Category: Research News


UA Social Work Professor develops community-care network to combat opioids in Alabama

Dr. Hee Yun Lee, associate dean for research and Endowed Academic Chair in Social Work (Health) at The University of Alabama, will soon begin addressing opioid-related morbidity and mortality in four Alabama counties by developing a community care network to strengthen prevention, treatment and recovery. The Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded a UA-led…


UA social work professor to study cancer prevention behaviors among Alabama college students

Dr. Hee Yun Lee, associate dean of research and Endowed Academic Chair in Social Work (Health), is conducting a study investigating cancer preventative behaviors in college students at The University of Alabama. Cancer is a leading cause of death among Alabama residents. Even though studies have shown that preventative behaviors are effective in reducing cancer morbidity and…


UA Social Work, AARP studying the needs of Alabama’s older military veterans

The University of Alabama Office for Military Families and Veterans is partnering with AARP Alabama to assess the needs of the state’s older military veterans to develop and deliver outreach and educational interventions. The survey will focus on AARP members in Alabama that identify as having prior military service. AARP Alabama has more than 440,000…


Professor Hee Lee named to 2019 Class of SSWR Fellows

Dr. Hee Yun Lee, associate dean for research and Endowed Academic Chair in Social Work (Health) and professor, has been named to the 2019 Class of Fellows of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR). SSWR Fellows are members who have served with distinction to advance the mission of the Society — to advance, disseminate,…


Instructor Nancy Payne named Innovation Spirit Scholar

Nancy Payne, an instructor in the School of Social Work, has been named a 2019 Innovation Spirit Scholar for her innovation project exploring the concept of how to better serve students and faculty with invisible disabilities in online courses. As an Innovation Spirit Scholar, Payne will continue to her work in the area of invisible disabilities…


UA Associate Professor Nicole Ruggiano to Study App for Dementia Caregivers

The National Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a federal agency, has awarded a $300,000 grant to researchers at The University of Alabama (UA) and Florida International University (FIU) to test the efficacy of a web and mobile application designed for dementia caregivers. Nicole Ruggiano, UA associate professor of social work, helped create “CareHeroes,” a multi-function…


UA Social Work Launches Faculty ‘Speed Networking’ Luncheons

Nearly a dozen University of Alabama faculty members gather at a large round table in the third-floor rotunda of Carmichael Hall. Sunlight beams through the roof and reflects off shards of glass sprinkled in the Nall Hollis art works lining the walls. It’s a peaceful setting for discussing research interests. Collaborative meetings are typically informal…


Two professors and graduate students awarded Community Engagement Graduate Fellowships

Hee Yun Lee, professor and Endowed Chair in Social Work, and Hyunjin “Gina” Noh, assistant professor of social work, were each awarded a 2018 Community Engagement Graduate Fellowship by the Faculty Teaching and Research Support Committee of the Council on Community-Based Partnerships (CCBP) at UA. They are two of three UA faculty recipients of the highly competitive award.…


Associate Professor Amy Traylor receives NIAAA fellowship

Amy Traylor, associate professor of social work, has been awarded a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Fellowship from the Alcohol and Other Drugs Education Program. The program is housed at the University of Denver’s Butler Institute for Families at the Graduate School of Social Work. With support from the alcohol institute, the…


2018 UA Social Work SSWR faculty/doctoral presentations

SSWR 22nd Annual Conference Faculty/Doctoral Presentations The UA School of Social Work is pleased to announce the following faculty and student research presentations for the 2018 Society for Social Work and Research Conference in Washington, D.C. We encourage you to visit our presentations, discussions or workshops and to learn about the innovative research of our…