Profs. Collins and Sprague Martinez Elected Vice President and Director-at-Large of SSWR

The Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) has elected two BU School of Social Work faculty members to top leadership positions: Professor Mary Collins, elected vice president, and Associate Professor Linda Sprague Martinez, elected director-at-large.

A non‐profit professional organization, SSWR supports researchers, faculty, professionals and students in social work and related fields.

Collins has been involved with SSWR for more than twenty years. She is co-chair of its cluster on work, family and family policy, and has served as a reviewer for outstanding dissertation and conference abstract awards, and mentor to early career faculty. In 2021, she became a fellow of SSWR in recognition of her contributions to the organization. 

“I am thrilled to be elected to serve a leadership position in an organization that has been instrumental in advancing the importance of rigorous social work research to address complex social problems. Research is a key tool in advancing social justice,” says Collins.

Her stated goals include “furthering SSWR initiatives that highlight research to achieve equity; strengthening dissemination of research to improve clinical, community, and policy practice; and expanding access for research opportunities for early career and the next generation of social work scholars.”

An internationally recognized expert on child welfare, Collins is a professor and chair of the department of social welfare policy at BUSSW, where she previously served as associate dean for academic affairs, director of the dual degree program in social work and theology, co-coordinator of the specialization in children, youth and families, and director of the doctoral program.

Sprague Martinez, elected director-at-large, says: “I am honored to be elected to the SSWR Board. As a dedicated member of SSWR since 2015, I have found like-minded colleagues who have since become valued collaborators and friends. At this time in my career, I am excited about the opportunity to give back to the organization through board service.” 

She is also “very much looking forward to co-chairing the Research Capacity Development Committee (RCDC) with Dr. Arati Maleku,” assistant professor at Ohio State University.

Sprague Martinez is an associate professor and chair of the macro department at BUSSW. Her work focuses on strategies for tackling health inequities and centers community-based participatory research and youth-led participatory action research.