Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis

Supporting data equity in the social sector

Roger — Mon, 18 May 2026 19:40:53 +0000

A new paper published in the Harvard Data Science Review outlines complementary models for rethinking how data is used in the social sector, emphasizing that technical expertise alone is not enough to ensure fair and effective outcomes. The paper, “Learning Models and Modalities to Build Data Equity Competencies,” argues that everyone is a data person, regardless of one’s role or title, and makes the case that centering community input, ethical decision-making and collaboration is essential for equitable and effective social sector data practice. Drawing on the work of Data for Social Impact (DSI) initiative at 17�Թ� and Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, the authors show how equity-focused, nontechnical training programs can help practitioners better understand how data practices impact...

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To address post-tornado concerns, 17�Թ� teams with community groups to study environmental impacts

Myra — Tue, 12 May 2026 17:49:41 +0000

As the city of St. Louis nears a year since a tornado changed the lives of many, a local university and community organizations are working to understand some of the environmental impacts of the twister. Washington University researchers are studying soil samples from neighborhoods in St. Louis’ tornado-impacted areas, searching for lead contamination that may have spread when the May 16 tornado dispersed building materials across yards and soil. “We have a lot of older buildings in the area. Before about 1980, lead was still used in paint. That was on the walls of buildings, interiors, et cetera. When you have a tornado come through and distribute all that building material, disperse it all over the soil, all over yards,...

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Faculty named to Research.com’s 2026 ‘World’s Best Scientists’ list

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 16:15:39 +0000

More than a dozen faculty members from the 17�Թ� have been named to Research.com’s “World’s Best Scientist 2026” rankings, an annual list compiled by the global academic platform. In the “Best Psychology Scientists 2026” category, honorees include Melissa Jonson-Reid, Ralph and Muriel Pumphrey Professor of Social Work and associate dean for educational programs; Nancy Morrow-Howell, Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy; and Paz Galupo, Audre Lorde Distinguished Professor of Sexual Health and Education. Faculty recognized in the “Best Social Sciences and Humanities Scientists 2026” category include: “The presence of our faculty across multiple categories speaks to the interdisciplinary strength of the Brown School,” said Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School...

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Student wins Skandalaris Center funding for youth civic engagement venture

admin — Thu, 07 May 2026 17:54:32 +0000

A 17�Թ� student has won funding to expand a youth civic engagement initiative aimed at increasing public understanding of policy issues and supporting emerging leaders. Ella Dennis, who is pursuing a master’s degree in social work, was awarded an Innovation Grant through the 17�Թ� Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship during the Spring 2026 Skandalaris Venture Competition (SVC) on April 15. Dennis was named an Innovator Funding winner for her startup, the Alliance for Civic Engagement (ACE). The student-centered policy program provides hands-on mentorship and publication opportunities to young policy thinkers while producing accessible, nonpartisan policy briefs to cultivate a more informed public. “Too often, policy conversations feel inaccessible to the very people most affected by them, including young people,” Dennis said....

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Brown School honors alumni, supporters with 2026 Awards of Distinction

admin — Mon, 04 May 2026 19:11:11 +0000

The 17�Թ� presented its 2026 Awards of Distinction on April 23, honoring alumni and supporters for their work advancing positive change in communities worldwide. The annual awards recognize individuals whose efforts reflect the school’s mission and commitment to improve lives globally. Hear their stories below. Emerging Leader Award Recipients Jenna Hampton Pomponi: MSW/MSP ’20 – Director of advocacy and federal programs, Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA) Jenna Hampton Pomponi is a Washington, D.C.,-based policy professional dedicated to improving affordable housing and community development programs. She currently leads government relations for the Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA), a network of state agencies that administer federal programs for affordable housing, economic development, disaster recovery, and more....

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Halvorsen named co-director of Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

admin — Mon, 04 May 2026 07:55:00 +0000

Cal J. Halvorsen, a gerontological social work scholar and associate professor at Washington University’s Brown School, will step into a new leadership role this summer as co-director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging. Beginning in July, Halvorsen will share leadership of the center with Brian Carpenter, a professor of psychological and brain in Arts & Sciences. He succeeds Nancy Morrow-Howell, the Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy at the Brown School, who is stepping back after more than a decade as co-director. Morrow-Howell will remain involved as a senior adviser. Halvorsen will also serve as assistant dean for faculty affairs at the Brown School beginning July 1. Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of...

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Chiang receives 2026 Community Impact Award

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 20:18:14 +0000

Mei-Hsi Chiang, assistant director of evaluation and dissemination at the Brown School Evaluation Center, has received the 2026 17�Թ� Community Impact Award. The award recognizes an employee who builds and sustains partnerships that benefit both 17�Թ� and the broader St. Louis community. Honorees are nominated by colleagues and selected by a universitywide committee. Recipients receive a personalized, engraved award. “I’m deeply grateful and honored to receive this award,” Chiang said. “It reflects the collaborative work I’ve been fortunate to do with community partners across St. Louis. Their commitment to equitable outcomes for individuals and communities they serve is what makes this impact possible.” Chiang earned her Master of Social Work from the Brown School in 2016. She joined the Evaluation Center...

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Sarah Harding named 2026 Brown School student marshal

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:03:00 +0000

Sarah Harding has been selected as the 2026 student marshal for the Brown School’s recognition ceremony, an honor that will place her at the front of the Class of 2026 on Wednesday, May 13. As student marshal, Harding will carry the school banner and lead fellow degree candidates into the ceremony at 17�Թ�’s Athletic Complex Field House on the Danforth Campus. Marshals are chosen through faculty and peer nominations that recognize academic achievement, practicum engagement, and contributions to the school community. Harding will earn a master’s degree in social work with a concentration in children, youth, and family. Raised primarily in Southern Illinois, Harding said she was drawn to the Brown School after hearing strong recommendations from alumni who spoke...

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Liz Smith named Brown School student speaker

admin — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:31:00 +0000

Liz Smith will serve as the student speaker at the Brown School’s recognition ceremony on May 13, marking the completion of her master’s degree in social work and a brief break before returning in the fall to begin her doctoral program. A Massachusetts native, Smith didn’t initially plan a career in social work. After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a conversation with her therapist helped reframe her interests. “My therapist at the time told me that what I described sounded more like social work than psychology. So, I began looking up social work programs,” she said. Smith learned about the Brown School through a friend in St. Louis. Soon after, things began to align. She applied for positions in the area and was flown...

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Brown School student recognized for harm reduction practicum work

admin — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:37:55 +0000

As she prepares to graduate soon with a master’s degree in social work from 17�Թ�, Isla Frazier says her practicum experience in a hospital-based harm reduction program has helped her translate research into clinical practice. Frazier was recently named the 2026 recipient of the Tasch-Kopolow Scholarship from PreventEd, an honor recognizing her commitment to achieving excellence in a professional career serving the substance use field. During her Master of Social Work program, Frazier completed her first practicum at the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri. She is now finishing her second placement with the Injection Drug Use Bridge to Health Program at the 17�Թ� School of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases, a hospital-based harm reduction initiative...

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Naseh receives William H. Danforth St. Louis Confluence Award

Myra — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:01:22 +0000

By Diane Toroian Keaggy April 21, 2026 When newcomers to St. Louis succeed, the entire region succeeds, says Blake Hamilton, president of the International Institute of St. Louis. That’s why he agreed to join with Mitra Naseh, an assistant professor at the 17�Թ� and founding director of the school’s Forced Migration Initiative, in her quest to foster belonging among the region’s large Afghan population and to find ways to better connect refugees to the services they need to thrive. “This work also reminds us that welcoming is not a measure of individual effort alone. It is a measure of whether our region is prepared to unlock talent, recognize credentials, support families and create pathways to mobility,” Hamilton told attendees at the 2026...

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Morrow-Howell authors guide to promote age inclusivity in higher education

admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:36:15 +0000

Nancy Morrow-Howell, the Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy at the 17�Թ�, has authored a new guide aimed at helping colleges and universities communicate more effectively about age and aging. The guide, “Age Inclusivity in Higher Education Quick Start Guide,” was released by the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). It builds on tools developed by the National Center to Reframe Aging and the Age lnclusivity Domains of Higher Education model. The guide presents strategies to enhance more age-inclusive messages and languages on campuses with the aim to promote more positive attitudes about age and more productive learning and work environments for people of all ages. The Age lnclusivity Domains of Higher Education model identifies seven institutional areas to focus on to create an age-inclusive...

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Guaranteed income improved artists’ finances, innovation

Roger — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:53:47 +0000

A guaranteed income program for artists led to improvement in financial stability and reduced debt, but also improved their motivation and artistic output, finds a new study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. “Our main finding is that giving people cash not only helps them live a more secure life, it also provides a pathway toward personal, professional and artistic growth,” said Stephen Roll, an assistant professor and an expert on asset building and economic security. Roll is co-author of the paper “Empowering Artistic Labor: How Guaranteed Income Enhances Intrinsic Motivation and Fosters Human Flourishing,” published online in the journal World Development Perspectives. Roll and his co-authors examined data from the Creatives Rebuild New York (CRNY) Guaranteed Income...

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Marotta co-develops course to train pharmacy professionals for overdose prevention roles

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:44:37 +0000

Phillip Marotta, an assistant professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, has co-developed a course that prepares pharmacy professionals who are training to become community health workers in harm reduction, overdose prevention and substance use care. The course, “Integrated Community Approaches to Overdose Prevention and Substance Use Health,” was created by interdisciplinary team of faculty from the Missouri Pharmacy Association, the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis and the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy. Brown School alumna Emily Palm, who earned an MSW and MBA in 2024, also helped develop the course. The training provides evidence-based instruction on infectious disease prevention, medications for substance use disorders and strategies to address underlying factors...

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Clark-Fox Policy Institute event bridges research, community voices to advance refugee well-being in St. Louis

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:04:35 +0000

A new initiative designed to accelerate the translation of academic research into actionable policy drew a full crowd for its first event April 1 at Delmar DivINe. The session, hosted by the 17�Թ�’s Clark-Fox Policy Institute Senior Policy Fellows program, brought together scholars, practitioners, and community members for a meaningful conversation about the experiences and well-being of refugees in St. Louis. In his opening remarks, Jason Jabbari, assistant professor at the Brown School and Clark-Fox Policy Institute (CFPI) faculty director, underscored the institute’s commitment to move research more quickly into policy impact. He emphasized supporting scholars who work closely with communities and are committed to translating evidence into action. “We’re here not just to share ideas, but to...

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