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School briefs

Professor Kim Strom-Gottfried recently presented at the European Conference on Social Work Research in Leuven, Belgium. Strom-Gottfried and colleagues Sarah Banks (UK), Teresa Bertotti (Italy) and Ana Sobocan (Slovenia) presented a workshop on “Ethics and Research.” Strom-Gottfried also judged the “Three Minute Thesis” competition for doctoral students.

Assistant professor Rachel Goode was selected to attend the methodology workshop, “Training on the Optimization of Behavioral and Biobehavioral Interventions,” in Bethesda, MD. The workshop was sponsored by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), WT Grant Foundation, and The Methodology Center, Penn State.

Assistant professor Will Hall was an invited panelist for a discussion on “Establishing a Career in SGM Health Research,” at the National Institutes of Health Sexual & Gender Minority Regional Workshop at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. The workshop was held in conjunction with the National LGBTQ Health Conference.

Professor Sheryl Zimmerman participated in a small invitational meeting with representatives from the National Institute on Aging Behavioral and Social Research Division, to discuss needed directions for research and data collection on the older residential care population.

Doctoral student Erum Agha was recently awarded a Dissertation Completion Fellowship from the UNC Graduate School. These fellowships support promising students in the final year of dissertation work by enabling them to focus full time on their research and completing their program of study without the obligation of a service assignment. Agha’s three-paper dissertation examines the health and behavioral health of refugee women resettled in the United States. Associate professor Gary S. Cuddeback is serving as her dissertation chair.

The Project NO REST team was recognized by Jerry Milner, associate commissioner, Children’s Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families for successful implementation of the team’s grant to address trafficking within the child welfare population. The recognition noted the team’s “significant dedication and commitment to improving safety, permanency, well-being, and outcomes for children and families affected by human trafficking” in the  community. Team members include Dean Duncan, Joy Stewart, Wanda Reives, and Nancy Hagan of the School of Social Work and Robin Colbert of the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

Faculty, staff, and friends gathered recently to wish clinical associate professor Marty Weems a fond farewell as she retires after 20 years with state government and 15 years at UNC School of Social Work. Weems will be going into private practice in Hillsborough later this year. Her career has included work with the N.C. School of the Arts, Durham County Substance Abuse Services, Wake County Human Services, and UNC Hospital Department of Psychiatry. During her tenure with the School of Social Work, Weems was honored with the Dean’s Recognition of Teaching Excellence Award three times.