DSW Faculty Research Areas

Natasha Ariyoshi, MSW, LCSW, CSAC – Recidivism in Hawaii and the intersection with ethnicity, gender and cycles of abuse and trauma; Narcissism and impacts on relationships

Robin Arndt, MSW, LSW – Technology in practice and education, interprofessional education, lifelong learning and professional development/competency, values, ethics, & reflective practice, and leadership

Clifford Bersamira, AM, PhD – Addiction/Behavioral Health Policies and Service Delivery, Addiction/Behavioral Health Services and Healthcare Reform, Recovery Support Services and Mutual Aid, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian Behavioral Health Disparities, Behavioral Health Systems and Services Integration

Kathryn Braun, MPH, DrPH – Social behavioral health sciences, gerontology, indigenous health, minority health, health promotion and disease prevention, community-based and translational research, mixed methods, active aging

Rachel Burrage, MSW, PhD – Indigenous well-being, Culture and mental health, Historical and collective trauma, Individual and community resilience

Joonyoung Cho, PhD, MSW, MPH – Aging in place, Social relations, Productive aging

Aimee Chung, MSW – Trauma Informed Care, Wellness, Well-being, & Culturally-Grounded Self-Care, Child Abuse Prevention, Interpersonal Violence, Issues facing oppressed, marginalized, and differently-abled populations, Interprofessional Social Work, Field Education

Mike DeMattos, MSW – Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) treatment, Racial logics and racialization processes, Decolonizing academic spaces, Curriculum and training development

Meripa Godinet, MSW, PhD – Juvenile delinquency prevention, Social and adjustment issues of Pacific Islander adolescents, Multi-culture and cross-culture issues

Jing Guo, MA, PhD – Comparative family policy, Work, family and Gender, Migration and child education, Asian Americans, Immigrants and child welfare, Social policy and social services in China

J.C. Hodges, PhD, LCSW - Mental health and psychosocial impacts of climate change and climate displacement

Seunghye Hong, MA (MSW equi.), PhD – Neighborhood Contexts, Immigration, Mental Health, Community-Based Practice, Research Methodology

Miquela Ibrao, PhD, MSW, MPH – Indigenous Health & Wellness, Indigenous Methodologies & Knowledge Systems, Aging, Community-Based Participatory Research, Social Determinants of Health

Francie Julien-Chinn, MSW, PhD – Organizational and workforce issues in child welfare, Child welfare outcomes including: permanency; well-being; kinship; and foster care.

Jennifer Kishida, MEd – Higher education administration, History of education

Theresa Kreif, MSW, LSW – Micronesian health & wellbeing, Pacific connected workforce development, University/Community Partnerships, Integration of traditional Native Hawaiian and Micronesia connected health and wellness practices, Administration

Sophia Lau, MSW, PhD – Socio-Cultural Determinants of Health, Healthcare Disparities Including in Health Behaviors and Health Service Utilization, Mental Health Literacy, Help-Seeking Patterns.

Yeonjung (Jane) Lee, MA (MSW equi.), PhD – Health equity, Social justice/racial justice, Aging, Diversity

Wendy Lum, MSW – Workforce Development, Interprofessional Education, Field Education, Immigrant Rights and Refugee Rights, Equity and Social Welfare, International/Global Social Work, Food Insecurity/Student Basic Needs

Azure Lwin-Maluo, MSW – Child Welfare, Field Education/Experiential Learning, Organizational Culture & Change, Leadership, Indigenous Education,  Reconciliation & Decolonization

Sarah Momilani Marshall, PhD, LSW – Substance use prevention among NHPI youth, Social, behavioral, and cultural determinants of health among NHPI populations, Indigenous CBPR methodologies that promote the decolonization of social work research

Mihoko Maru, PhD, MSW, MA - Trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress, Serious mental illness and suicidality among youth and young adults, Mental health disparities, Global mental health, Family systems, Community-based research, Intervention research and program evaluation, Mixed methods

Michael McGee, MSW, LCSW, CSAC – Severe Mental Illness, Substance Use Disorders, Homelessness, Clinical Social Work, Adolescent and Transition Aged Youth
Social Work Policy and History, Professional Development and Mentorship

Shelley Muneoka, MSW – intergenerational wellness, aging and later life, kānaka maoli population

David A. Nisthal, MSW – Liberation and resistance movements, Healing justice and holistic self-care, Men’s healing work, Sexual violence prevention

Danielle R. Phillips, Ph.D., LSW – Health outcomes, Young and emerging adults, Gender and Sexuality, Sexual reproductive justice and health, LGBTQIA2S+ folx
Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) folx, Youth experiencing homelessness, Mental health and overall well-being, Intersectionality Theory Strengths-Based Perspective, Mixed Methodologies, Participatory action research methodologies

Cameron W. Rasmussen, PhD, MSW –  Accountability and violence, Restorative and transformative justice, Abolition and social work, Prison abolition, Decarceration, Community-based research

Rebecca Stotzer, MSW, PhD – Hate Crimes, Violence, Sexuality and Gender Identity, Prejudice and Stereotypes, Oppression and Discrimination, Intergroup Conflict