Although their research interests are diverse, Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) faculty members, students and research partners share something in common: a focus on advancing social justice. We live this mission every day through research and scholarship that spans social work practice, policy and system reform.
The Institute for Human-Animal Connection offers Research Fellowship for individuals with their MSW who are interested in receiving robust training in social science research with a focus on the Human-Animal-Environment Interaction field.
New 2020–21 GSSW faculty bring a commitment to justice and expertise in aging, weight stigma, health disparities, decarceration, climate change and clinical practice.
The dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racism are changing social work’s approach to child welfare practice. GSSW faculty and community partners discuss new changes, challenges and opportunities in child welfare.
GSSW Professor Heather Taussig has received a Fulbright Award to Wales, where she’ll work collaboratively to build evidence for interventions intended to improve outcomes for maltreated youth.
With an emphasis on HIV prevention and treatment, GSSW Assistant Professor Donny Gerke is working to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes among sexual and gender minority communities.
Faculty Book Spotlight
Ecosocial Work
New book co-edited by Associate Professor of the PracticeRachel Forbes encourages social workers to advocate for environmental justice.
Understanding and Effectively Utilizing Experiential Therapy
New book by Professor Nicole Nicotera and Associate Professor Julie Anne Laser that offers a trauma-sensitive, mindfulness-based approach to Experiential Therapy with 10 practical steps and 32 ready-to-use activities.
New book edited by ProfessorJohnny Kim. This step-by-step training manual guides readers through the clinical practice of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) for use with families.
Community needs and assets shape our research and scholarship agenda. For example, we host 16 intervention research studies and collaborate with 128 research partners. With support from 10 public and private partners statewide, the Climb@DU initiative is training social workers to meet behavioral health needs in underserved Colorado communities. Community partners also invest in our work, as do local, state and national foundations and agencies, funding more than $11.7 million in 2019–20 in annual research expenditures.
