Ph.D. in Social Work

Why did you choose graduate school at IUPUI?

IU School of Social Work (IUSSW), whose headquarter is located on the IUPUI campus, is a highly prestigious school in the whole country; it has a well-designed curriculum and vigorous and committed faculty members that produce meaningful and high-quality research. In addition, the School provides very generous assistantship and travel fellowships. All of the above are the reasons why I chose IUSSW. I can never be more satisfied with this choice. In fact, since the first day I stepped into the IUPUI campus, I have identified IUSSW and IUPUI as my academic hometown.

What has been your favorite academic accomplishment since you’ve been here?

Since I joined this program, I have achieved so many. But the most recent accomplishment that I feel proud of is that I have just earned my MSW with a 4.0 GPA within less than two years, while simultaneously working on my doctoral dissertation and presenting and publishing the preliminary findings of my dissertation research as a sole author. There are other academic accomplishments worth noting. I have been active in conducting research and disseminating my scholarly works through publications and presentations at national conferences with the support of several travel fellowships. Recognized for my scholarly pursuit, I received the Jerry Powers Esprit Award in 2013 –– an award given annually by the PhD faculty to the doctoral student who most exemplifies a spirit of inquiry.

Except for researching, I have taught at least 15 courses in four different subjects at the baccalaureate and graduate level at IUSSW since 2012, and I have truly enjoyed my role as a social work educator. Also, I have rich experience in teaching online courses, developing an online practice research seminar from scratch, and redesigning online practice evaluation courses. Likewise, recognized for my teaching works, I was honored with the Excellence in Teaching Recognition Award in 2014, an award given annually to PhD students who have demonstrated excellence as instructors in the BSW and/or MSW Program. Thanks for my teaching experience cultivated at IUPUI, I was invited to give a speech in 2016 about online teaching in a faculty development workshop, the “Teaching Excellence Series,” in the National Open University, Taipei, Taiwan.

What do you enjoy most about life in Indianapolis?

Indianapolis is a city of charm. It has distinct seasons and multifarious seasonal activities that my husband and I enjoy. In spring, we enjoy walking in downtown and on campus while appreciating amazingly beautiful flowers. The tranquil walk along the canal in summer always brings us the refreshing breeze and joyful moments. Picnics at Broad Ripple and watching the Indy 500 Festival Parade also remind us the fun of life. In fall, we usually visit the Indianapolis Museum of Art to enjoy the world-class art pieces and the pleasant park-view. The snowy Lily House in winter is breathtaking as well. In general, Indianapolis is definitely one of the most livable and unforgettable places around the world.

Please provide some details about your work/research as a graduate student and/or any activities you are involved in.

Built on my passion for the welfare of women, children, and families, my primary research interest centers around the work-family interface issues. My current focus is on caregivers’ work-family conflict and the structural solutions. Specifically, my dissertation addresses parents’ work-family conflict and gender equality. There are three research projects related to my dissertation: First of all, I have developed an integrated theoretical framework for parents’ work-family conflict. In addition, I have analyzed work-family policies across OECD countries and have created a new typology of policy regimes, and, finally, I have been conducting a systematic review of immigrants’ experiences of work-family conflict in the U.S. My research aims to reduce parents’ work-family conflict, promote gender equality, and enhance the well-being of families, organizations, and the society as a whole through developing a more transformative understanding of work-family interactions and macro-level interventions.

I also have other multiple collaborative research experiences. For instance, I have experience of collaborating with professors and colleagues to develop and validate the Generalist Practice Skills Inventory (GPSI) that measures social work students’ core generalist competencies as well as to examine factors affecting older adults’ civic engagement. These projects have led to multiple presentations at national conferences and the development of manuscripts.

In addition to conducting research, I am currently teaching one online MSW course. Meanwhile, I am partaking in the Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) Learning Community serial workshops organized by IUPUI Center for Teaching and Learning. In these workshops, I critically reflect and engage issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom to advance my competence in implementing culturally responsive pedagogy in my teaching. I am also a reviewer for an academic journal in the field of social work.

Beyond all of the above, due to my commitment to vulnerable populations, I keep engaging in volunteer opportunities in local community wherever that may be. I have served individuals and families experiencing homelessness and immigrant older adults during this past year. As a result, I was honored as the Volunteer of the Year by two large NPOs serving multiple counties.