2021-22 MSW Research Scholars

The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare’s Research Office has announced the 2021-22 cohort of MSW Research Scholars. The Master of Social Work students work closely with an academic researcher on their work for 22 weeks (11 weeks each semester) for an average of eight hours per week.

Tasks can include literature reviews, interviewing research subjects according to a protocol, helping construct surveys, coding qualitative data and helping write sections of an article based on the research. The program demonstrates how research can make a difference for the profession of social work and in communities; teaching critical thinking about social problems and social solutions and about research data; and, depending on the research phase, teaching how to go about structuring a proposal or an article or a research report.

“Initially, students are often intimidated by research,” said Amy Mendenhall, associate dean for research. “The MSW Research Scholars Program gives students an opportunity to see social work research in action, and for many, it ignites a passion to continue to be involved in research, to ask difficult questions and work with community partners to find solutions.”

There will be a student-focused Research Conversation from noon to 1 p.m. April 29, 2022, where various MSW Research Scholars will speak to the greater social welfare research community and their student colleagues about their work over the past year.

The 2021-22 MSW Research Scholars are as follows:

• Megan Roth and Edan Belihu will work with Kaela Byers, associate research professor, on Family First Prevention Services Act Evaluation.
• Jennifer Navarro and Isabelle Bauguess will work with Meg Paceley, associate professor of social welfare, on LGBTQ+ Youth in Families and Communities: Risk and Resilience.
• Tobi Barta will work with Carrie Wendel-Hummell, director of the Center for Research on Aging and Disability Options.
• Kimberly Reiser and Leah Youngren will work with Juliana Carlson, associate professor of social welfare, and Nancy Kepple, associate professor of social welfare, on Quality Improvement Center on Domestic Violence in Child Welfare.
• Ally Vaughn will work with Becci Akin, associate professor of social welfare, on Kansas PMTO/Kansas Strong.
• Diana Ramirez will work with Meredith Bagwell-Gray, assistant professor of social welfare, on Trauma-Informed Sexual Safety Planning: A New Approach for Cervical Cancer Prevention in Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

Learn more on the School of Social Welfare student research webpage.