Professor Paula Nurius was recently elected to the board of the National Society for Social Work and Research. Nurius has played an active role in SSWR governance, serving previously as vice-president and working on projects to expand research capacity and advance doctoral training and early career scholar research supports.
As part of her three-year term, she’ll focus on strengthening training and mentoring resources for high impact research careers both within and outside the academy. This includes skills for cross-disciplinary collaboration as well as stakeholder engagement and translating research into actionable advocacy, practice and policy applications.
Nurius, who joined the School in 1984, is the Grace Beals-Ferguson Scholar and Professor, associate dean for transdisciplinary scholarship, and fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. She served as doctoral program director for seven years and directed a prevention research training program funded by the National Institutes of Health for 16 years. She studies processes and effects of life course stress and trauma on vulnerable and socially disadvantaged populations. Last year, she was named the inaugural recipient of the Educational Leadership in Doctoral Education award from the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work.
In past years, the School has been well-represented on the SSWR board, and is the only school of social work to have two of its faculty members serve as presidents. Dean Eddie Uehara was SSWR president in 2015 and 2016 and Nancy Hooyman, professor and dean emeritus, held that position from 2000 to 2002. Karina Walters, associate dean for research, is currently serving as vice-president. School of Social Work doctoral candidate Rebecca Rebbe serves as SSWR’s student member-at-large.
About SSWR: Founded in 1994, SSWR works collaboratively to improve support for research among social worker scholars. The organization fosters a transdisciplinary, interprofessional network of investigators; encourages rigorous research in domains critical to social work; supports research funding, training and recognition of significant contributions by social work researchers; and promotes evidence-based practices and policies throughout the profession.