FSU Social Work Research Shines at 2026 SSWR Conference

The FSU College of Social Work (FSU CSW) participated in the 2026 Society for Social Work and Research Conference in Washington, DC. From January 14-18, social work faculty and students, along with affiliates from the Florida Center for Reading Research, Florida Institute for Child Welfare and Stoops Center for Communities, Families, and Children presented more than 35 presentations, posters and sessions at the conference (listed below with FSU CSW participants).

Thursday, January 15

Oral Presentation: Intersecting Justice: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Alaska Native Experiences with the Criminal Legal System

• Dr. Tanya Renn

Oral Presentation: I Would Rather Sit at Home and Suffer in Silence": Perceptions, Experiences and Impacts of Weight Stigma Among Low-Income Black Women in Missouri

• Dr. Gashaye Tefera and Ponsiano Ngondwe

Poster Presentation: Perceptions of Forest Resource Change and the Role of Participation: Evidence from Marginalized Communities in India

• Sanoop Valappanandi

Symposia: Disaster Risk Reduction across the Lifecourse: Social Work Insights and Interventions

• Discussant: Dr. John Mathias

Symposia Presentation: Vulnerability and Resilience during a Natural Disaster: Exploring the Experiences of Foster Children in Florida

• Researchers: Dr. Gashaye Tefera, Shelby Varol, Dr. John Mathias, Ponsiano Ngondwe, Ellen Piekalkiewicz and Carli Lucius

Friday, January 16

Special Interest Group: Creating Social Responses to a Changing Environment

• Convener: Dr. John Mathias

Special Interest Group: Foster Care and Higher Education

• Convener: Dr. Lisa Schelbe

Poster Presentation: Sex Differences in Occupational Exposures and Cognitive Function in Later Life

• Researchers: Dr. Qiuchang (Katy) Cao, Dr. Dawn Carr, Dr. Melissa Radey

Oral Presentation: Exploring the Implementation Functions of Older Adults' Participation in Age-Friendly Community Initiatives

• Researcher: Dr. Qiuchang (Katy) Cao

Poster Presentation: Unearthing Women’s Lost Narratives: Tracing the Roots of Intimate Partner Violence in the Big Bend Region of Florida

• Researcher: Dr. Pooja Ichlani

Poster Presentation: Transforming Higher Education to Support Student-Parents

• Researcher: Dr. Lisa Schelbe

Workshop: Going Beyond the Mean Effect: A Hands-on Introduction to Quantile Regression for Social Work Research

• Organizer: Dr. Michael Killian
• Speakers/Presenters: Sonnie Mayewski, Dr. Nuria Gutierrez, Dr. Yaacov Petscher

Special Interest Group: Heterodox Social Work

• Dr. Bruce Thyer

Poster Presentation: Health, Support, and Service Needs of Older Adult Kinship Caregivers in Florida: Preliminary Findings from the Oak Project

• Dr. Kasey Longley, Dr. Qiuchang (Katy) Cao, Olivia Niewald, Manjun Kim

Symposia: Paid Family Leave and Infant Maltreatment

• Presenter: Dr. Bart Klika

Symposia Presentation: Disaster Preparedness of Social Workers in the Southeastern United States: A Survey Focused on Hurricane-Pandemic Co- Occurrences

• Elizabeth Crowley, Sanoop Valappanandi, Dr. John Mathias, Ellen Piekalkiewicz, Savannah Smith, Carli Lucius, Dr. Tian Tang, Dr. Arda Vanlia

Oral Presentation: How Do Child Welfare Policymakers Use Research in Decision-Making? a Use of Research Evidence Qualitative Study

• Presenters: Dr. Katie Berry, Dr. Emily Davidson, Lauren Herod, Hailey Miller

Oral Presentation: Forget It. I'm Not Going to See Another Provider" the Intersection of Weight Stigma and Healthcare Access for Black Women

• Researchers: Dr. Gashaye Tefera and Ponsiano Ngondwe

Flash Talk: Teachers' Lack of Cultural Competence and Discrimination Against Refugee Students in the United States

• Researchers: Ngondwe Ponsiano, Dr. Gashaye Tefera, Shelby Varol

Poster Presentation: Healthcare Experiences of Transgender and Gender Minority Migrants in the US: A Scoping Review

• Researchers: Shelby Varol, Alisa Gutherie, Ponsiano Ngondwe, Dr. Gashaye Tefera

Poster Presentation: Mental Health Experiences of African Refugees in the United States: A Scoping Review

• Researchers: Ponsiano Ngondwe and Dr. Gashaye Tefera

Saturday, January 17

Oral Presentation: Self-Care Practices over Time Among Child Welfare Workers: A Longitudinal Growth Curve Analysis

• Researchers: Lauren Herod, Dr. Lauren Stanley, Dr. Emily Davidson

Poster Presentation: Exploring Caregiver Experiences with Navigating and Securing Residential Care for Children with Intensive Needs

• Researchers: Dr. Shamra Boel-Studt, Robyn Baker, Dr. Darejan Dvalishvili

Poster Presentation: The Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

• Researchers: Dr. Tanya Renn, Margarita Amado-Blanco, Deena Alani

Oral Presentation: Putting Families First: Early Impact of Family First Prevention Services on Family Well-Being

• Presenter: Dr. Kaela Byers

Flash Talk: Exploring the Impact of a Multisite Student Parent Advisory Board across Campus Communities: An Ethnographic Case Study

• Presenter: Dr. Lisa Schelbe

Flash Talk: Validation of the Belonging Barometer with Child Welfare Workers

• Researchers: Dr. Lauren Stanley, Dr. Jiwon Speers

Special Interest Group: Anthropology and Social Work

• Convener: Sanoop Valappanandi

Oral Presentation: Impact Evaluation of the Saint Francis Fatherhood FIRE Program on Father Engagement and Family Outcomes

• Presenter: Dr. Kaela Byers

Oral Presentation: Social Networks as an Engagement Strategy in Child Maltreatment Prevention Programs: A Scoping Review

• Researcher: Dr. Qiuchang (Katy) Cao

Oral Presentation: Telehealth's Promise and Limits: Trends and Disparities in Pediatric Preventive Care Access, 2021-2023

• Researchers: Sonnie Mayewski and Dr. Michael Killian

Sunday, January 18

Poster Presentation: Changes in Parents' Relationships after Child Protective Services Involvement within the Context of Domestic Violence

• Researchers: Dr. Melissa Radey, Dr. Lenore McWey, Dr. Lisa Magruder

Oral Presentation: Substance Use Screening Among Older Adults: Associations with Substance Type and Healthcare Setting

• Researchers: Dr. John Moore and Dr. Qiuchang (Katy) Cao

Oral Presentation: Service Utilization and Screening Among U.S. College Students with Substance Use Disorder

• Researchers: Dr. John Moore, Dr. JaNiene Peoples, Dr. Tanya Renn

Poster Presentation: Investigating How Parental Education Moderates the Effects of Depression on Male College Students' Beliefs Toward Degree Completion

• Researcher: Dr. JaNiene Peoples

Flash Talk: Justice in Motion: Potential for Health Interventions and Practice Changes for Young Women with Legal-Involvement

• Researchers: Megan Vogt and Dr. Tanya Renn

Roundtable: A Call for Research on Criminal Legal Systems Involvement Among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations

• Presenter: Dr. Tanya Renn

Symposia Presentation: They Don't See Us as Humans": Multilevel Factors Affecting Trust in Healthcare Among African Immigrants in the U.S.

• Researchers: Dr. Gashaye Tefera, Ponsiano Ngondwe and Shelby Varol