Dr. Michael Killian, an associate professor at the College of Social Work, was inducted into the 2024 Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) fellows class.

SSWR fellows are members who have served to advance the society's mission to – advance, disseminate, and translate research that addresses social work practice and policy issues and promotes a diverse, equitable, and just society. 

"I am honored and humbled to be inducted as a Fellows within the Society for Social Work and Research. Being acknowledged by this organization, which plays a crucial role in advancing and disseminating research in social work, is personally very special," he expressed about the honor. "For me, it's a reminder to continue pushing research efforts forward and be mindful of mentorship of others."

The SSWR Fellowship was established to honor and recognize current members for their accomplishments, leadership, and contributions to SSWR as a scientific society. Each year, they are honored at the SSWR Annual Conference. 

He has played an active role in multiple collaborative child welfare and health studies and initiatives, focusing on pediatric organ transplant recipients and their families, including adherence to medication regimens and post-transplant health-related quality of life and health outcomes.

Dr. Killian is a research scientist with the Stoops Center for Communities, Families, and Children at the College of Social Work and is co-lead for the center's Initiative for the Advancement of Pediatric Transplant Health Research. He holds a courtesy appointment as an FSU College of Medicine professor.

"What I'm most proud of is the growth, development, and increasing reach of our Initiative for the Advancement of Pediatric Transplant Health Research. We have several NIH-funded research programs focusing on pediatric organ transplant recipients in the areas of long-term medication adherence, post-transplant health-related quality of life, and use of advanced machine learning and AI approaches to predict their outcomes," Dr. Killian explained.

Adding that, "I'm also grateful for the opportunities to engage and mentor students in research around pediatric health. We've had students from our College of Social Work undergraduate and graduate programs and students from health-related sciences across FSU working on projects and papers in health outcomes research in pediatric transplantation." 

Most recently, Dr. Killian, along with Dr. Dipankar Gupta (University of Florida Congenital Heart Center), is leading a two-year study conducted by Scene Health, funded by the National Institutes of Health and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, to support Florida pediatric heart transplant recipience. The project aims to improve health and wellness outcomes for patients utilizing a video medication adherence platform.  

Two of his research papers were recognized by the International Pediatric Transplant Association journal of Pediatric Transplantation in the "Best of 2018" research articles and "Best of 2021-2022" articles. 

"Dr. Killian is one of the world's leading social work researchers and scholars," said David Springer, dean of the FSU College of Social Work. "This well-deserved induction as a SSWR Fellow exemplifies his unwavering dedication to advancing health outcomes for children through translational science. On behalf of the College of Social Work, I am delighted to extend a warm congratulations and honored to welcome Dr. Killian as a SSWR Fellow."

Dr. Killian joins several other distinguished SSWR fellows at the College of Social Work, including Dean David Springer, Dr. Jeffrey Lacasse, Dr. Lisa Schelbe, Dr. Bruce Thyer, and Dr. Karen Randolph, who continues her work in child welfare with the Florida Institute for Child Welfare.

"Membership and active participation in SSWR is important for several reasons," stressed Dr. Killian, noting that:

• SSWR is our academic social work's premier organization and conference for engaging with a diverse network of researchers, who are deeply committed to advancing social work practice and policy.
• SSWR fosters collaborative opportunities and offers a wealth of knowledge and experience.
• SSWR is committed to rigorous research and evidence-based practices.

Being part of an organization that encourages innovation, supports research funding, and promotes policies for the betterment of social welfare aligns with my goals as a social work researcher."