Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Faculty and student fellows from the Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health (CISWH) at BU School of Social Work (BUSSW) presented on innovations in interdisciplinary education and moving social work research to action at the Society for Social Work Research Annual Meeting, held recently in Seattle, WA.
The CISWH team shared how social workers can influence policy change through their research, and presented lessons learned from a virtual reality simulated learning pilot for an interdisciplinary graduate-level course on the Social Determinants of Health in healthcare settings.
Navigating Political Advocacy: Strategies and Stories from Civically Engaged Social Work Researchers
Dr. Tami Gouveia, CISWH director and Paul Farmer Professor of Practice, shared her experience serving for four years in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. During this roundtable, Dr. Gouveia presented with Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Neville;, Dr. Charles E. Lewis, CISWH advisory board member, and Dr. Vincent Fusaro on why social work researchers should be civically engaged, who social workers are as advocates, and how social workers can share their research and expertise to influence policymaking to benefit population health, well-being, and quality of life.
Social Work Expertise in Multidisciplinary Health Care Settings to Address Social Determinants of Health: Lessons Learned from a Virtual Reality Education Initiative
CISWH graduate fellow Abdul “Haseeb” Hamza (MSW’25) presented the outcomes of a pilot for an interdisciplinary course that helps medical, social work, and nutrition students practice integrating the Social Determinants of Health into collaborative care through a virtual reality simulation. BUSSW Prof. M. Emilia Bianco, CISWH affiliate, and Dr. Tami Gouveia co-presented this poster.