Research

Dr. Bill Nugent, professor at the UT College of Social Work, and former BSSW, now MSSW student Jaydah Lee recently published an article titled “The Relationship Between Violent Political Rhetoric and Suicide Rates” in the Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Their research explores how violent political rhetoric (VPR) may contribute to increased…

UTCSW faculty members continue to serve in the local community as well as across the nation. The reach and breadth of the college’s faculty research and service knows no bounds.   Dashawna J Fussell-Ware, Assistant ProfessorDr. Dashawna J Fussell-Ware was recently awarded a $7500 grant from the Society for Research in Child Development as part…

UTCSW and CEHHS recently received a grant from the William T. Grant Foundationwhich will strengthen the partnership between the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and Cherokee Health Systems (CHS). UT and Cherokee Health Systems, a federally qualified health center, will partner to co-create an implementation science program to train university researchers and health practitioners to conduct and…

UTCSW faculty members Dr. Kristen Ravi and Dr. Anne Conway along with the College of Nursing faculty Dr. Anujit Sarkar and Dr. Ji Youn Yoo Interdisciplinary team, led by Dr. Anujit Sarkar, were awarded a $75,000 AI SPARKs grant. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent in the U.S. and can contribute towards long-term adverse health…

UTCSW Professor Courtney Cronley was recently named the Feminist Scholar Award Recipient by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) for 2024. CSWE annually honors a scholar who advances feminist knowledge, including Womanist and Xicanism perspectives. Dr. Cronley investigates how the built environment contributes to social injustices and health disparities and how investments in housing and…

The University of Tennessee College of Social Work (UTCSW) has hired Dr. Tiffany Washington as a new Associate Professor (Health Specialization) for Fall 2024. Washington comes to the UTCSW from the University of Georgia School of Social Work, where she served as an associate professor with tenure. She will begin at UTCSW August 1, 2024.…

Dr. Bridget Freisthler joins the University of Tennessee College of Social Work (UTCSW) as the new Cooper-Herron Professor in mental health for fall 2024. The Cooper-Herron Endowed Professorship was established through the generosity of long-time College of Social Work supporters Susan Cooper and Dr. Freida Herron. Freisthler comes to UTCSW from Ohio State University and…

The University of Tennessee College of Social Work (UTCSW) has hired Rubén Parra-Cardona as the first Roger and Carol Nooe Endowed Chair. Parra-Cardona comes to UT from the University of Texas at Austin where he was a professor and the associate dean for global engagement at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. He will…

Assistant Professor Thereasa Abrams, Professor William Nugent, Assistant Professor Andrea Joseph-McCatty, and PhD student Aritra Moulick recently published an article in the Journal of Burn Care & Research titled “Examining Disparities in Alcohol Use Testing on Burn Patient Admissions: A Call for Association Guidance.” Burn injuries are associated with as well as complicated by alcohol…

From anti-racist social work pedagogy to trauma-informed approaches to discipline, to guaranteed income programs, the UTCSW faculty’s research spans a variety of topics all aimed to better the world for the underserved.   Allison BuzardConceptualizing anti-racist social work pedagogyPractical Ideas for increasing faculty capacity, reflexivity, and ability. Advances in Social Work JournalDOI: https://doi.org/10.18060/27152 Studies have suggested…