School of Social Work News

Associate Professor Trina Shanks has been named a fellow at the Urban Institute, where she will contribute her expertise on poverty, wealth inequality and child development to the institute’s research projects. The institute is known for its robust microsimulation models, which use historical census and tax data to forecast the effects of specific policies on communities and families. As a fellow, Shanks will be able to run simulations specifically focused on Michigan and Detroit.

Associate Professor Andrew Grogan-Kaylor and Berenice Castillo (PhD student) had their research featured in "Revista Semana", an important news magazine in Colombia. The article explained how socioeconomic factors contribute to the physical discipline of children in Colombia.

Joyce Lee's (PhD student), study published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence found that when parents listen or use humor to resolve conflicts, their children report fewer emotional and behavior problems. Families from all socioeconomic backgrounds are affected by parental conflict. The rates tend to be higher in low-income households that deal with poverty, stress and unemployment.

Associate Professor Daphne Watkins received the “Thought Leader Award for Peer-Reviewed Publications” at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Connections Capstone Symposium last month. Watkins was the recipient of a New Connections Initiative Award in 2007 for her project “Examining the Influence of Psychosocial Factors on the Mental Health of Black Men.” This recent accolade is in recognition of the impact she’s made in her field as well as the quantity and quality of the work she’s produced since receiving her initial award.

Assistant Professor Xiaoling Xiang's new study tracks the behavior of older adults whose needs were not handled properly, leading to elevated anxiety symptoms. “Our findings reinforce the notion that needs for mental health services and community-based long-term services and supports are interconnected,” Xiang said.

Associate Professor Luke Shaefer’s research on child allowances was included in Nicholas Kristof's column, "A Dummy's Guide to Democratic Policy Proposals" in the New York Times.

Clinical Assistant Professor Daicia Price was selected as the 2019 Student Union Teacher of the Year. 
She was nominated by a member of the Michigan Social Work student body and was selected based on a submitted essay detailing some of the remarkable ways she influences students in her classes.

Associate Professor Kristin Seefeldt gave the keynote address at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work’s symposium “Poverty is a Human Rights Issue: Social Work and Economic Justice". Her talk focused on poverty and inequality, economic well being and family coping strategies.