School of Social Work Faculty Engagement at AERA 2026

Faculty from the School of Social Work were actively engaged at this year’s American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, contributing to and learning from critical conversations at the intersection of education, equity, and community impact.

Dr. Marline Francois-Madden participated in a session hosted by Morgan State University’s NCEED, “Creating Safe Spaces for Neurodivergent Students on HBCU Campuses,” which highlighted outcomes from the Bear PALS program and offered valuable insights into fostering more inclusive campus environments. Throughout the conference, Dr. Francois-Madden attended sessions closely aligned with her scholarly work, including Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) with Black girls, culturally grounded approaches to giftedness among Black women educators, and discussions on misogynoir and violence in educational spaces. She also engaged in mentoring roundtables for Scholars of Color and connected with editors from leading journals, including the Journal on African American Women and Girls in Education (JAAWGE), the Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Education, and Teachers College Record.

Dr. Miguel Rodriguez participated in a range of sessions that underscored the School’s commitment to community-engaged research and policy impact. He attended a featured session with Chuck D of Public Enemy and secured a signed copy of his book for the Center for Urban Violence and Crime Reduction. He also joined a community tour with Los Angeles-based partners working to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline and advance police-free schools, reconnecting with long-standing collaborators such as Californians for Justice, Community Coalition, and InnerCity Struggle. In addition, Dr. Rodriguez participated in discussions with funders from the Spencer Foundation and the William T. Grant Foundation, gaining insight into emerging funding priorities and opportunities.

Across sessions focused on suicide prevention, restorative justice, and statewide student empowerment initiatives, faculty engagement at AERA 2026 strengthened opportunities for collaboration, informed future funding strategies, and elevated the School’s visibility across academic and community-based spaces. For more photos of this exciting conference, click here