News
Becker speaks at APA
Dana Becker, Associate Professor of Social Work, delivered two talks at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in New Orleans in August, 2006. One, given as part of a Presidential program, was entitled, "Women's Place in the Societal Discourse of Stress." The other, with Jeanne Marecek, Professor of Psychology at Swarthmore College, was entitled: "Positive Psychology: History in the Remaking?
Hepburn Center includes social work values
Associate Professor Janet Shapiro , and former faculty member Carole Joffe will moderate panels of national experts as part of the inauguration of the Katherine Houghton Hepburn Center at Bryn Mawr College.
Littell wins "Herbert A. Raskin Child Welfare Article Award"
Julia Littell, Associate Professor of Social Work, has been selected as one of this year's winners of the Pro Humanitate Literary Award, North America 's premier literary award for the field of child welfare. Her article, Lessons from a systematic review of effects of multisystemic therapy, was chosen as one of three winners of the Herbert A. Raskin Child Welfare Article Award. The paper appeared in the April, 2005 issue of "Children and Youth Services Review" and a debate about the paper appeared in the April 2006 issue of the same journal. Individuals can request copies from Dr. Littell by email.
Each year, the Center for Child Welfare Policy of the North American Resource Center for Child Welfare awards one book award and three article awards for literary works which best exemplify the intellectual integrity and moral courage required to transcend political and social barriers to promote best practice in the field of child welfare.
Littell will receive her Pro Humanitate Medal at an October 3 rd awards ceremony at the seventh National Structured Decision Making Conference, sponsored by the Children's Research Center of the National Center for Crime and Delinquency (NCCD).
Sandy Schram co-authors APSA's "Best Policy Paper"
Sanford Schram, Visiting Professor, Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, co-authored a paper with Richard Fording and Joe Soss that has won the award for best public policy paper presented at the American Political Science Association's 2005 meeting. The three co-authors will receive the award on August 31, 2006 , at this year's meeting which is being held at the Philadelphia Convention Center. The paper is entitled: "The Color of Devolution: The Politics of Local Punishment in the New World of Welfare."
Schram, Fording and Soss edited the 2003 book "Race and the Politics of Welfare Reform" (University of Michigan Press). Fording is associate professor of political science at the University of Kentucky. Soss is professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Next month, Schram will present new findings from their research at a workshop on Poverty and Public Policy at Cambridge University. The workshop is organized by the Cambridge-MIT Institute (http://www.cambridge-mit.org/cgi-bin/default.pl ). (posted 8/06)
Janet Shapiro lectures at Smith College
In July 2006, Associate Professor Janet Shapiro was invited to Smith College School of Social Work as the Brown Clinical Research Institute Lecturer. Her lecture, The Neurobiology of Clinical Social Work, presented the main findings of her recently co-authored book (with Jeffrey Applegate) entitled Neurobiology for Clinical Social Work: Theory and Practice. The research, summarized in the book and her lecture, offered new insights about the crucial role that relationships play in human development and in professional helping efforts. The lecture introduced participants to the fundamentals of brain structure, development, and function. Building on this foundation, the lecture described memory and affect regulation as neuropsychological processes. Contemporary attachment theory and its relationship to infant mental health was discussed along with the implications of neurobiological theory in the practice of social work in a variety of settings. (posted 8/06)
Elaine Robertson - Recipient of the McPherson Award 2006
The Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research wishes to congratulate Elaine Robertson, Program Coordinator in Career Development and Continuing Education, a recipient of one of this year's McPherson Awards. Elaine was recognized at the annual Bryn Mawr staff picnic for her extraordinary service to the community, both within and beyond the boundaries of the institution.
The McPherson Fund For Excellence was established in 1997 to honor President Emeritus Mary Patterson McPherson's years of contribution to the Bryn Mawr community, and to recognize and further inspire outstanding faculty, staff members, graduate students, and undergraduates with the McPherson Awards.
School hires new Assistant Professor
The Graduate School is pleased to announce the hiring of Sara Bressi Nath, M.S.W., L.S.W. as an Assistant Professor. Bressi received her PhD in Social Welfare from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice in May, 2006. Her dissertation research was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and explored the factors that predict physical health care utilization by persons with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and major affective disorders. She has also contributed to research projects exploring the quality care offered to persons with psychiatric disorders, as well as end-of-life care among frail elders living in the community. She has taught courses in research methods, and practice with older adults. In 2003, she received the Hal Levin Award for Outstanding Doctoral Student in Social Welfare. Ms. Bressi is a licensed social worker and has worked with a variety of vulnerable populations including persons with chronic illnesses, children with autism and other developmental delays, and terminally-ill individuals. (posted 3/31/06)
Schram speaks at UW-Milwaukee
Professor Sandy Schram spoke at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, at their April 7, 2006 symposium “In/Dependence: Disability, Welfare, and Age.” His talk is based on his current research, with Richard Fording and Joe Soss on welfare to work in Florida. It is the topic of a book they are currently writing, and the talk is available on the conference website. (posted 4/11/06)
Memorial for Emeritus Professor Joyce Lewis
A memorial service for Joyce E. Lewis, MSS '54 was held Sunday, December 3rd. Joyce, an Associate Professor Emeritus of Social Work, passed away on September 25, 2006. Gifts may be made to the Joyce Lewis Memorial Fund at the Graduate School.
