Edward F. Lawlor, the William E. Gordon Distinguished Professor and Dean Emeritus at the Brown School, has been named a Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (AASWSW), the nation’s leading honorific society of distinguished social work and social welfare scholars and practitioners.
“It is wonderful to be joining many Brown School colleagues in the Academy. The organization is important for promoting the profession, its research mission, and its impact on policy and practice,” Lawlor said.
An expert in health-care policy for aging populations, Lawlor, who served as dean of the Brown School from 2004 to 2016, is one of eight new Fellows in the Academy’s Class of 2024. Notable achievements during his tenure as dean include the creation of public health and social policy programs, the construction of Hillman Hall, and the significant expansion of faculty and research capabilities. Currently, Lawlor is writing a book on distressed older industrial cities as well as a blog on social policy.
Lawlor joins more than 200 other Academy Fellows whose leadership in research, practice, and policy contributes substantially to addressing society’s most pressing problems. Newly elected Fellows were inducted into the Academy during a ceremony on Jan. 13 at the Society for Social Work and Research’s annual conference in Washington D.C.
Lawlor’s induction further enhances the Brown School’s reputation, adding to the list of current Brown School faculty members and alumni who received this esteemed honor. Established in 2010, the Academy endeavors to promote and celebrate exceptional research, scholarship, and practice that advance a sustainable, equitable and just future.