Doctoral Student Receives Award to Attend Society for Social Work and Research Conference

Ngondwe Ponsiano, or Pons as he also likes to be called, a doctoral student at the FSU College of Social Work, received a 2025 Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) Doctoral Student Travel Award to help him attend the society’s January conference in Seattle, Washington.

The award is designed to increase the diversity of doctoral student presenters, supporting underrepresented groups to ensure their attendance at the SSWR Annual Conference. Along with additional support from the College of Social Work and COGS, the award ensured Pons could travel across the country to attend the conference and present his research.

“It was so great to present my research during the conference. Many people wanted to understand what we are doing, but also wanted to contribute,” Pons shared his experience presenting during a poster session on Thursday, January 16th. “There were so many great suggestions to improve, expand, and collaborate on our research.”

Pons’ research poster was titled “Barriers and Facilitators of Access to Health Among Immigrants with Disabilities: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis,” which focused on a study he conducted with College of Social Work Assistant Professor Dr. Gashaye Tefera to bring attention to the barriers to healthcare by immigrants with disabilities in the United States and Canada. The research project was also recently published in the journal Health. Click here to read the article.

The research poster session and resulting discussions provided helpful feedback on the study and the trajectory for future research. “It was interesting listening to the different views,” Pons reflected. “One thing was clear: regardless of who I talked to, the consensus was that it is an important study and that more research in this area is needed.”

Pons appreciates this award because “This award was appreciated as it supported my ability to attend the conference and was important as much-needed support for my work.”

Attending the 2025 SSWR Annual Conference gave him an opportunity to present his research and learn and network with other social work researchers and scholars. His research and previous experiences attending professional conferences related to his social work practice work with refugees well prepared him for the experience. Pons stressed that “Conference experiences like this are an important part of the growth process for doctoral students like me. I think it is important not to feel pressure about the experience but rather to see it as an opportunity to learn.”

With this mindset and support from the College of Social Work faculty, Pons felt well-prepared for the academic rigor of the conference and enjoyed making connections and receiving encouragement and feedback.

“As doctoral students, we need the confidence to advocate for our research and to utilize the resources available to us,” Pons concluded. Our professors and academic support system at FSU are very good. They want us to succeed."