work and Pastoral Care, Assistant Dean of Hospital Social Work Services and Resea
Kathleen Wade Research Interests: Clinical social work, social work in health care.
Frank Zinn, Director, Office of Global Activities and Research Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Resea
Frank Zinn Research Interests: Leadership in professional practice, globalization of professional education, information technology for management, planning and development.
Faculty AARR, OPEN
Melnee McPherson, Research Investigator

Field Educators

G. Warren Clark
 
Susan Wiant Crabb
 
Oliva Alban Kuester
 
Stacy L. Peterson
 
Leigh Robertson
 
William L. Vanderwill
   

LEO Faculty

Alison Adlaf
Janet Allen
Mario (Tony) Alvarez
Research Interests: School social work, adventure based practice.
Cristina Bares
Julie Cushman
Douglas (Doug) Davies
Research Interests: Clinical practice with children.
Daniel Fischer
Sallie Foley
Steven Foley
Tammie Glenn
Jeungkun Kim
John Martin
Debra Mattison
Melnee McPherson
Robert (Bob) Miller
Laura Nitzberg
Kathryn Pelz-Davis
Paul Pfeiffer
Janet Ray
Carrie Ross
Laura Sanders
Sue Ann Savas
Sally Schmall
Stuart Segal
Stefanie Sinks
Gary Stauffer
James Svensson
Scott Weissman
Ellen Yashinsky Chute
Ashley Zwick

Emeritus Faculty

Paula Allen-Meares
Research Interests: Schools, adolescents, parenting.
Oscar Barbarin III
Research Interests: Culturally-sensitive psychological assessment, culture and children's mental health, development of African American children.
Sydney Bernard
  Research Interests: Ethics in social work, public welfare, conflict resolution.
Harvey Bertcher
Research Interests: Group work, self-instruction, support by teleconferencing.
William (Bill) Birdsall
Research Interests: Policy analysis, program evaluation, prevention and treatment of drug abuse in women, poverty, inequality, welfare.
Howard Brabson
Sallie Churchill
  Research Interests: Group work with children, child abuse and neglect, and adoption.
Tom Croxton
Research Interests: Social work ethics and standards of practice, juvenile justice, law and social work.
Sheila Feld
Research Interests: Role transitions among the elderly, late-life divorce and widowhood, social support for the elderly, variations in support groups among racial/ethnic groups.
Phillip Fellin
Research Interests: Rural and urban communities, social program evaluation, mental health policies and services, mental health and the elderly, and school social work.
Charles Garvin
Research Interests: Interpersonal practice gender/ethnicity, group work, long-term mental illness.
Rose Gibson
  Research Interests: Race and ethnicity in aging, inequality, racial differences in retirement and health status.
Martha Gizynski
  Research Interests: Family and children's services, ego psychology, clinical practice, adolescents, post-surgery trauma, supervisory relationships, maternal depression, and coping mechanisms of the elderly.
Jesse Gordon
Research Interests: Clinical research, labor.
Srinika (Siri) Jayaratne
Research Interests: Work stress, professional practice, client violence towards social workers, human service prevention programs.
Harold Johnson
Research Interests: Gerontology, organizational issues, and human service issues.
Armand Lauffer
Research Interests: Community organizing, planning, organizational development, Jewish communal service.
William Lawrence
  Research Interests: Social welfare administration, social work education. personnel and fiscal management, and program development.
Shirley Lockery
Research Interests: Aging-ethnogerontology, health policy, family support, retirement, and health of older African Americans.
Frank Maple Jr.
Research Interests: School social work, interviewing methods, group and family treatment.
Elizabeth Mutschler
Research Interests: Treatment procedures, therapist behaviors, computers in social work practice.
Katherine Reebel
  Research Interests: Social work in health care, rehabilitation, alcoholism, gerontology.
Rosemary Sarri
  Research Interests: Child/family welfare policy, juvenile and criminal justice systems.
Brett Seabury
Research Interests: Interpersonal practice, radical critique, indigenous healing systems.
Vivian Shapiro
Edwin Thomas
Research Interests: Role theory, group dynamics, behavior therapy, family therapy for alcohol abuse, and intervention design and development.
Helen Weingarten
Research Interests: Interpersonal conflict as a mechanism of change, affects of gender on behavior and outcomes, culture and conflict.
Mayer Zald
  Research Interests: Organizational studies, collective behavior, social theory.