Public Scholarship

The Center for Communication Engagement & Collaboration's public scholarship work connects researchers and communities for transformative engagement with the KU School of Social Welfare's valuable research.

CCEC helps build connections between KU School of Social Welfare researchers and communities through efforts including:

Publication of policy, practice and research briefs
Support for government relations and media appearances
Thought partnership and capacity-building for KUSSW scholars' innovative dissemination
Public events - both in-person and virtual - including Research Impact Talks and Grand Challenges panels

Public Scholarship Resources

Public Scholarship Highlights

Research Brief: Leveraging SED Waiver to Support Families

A study by KU researcher and assistant professor Whitney Grube points to policy and practice reforms that could lead to better care or youth with serious emotional disturbance (SED).

Read the brief

Research Impact Talk: Iranian Women's Social Justice Movements

Researchers Pegah Naemi Jimenez and Ariana Nasrazadani examined how social media powered protests calling for improved women's rights in Iran. They shared their findings during a recent Research Impact Talk.

Watch the Research Impact Talk

Public Scholarship Products

Connecting research findings to policy and practice

Policy & Research Briefs

Policy and research briefs highlight research findings and their policy and practice implications.

Briefs allow the School of Social Welfare to share new research and scholarship with a variety of audiences.

Fact Sheets

Fact sheets summarize School of Social Welfare research for a public audience.

Gender-affirming care fact sheet (.pdf) - Center for LGTBQ+ Research & Advocacy

Building Scholars' Capacity

The KU School of Social Welfare is investing in scholars' skills and connections to bring their knowledge to the public and incorporate public insights into research.

Policy Briefs from KU Social Welfare

Research Impact Talks

Sharing research findings through public events

Each semester, KUSSW scholars share research findings and their implications in virtual Research Impact Talk discussions. To help scholars connect with public audiences, CCEC awards continuing education credits to social workers and other behavioral health professionals who attend these events as part of their lifelong learning.

Find upcoming Research Impact Talks on the CCEC events calendar.

Recordings of past talks are available on the Past Research Events webpage.

Watch Research Impact Talks

Research Events

Recordings of Past Research Events

Grand Challenges

Highlighting KU research that tackles critical societal problems

The Center for Community Engagement and Collaboration hosts interactive panel discussions highlighting current KU School of Social Welfare research and community-engaged practice in areas related to the Grand Challenges for Social Work.

The Grand Challenges for Social Work is an initiative within the social work profession to champion social progress around a series of grand challenges that the profession works to impact.

Find upcoming Grand Challenges events on the CCEC events calendar.

Past Grand Challenges Events

The KU School of Social Welfare hosted its first Grand Challenges events in fall 2021.

Grand Challenges Resources

Grand Challenges for Social Work

Government & Media Relations

Connecting social work research and practice with public affairs

CCEC works to connect KU School of Social Welfare research with current issues.

Work in this area includes:

Drafting legislative testimony informed by social work scholarship
Orienting KU School of Social Welfare scholars to university government affairs policies
Preparing for oral testimony and/or media interviews about scholarly policy implications
Drafting policy briefs to convey scholarship to policymakers and their staff
Supporting the School's community partners in building capacity for policy engagement

Melinda Lewis at Social Work Advocacy Day

Upcoming CCEC Events

See all events

Stories from CCEC

Social Welfare fall research events aim to facilitate important discussions

Research events cover self-care in election season, a pilot program to train social work students in supporting survivors of domestic violence, and faculty research on gender-affirming care.

Event to connect the issue of MMIWG2ST+ to social work values of service

MMIWG2ST+ is an inclusive acronym describing missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse relatives. Join us in learning about these tragic injustices and their roots in the violence of colonialism and anti-Indigenous U.S. policy — and in committing ourselves to solidarity and justice with Indigenous communities.

The School of Social Welfare’s Center for Community Engagement & Collaboration will host an interactive panel virtual panel Feb. 27 on supporting older adults through social isolation with intergenerational alliances.

Social work Grand Challenges event focuses on supporting older adults facing social isolation

The Grand Challenges for Social Work is an initiative within the social work profession to champion social progress around a series of grand challenges that the profession works to affect.

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