EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 12/1/2025
Research Methods Workshops (RMW)
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 8 am – 12 pm, EST
- RMW-1: AI in Action: Leveraging Agents, Mastering Prompt Engineering, and Securing Grants for Breakthrough Impact
- RMW-2: Transformational Skills for Healthy, Sustainable Writing Productivity
- RMW-3: Spatial Data Science: Visualizing and Analyzing Community Needs
- RMW-4: Demystifying Implementation Science: Strategies for Real-World Research and Intervention Impact
Special Sessions on Research Priorities and Capacity Building (SSRPCB)
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 8 am – 10 am, EST
- SSRPCB-1: Nuts and Bolts of Art-Based Research, Education, & Practice
- SSRPCB-2: How Researchers Can Move the Needle for Policy Change
- SSRPCB-3: Expanding Impact: How Researchers Can Leverage Their Expertise in Public and Private Sector Roles
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, EST
- SSRPCB-4: The Good, the Challenging, and the Discouraging Aspects of the K Series: Navigating NIH K Career Awards in Social Work
- SSRPCB-5: Historical Research Methods for Advancing Antiracist and Anticolonialist Social Work Research
Research Methods Workshops
The Thursday plenary session and invited symposia are developed by the Vice President/Conference Chair. The Thursday morning workshop sessions are developed by the Vice President-elect. The SSWR Board of Directors and the Conference Committee provide input into developing all invited sessions.
RMW-1: AI in Action: Leveraging Agents, Mastering Prompt Engineering, and Securing Grants for Breakthrough Impact
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 8 am – 12 pm, EST
Presenters: Hee Yun Lee, PhD, University of Georgia; Ruopeng An, PhD, New York University; Jiaqi “Jackey” Gong, PhD, University of Alabama
Description: This hands-on, code-free workshop equips participants with practical tools to harness AI for transformative social work research and practice. Through interactive sessions led by experts, attendees will gain a shared AI vocabulary, build a no-code agent, master prompt engineering techniques, and explore funding pathways for AI-driven projects. Whether you’re new to AI or looking to deepen your engagement, this workshop offers actionable insights and resources to help you lead innovation in your field.
What You’ll Learn:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Distinguish between AI, generative AI, rule-based systems, and machine learning.
- Build and deploy a no-code AI agent for tasks like document analysis and client simulation.
- Apply prompt engineering to generate research questions and guide literature reviews.
- Utilize AI to support theory building and the development of conceptual frameworks.
- Identify funding opportunities and strategic roles for social work scholars in interdisciplinary AI projects.
- Create a one-page resource list of AI project ideas and funding pathways.
How You’ll Learn:
- Live demonstrations of AI agents and applications.
- Interactive prompt engineering exercises tailored to social work.
- Expert-led discussions on funding strategies and institutional resources.
Who Should Attend:
Faculty, researchers, and students at all levels. No programming or AI experience required.
RMW-2: Transformational Skills for Healthy, Sustainable Writing Productivity
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 8 am – 12 pm, EST
Presenter: Rich Furman, PhD, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, Tacoma. Writing, career and life coach for scholars and academic leaders
Description: This dynamic workshop offers a practical and empowering approach to academic writing. Participants will learn a constellation of interlocking tools designed to foster healthy, sustainable, and productive writing habits. Through a combination of lectures and experiential learning, attendees will explore how to overcome psychological barriers, enhance mental well-being, and structure writing for greater depth and efficiency. Whether you’re writing empirical research, theoretical formulations, or policy articles, this workshop will help you build a system that supports long-term productivity and clarity.
What You’ll Learn:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Construct healthy and sustainable writing sessions.
- Develop a system that deconstructs academic writing functions to enhance depth and efficiency.
- Overcome psychological barriers to writing.
- Improve well-being and mental health through writing practices.
- Understand and apply structural frameworks in academic writing.
- Structure non-empirical articles such as practice wisdom, theoretical, and policy pieces.
How You’ll Learn:
- Engaging lectures that break down writing systems and structures.
- Experiential learning activities to apply tools in real time.
Who Should Attend:
This workshop is designed for scholars at all career stages—from doctoral students to full professors. No prior training is required.
RMW-3: Spatial Data Science: Visualizing and Analyzing Community Needs
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 8 am -12 pm, EST
Presenters: Woojin Jung, PhD, MSW, MPP, Assistant Professor, Rutgers University; Andrew. H. Kim, MSW, LCSW, LCADC, PhD candidate, Rutgers University; Vatsal Shah, B.S., School of Social Work, Rutgers University
Description: Designing effective, localized interventions requires timely and granular data, yet such data is often unavailable or unreliable. This interactive workshop introduces practical spatial data science techniques to help social work researchers and practitioners visualize and analyze community needs. Participants will learn how to collect crowd-sourced spatial data, engineer features like proximity to services, and integrate these insights with existing datasets to identify service gaps and support policy decisions.
What You’ll Learn:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand the role of spatial data and feature engineering in social work.
- Engineer features such as distances to services and service density metrics.
- Merge spatial data with demographic and socioeconomic datasets.
- Create visualizations (e.g., heatmaps) to highlight community needs.
- Apply spatial analysis to inform social work interventions and policy.
How You’ll Learn:
- Conceptual overview of spatial data science in social work and social science.
- Feature engineering and spatial joining exercises.
- Visualization techniques using QGIS and Python.
Who Should Attend:
Social work researchers with basic experience in statistical or qualitative analysis. Prior experience with geospatial analysis is helpful but not required.
RMW-4: Demystifying Implementation Science: Strategies for Real-World Research and Intervention Impact
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 8 am -12 pm, EST
Presenters: Deborah Moon, PhD, MA, LCSW, University of Pittsburgh; Byron Powell, PhD, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis; Leah Jacobs, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Description: Implementation science bridges the gap between research and practice, helping social work scholars and practitioners design interventions that work in real-world settings. This workshop introduces participants to the foundational concepts, frameworks, and tools of implementation science. Through interactive discussions and hands-on activities, attendees will learn how to apply implementation strategies to overcome challenges to research, evaluation, and impact in health services, human services, and legal systems.
What You’ll Learn:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand the benefits of implementation science in social work research.
- Apply key concepts and strategies to real-world challenges.
- Identify and select appropriate implementation science frameworks.
- Recognize common study designs and methods used in implementation research.
- Use practical tools and workshop ideas to integrate implementation science into their own projects.
How You’ll Learn:
- Short, focused didactic segments to break down key concepts.
- Small and large group discussions using real-world examples.
- Guided reflection and application of strategies to participants’ own work.
Who Should Attend:
Social work researchers, faculty, doctoral students, and practitioner-scholars who are new to implementation science. No prior experience or technical background required—just curiosity and a desire to bridge research and practice.
Special Sessions on Research Priorities and Capacity Building
These training-oriented sessions target cutting-edge topics vital to contemporary social work research. Enroll early for these important opportunities to engage with national experts, funding institutions, and research colleagues.
SSRPCB-1: Nuts and Bolts of Art-Based Research, Education, & Practice
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 8 am – 10 am, EST
Presenter: Rogério Pinto, PhD, University of Michigan
Description: This interactive workshop explores how art practices—such as illustration, photography, poetry, music, and performance—can be powerful tools in social work research, education, and practice. Art-based methods help surface untold narratives, amplify the voices of marginalized individuals, and enhance the dissemination of research findings. Participants will learn how these creative approaches can improve outcomes for minoritized communities, foster civic engagement, and support behavioral and mental health interventions.
What You’ll Learn:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Apply various art forms in data collection, interpretation, and dissemination.
- Design and conduct research using artistic methods.
- Integrate art into behavioral and social interventions.
- Understand and reference empirical literature supporting art-based approaches.
- Use theoretical frameworks to guide art-based research, teaching, and practice.
- Collaborate with artists and community members to enhance research impact.
How You’ll Learn:
- Engaging presentations featuring published examples, videos, and images.
- Group discussions and Q&A sessions.
- Hands-on activities to develop your own art-based research project.
Who Should Attend:
This workshop is open to all social workers—no artistic background required. Whether you’re new to art-based research or looking to deepen your practice, this session offers a supportive space to build skills and connect with others. Collaboration with artists and communities will be emphasized as a way to make research more accessible and impactful.
SSRPCB-2: How Researchers Can Move the Needle for Policy Change
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 8:00 am – 10:00 am, EST
Presenters: Rebekah Gewirtz, LICSW, Executive Director, NASW, Massachusetts and Rhode Island Chapters
Description: This interactive workshop explores the critical role of social work research in shaping state-level policy advocacy campaigns. Participants will learn how research can influence legislation and be transformed into compelling talking points that drive action on urgent social issues. Through real-world examples and collaborative discussion, attendees will gain insight into how researchers can partner with advocates to build effective, evidence-informed campaigns.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of the workshop, participants will:
- Understand how research informs public policy and advocacy at the state level
- Learn strategies to translate research into persuasive messaging for legislators
- Explore successful case studies where research directly impacted policy outcomes
- Identify ways to connect their own research to ongoing legislative efforts
How You’ll Learn
- Engaging oral presentation
- Real-world examples of research-driven legislative campaigns
- Interactive discussion to connect participants’ research with advocacy opportunities
Who Should Attend
Social work researchers interested in policy impact. No prior experience in advocacy or policy work is required.
SSRPCB-3: Expanding Impact: How Researchers Can Leverage Their Expertise in Public and Private Sector Roles
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 8:00 am – 10:00 am, EST
Presenters: Marylou Sudders, LICSW, Former Secretary of Health and Human Services of the State of Massachusetts. Joy Rosen, MA, Former Vice President of Behavioral Health at the Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital.
Description: This workshop features seasoned public health experts sharing insights on how social work and public health researchers can successfully transition into impactful roles in government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private sector settings. Participants will learn how to translate academic expertise into actionable skills that meet the needs of policy, program, and innovation-driven environments. Through candid discussion and practical advice, attendees will explore pathways to broaden their career horizons beyond academia.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of the workshop, participants will:
- Understand how research skills apply to public and private sector roles
- Learn strategies for networking, positioning, and communicating value outside academia
- Gain insight into hiring practices and expectations in government and industry settings
- Explore examples of successful transitions from research to applied policy and program work
How You’ll Learn
- Oral presentation and engaged discussion
- Real-world examples of career pivots and sector transitions
- Interactive discussion to help participants identify transferable skills and career goals
Who Should Attend
Social work researchers at all career stages. No prior experience in non-academic sectors is required.
SSRPCB-4: The Good, the Challenging, and the Discouraging Aspects of the K Series: Navigating NIH K Career Awards in Social Work
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, EST
Presenters: Carolina Vélez-Grau, PhD, LCSW, Boston College School of Social Work; Liwei Zhang, PhD, University of Georgia School of Social Work; Genevieve Graaf, PhD, University of Texas Arlington School of Social Work; Meghan Romanelli, PhD, LCSW, University of Washington School of Social Work; Fernanda Cross, PhD, University of Michigan School of Social Work
Description: The NIH Mentored Research Scientist Development Awards (K series) offer a powerful launchpad for early-career researchers—but the journey is rarely linear. This interactive workshop explores the opportunities, challenges, and systemic hurdles of pursuing a K01 or K23 award. Participants will hear directly from social work scholars who have navigated the K path across institutes like NICHD, NIMHD, and NIMH. Through real-world examples and honest discussion, attendees will gain practical strategies for developing competitive proposals, building strong mentoring teams, and aligning career goals with NIH expectations in today’s funding climate.
What You’ll Learn:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand the structure, purpose, and eligibility criteria of NIH K awards.
- Develop effective mentoring plans and identify strong mentorship teams.
- Recognize common pitfalls and learn strategies to avoid them.
- Navigate shifting NIH priorities and review climates.
- Tailor proposals to reflect social work values, equity-driven research, and sensitive topics.
How You’ll Learn:
- Real-world examples of successful and unsuccessful K01/K23 applications.
- Small-group brainstorming to apply lessons to your own proposal.
- Honest Q&A with current and past awardees sharing lessons learned.
Who Should Attend:
PhD students, postdocs, and early-career faculty in social work considering NIH K01 or K23 applications. No prior NIH grant-writing experience required.
SSRPCB-5: Historical Research Methods for Advancing Antiracist and Anticolonialist Social Work Research
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 10:15 am-12:15 pm, EST
Presenters: Justin S. Harty, PhD, Arizona State University; Jane McPherson, PhD, University of Georgia; Bethany Jo Murray, PhD Candidate, University of California Los Angeles; Jerome Schiele, DSW, Morgan State University; Jessica Toft, PhD, University of Minnesota
Description: This two-hour workshop enhances researchers’ capacity to employ historical methods in addressing complex social problems and informing practice and policy. Aligned with SSWR’s 2024–2028 strategic objective to strengthen research capacity, the session introduces archival research, oral histories, and historiography as tools to deepen the rigor of social work scholarship. Participants will explore how historical inquiry uncovers structural inequities and supports antiracist and anticolonialist interventions.
The workshop will also address ethical standards, evidence criteria, and the challenges posed by political climates and executive orders that may restrict inclusive historical research. Through interactive activities and discussion, participants will learn to integrate historical insights into quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research, with a focus on centering underrepresented voices and dismantling oppressive structures.
What You’ll Learn:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to
- Identify and apply historical methods (archival analysis, oral histories, historiography) to enhance methodological rigor.
- Recognize ethical, antiracist, and anticolonialist considerations in historical research.
- Develop strategies for building institutional supports (e.g., archives access, mentorship, cross-disciplinary partnerships).
- Apply historical perspectives to inform evidence-based interventions and policy reforms.
How You’ll Learn:
- Guided discussions and interactive activities.
- Real-world examples of historical research in social work.
- Application of historical analysis to contemporary research questions.
Who Should Attend:
Social work doctoral students, faculty, mentors, and researchers at all career stages who are:
- Historically engaged (conducting dedicated historical research),
- Historically informed (integrating historical insights into other methodologies), or
- Historically curious (exploring entry points for using history in their work).