WASHINGTON, D.C. — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work’s (CoSW) research was on full display at the 2026 Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) 30th Annual Conference, taking place in Washington, D.C. from January 14-18th.
The SSWR Annual Conference offers a scientific program that reflects a broad range of research interests. This year’s theme was Leading for Transformative Change: Aligning Social Work Science with Policy and Practice. The CoSW featured a diverse lineup of talented students and faculty, delivering over 15 juried presentations.
“Attending conferences like SSWR allows me to disseminate my work to a national audience and to build relationships with potential collaborators who share my research interests. National conferences also offer the opportunity to discuss current issues related to social work and research with colleagues,” shared assistant professor Dr. Madri Hall-Faul. “These conversations underscored both the complexity of the topic and how much we still have to learn.”
Dr. Hall-Faul presented on several topics at SSWR, including one titled The Scope and Dimensions of Engagement with Human Rights: A Decade of Social Work Students, in collaboration with assistant professor Dr. Cherra Mathis and led by Ph.D. students Gilean Chikwati and Foysol Ahmed.
Topics for other faculty presentations spanned the protective effects of youth sport participation on adverse childhood experiences, barriers to seeking help for intimate partner violence among young mothers with a history of foster care, and language models and public comments in qualitative social work research, among many other topics.
Dr. Laneshia Conner, who had two presentations featured at this year’s conference, shared that connecting with like-minded colleagues and building new relationships is an important part of attending SSWR, as well as attending fellow colleagues’ presentations.
“I enjoy seeing my colleagues shine and share; presenting adds a sunshine to the speech and faces of those deeply committed to it, and it’s something I rarely get to see during the academic year. It is also a time to connect and bond with students,” Dr. Conner said.
From national awards to innovative wellness programming, the University of Kentucky College of Social Work continues to advance social work education through research, service and human-centered innovation. CoSW’s presence at SSWR 2026 reaffirms its mission to advance the human condition—always, in all ways.
For more information about the SSWR Annual Conference, please visit the SSWR website.
