The Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has an extensive cross-disciplinary research program. The school serves students with interests in social work and criminal justice.
Research conducted by faculty often involves multidisciplinary collaboration through partnerships with researchers on campus and nationwide. The Department of Social Work includes 11 faculty and eight clinical faculty members. The Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology includes seven faculty. Doctoral students are vital contributors to research.
Extramural funding at the school was $15 million for the 2024-2025 academic year; the school brings in the most research dollars among professional schools at UW-Milwaukee. All faculty have access to the Office of Research Administration. ORA assists faculty with applying for and managing sponsored funding. This administrative infrastructure supports faculty in their pursuit of interdisciplinary, scientifically rigorous social and behavioral research.
Active Funded Projects
| Investigators | Project Title | Funding Agency | Project Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colleen Galambos (PI) Caitlyn Bowman (Co-I) Jennifer Kahn Pettigrew (Co-I) | Helen Bader Age and Community Internships | Aug. 6, 2025 to Aug. 6, 2027 | |
| Colleen Galambos (PI) Matthew Friedel (Co-I) Colleen Janczewski (Co-I) | Practical Applications of AI and Technology in Health and Social Services | Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute Pioneer Collaborative Curricula | Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2026 |
| Jane Hereth (Co-I) Gina Fedock (PI) | The Impact of Collateral Consequences on Help-seeking and Help-attainment for Behavioral Health Needs for Women with Criminal Records | 2023 to 2025 | |
| Jane Hereth (Co-I) Ryan Shorey (PI) | A Mixed-method Study on Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults’ Alcohol Use | 2023 to 2025 | |
| Melinda S. Kavanaugh (Academic Partner/Study Evaluator) The United Community Center (PI) | The Latino Dementia Health Regional Consortium | Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2026 | |
| Melinda S. Kavanaugh (PI) | YCare: Supporting Young Caregivers in ALS Families | Jan 1, 2025 to Dec 31, 2025 | |
| Melinda S. Kavanaugh (PI) | Identifying Young Carers in Military Connected and Veteran Communities | Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2025 | |
| Yura Lee (PI) Zhi Zheng (Biomedical and Electrical Engineering) and Ellias Granadillo (Neurology) (Co-Is) | Going Home: Reminiscence Intervention for Asian Immigrants with Dementia | Nov. 1, 2024 to Oct. 30, 2027 | |
| Yura Lee (Co-I) Priya Nambisan (PI) (Public Health) | Self-Care, Healing and Social Support for Dementia Patients and Their Caregivers | Feb. 17, 2025 to Feb. 16, 2026 | |
| Joshua Mersky (PI) | Hope and Healing for Children Who Experience Family Violence | Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2027 | |
| Joshua Mersky (PI) | MIECHV Coordinated State Evaluation of Family Engagement | Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2026 | |
| Joshua Mersky (Principal Site Investigator) | Family Resource Centers: A Universal Primary Prevention Strategy to Promote Health Equity | , and . | July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2026 |
| Joshua Mersky (PI) | Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant Program | Sept. 30, 2023 to Sept. 29, 2025 | |
| Andrew Steward (PI) Yura Lee (Co-I) | A Feasibility and Quasi-Experimental Study of the “Aging Together” Peer Support Program | Jan. 15, 2024 to Jan. 14, 2026 |