LEXINGTON, Ky. — Dr. Madri Hall-Faul, assistant professor in the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW), has been accepted into the 2026 National Research Center on Poverty and Economic Mobility Early-Career Mentoring Institute at the UC Davis Center for Poverty & Inequality Research (CPIR)— a prestigious program designed to support emerging scholars committed to addressing poverty and social inequity through innovative research.
Chosen from a record number of applicants nationwide, Hall-Faul’s selection recognizes her growing influence as a scholar focused on social welfare policy, human rights, and refugee resettlement. Her research explores how policy implementation and administrative decision-making affect the economic and social rights of families experiencing poverty. She is particularly interested in how individuals with lived experience in social welfare systems can participate in shaping and improving those policies.
“My research on policy implementation through decision-making, regulation, and participation recognizes a gap in social work research and practice” Hall-Faul said. “The Early Career Mentoring Institute will provide me with an opportunity to turn this work into actionable, policy-relevant research that impacts the human services social workers interact with daily.”
Hall-Faul will also present during the 2025 Council on Social Work Education Annual Conference, “Rethinking Policy Practice in Social Work Education—Gaps in Policy Implementation,” in Denver on Saturday, October 25 at 12:30 p.m. MT. Her session will examine how social work education can evolve to better prepare practitioners to engage in the complexities of policy enactment and reform.
A dedicated educator, Hall-Faul teaches courses on social policy and research at UK CoSW, guiding students to connect theoretical knowledge with applied community impact. Her scholarly contributions span topics such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) implementation, social work’s involvement in the federal rulemaking process, models of refugee resettlement, and anti-racism in social work education, —demonstrating her commitment to advancing social work’s role in promoting human rights.
Her publications include:
- Serving state budgets instead of families: A case study of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) spending and human rights in Connecticut. Families in Society.
- Community sponsorship of refugees and asylum seekers: Why social work should care. Advances in Social Work. Advances in Social Work (In Press).
- Distortion, Distraction, and Disservice: A Critical Response to the Backlash Against Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Social Work Education. Journal of Teaching in Social Work.
Hall-Faul’s recognition is a testament to her dedication, scholarly achievements and the University of Kentucky’s broader commitment to research that strengthens our communities.
