When Michael Hoffmeister arrived on campus as an undergraduate, he anticipated pursuing a degree in psychology. Instead, a social work class focusing on the formation of social welfare policies and the role of the social work professional, taught by Dr. Jan Greenberg, changed his trajectory. Three social work degrees later, Dr. Hoffmeister is now the Director …
Research funded by an IDS Seed Grant is seeking to better understand and reduce gaps in access to post-assault care for people with marginalized identities. The project was led by IDS Affiliates Kate Walsh and LB Klein and IDS Graduate Fellows Padideh Hassanpour and Taylan Stulting, along with Jeneile Luebke. It focuses on improving support services for survivors of sexual violence who are often …
PhD student Anna Walther received a Russell Sage Foundation research grant this year for her dissertation on the differences in financial security by race, ethnicity, and partnership status in the year preceding and following childbirth — examining how and whether the U.S. social safety net supports families’ economic security during the transition to parenthood. It …
Rick Ezell, 70, is an avid cyclist and dedicated weightlifter, yet when he experienced some episodes of tachycardia (increased heart rate) it was initially dismissed by a cardiologist. It wasn’t until he was referred to an electro-physiologist who was a triathlete and understood how active Ezell is that he got a heart rate monitor and …
Assistant Professor LB Klein was recently named a finalist for The Linda Saltzman New Investigator Award, which honors an “outstanding new investigator working in the field of the prevention of intimate partner violence, domestic violence, sexual violence, or dating violence” by the CDC Foundation. Dr. Klein is an intervention researcher and prevention scientist whose interdisciplinary …
Congratulations to Dr. Tova Walsh who was elected as the President of Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE) in Social Work. “GADE also proudly congratulates Dr. Tova Walsh on her election as President-Elect. Dr. Walsh is the Anne Wackman Oros Associate Professor and PhD Program Director at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Sandra Rosenbaum …
Associate Professor Lara Gerassi received a large five-year RO1 research grant from the National Institutes of Health to understand the extent to which young people trade sex for financial compensation, why they do so, and the associated risks, protective factors, benefits, and harms. The aim of the research is to provide a more comprehensive understanding of sex trading, …
Did you know that roughly one-third of children and families receiving Head Start services live in the Big Ten states? Associate Professor Alejandra Ros Pilarz contributes to a new brief on the benefits of Head Start and how it serves children and families in Big Ten states. Read the full article.
Professor Emerita Dr. Mary Ann Test, whose work helped create what became known as Program of Assertive Community (PACT), passed away on January 31, 2025. This biography was written by Professor Emeritus, Jan Greenberg. Dr. Mary Ann Test received her PhD in clinical psychology from Northwestern University in 1969. She moved to Madison to take …
Wisconsin child care costs soar, but thousands miss out on state aid “If you’re eligible for a subsidy and there’s just no child care in your community, or no providers that accept subsidies, that’s going to make it a lot harder for you to actually participate in (Wisconsin) Shares,” Pilarz said. Read the full article …