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Welcome and Welcome Back to SSW!
We’re So Glad You’re Here!
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How We Spent Our Summer: SSW Behind the Scenes
From research and study abroad trips to family time, travel adventures, and well-deserved relaxation, our faculty and staff made the most of summer. Take a look at some of the moments that recharged and inspired us—and helped gear us up for an exciting new academic year.
| | Professor Amy Hammock with her family on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. | | Faculty and staff, including Laura Coiro, Robin DeLuca-Acconi, Christine Corrado, Richard Helling, and Suzanne Velazquez, enjoyed some sun, fun, and connection during a summer visit to Fire Island. | | Jennifer Davidson embraced the rhythm of summer while participating in a community drum circle on the East End of Long Island—complete with some joyful hula hooping. | One of her happy places! Robin DeLuca- Acconi enjoys Fire Island with her husband. | Shelley Horwitz, walking the Walls of Dubrovnik, soaking in the history and beauty. | Professor Anna Hayward cultivated a bountiful vegetable garden! | | Xicheng Zhou got married in Disney World. | Professor Kristen Brock-Petroshius learned to fish! She is still working on catching something big enough to take home for dinner! | Richard Helling and his husband spent time in Santa Fe, New Mexico, enjoying the beautiful desert scenery, rich cultural experiences, hiking with archeologists, and amazing food. Their trip included a visit to Pecos National Historical Park. | Minos Kritikos enjoys cooking on the grill and sharing a day with family. | | |
What did you read, watch, or listen to this summer that inspired you?
Let us know, and we’ll feature your picks in next week’s edition!
Email: Jennifer.d.Davidson@stonybrook.edu
| | | Who and What is New at SSW! | | |
Gloria Abura-Meerdink, PhD, MSW, MSc, assistant professor, brings deep expertise in child and adolescent mental health, with a focus on addressing mental health disparities in low-resource, humanitarian, and post-conflict settings around the world.
Her research is grounded in the Social Determinants of Health framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and she uses community-engaged methods, implementation science, and user-centered design to develop culturally and contextually relevant interventions. Dr. Abura-Meerdink, is passionate about improving access to effective, age-appropriate mental health care globally.
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Meredith Slopen, PhD, MSSW, assistant professor, works at the intersection of labor policy and health, drawing on interdisciplinary methods from social work, public health, and economics to explore the workplace as a site of intervention to reduce inequality.
Her current projects focus on policy responses to reduce inequality at critical junctures during a time of labor force transition.
Dr. Slopen previously worked as a research scientist at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, focusing on evaluation, maternal health, and health policy.
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Gretchen Ely, PhD, MSW, professor and director of the PhD Program, is
a nationally recognized scholar in reproductive and sexual health care access.
Dr. Ely has published more than 65 peer-reviewed articles, with research focusing on trauma-informed care, rural health disparities, and regressive health policy.
She has secured competitive funding and mentored students across disciplines, consistently advancing opportunities for PhD students to thrive as researchers and educators.
| | | Haotian Zheng, PhD (’25), MSW, MA, assistant professor, studies how social policy can strengthen households’ financial and social well-being through financial capability and asset-building programs. | | | |
Meet Minos Kritikos, PhD:
SSW’s New Grants Manager
What are you most excited about in your new role here?
I’m most excited about supporting the incredible research being done at SSW and helping our faculty and students turn their ideas into successful, impactful projects. It’s rewarding to be in a role where I can help people bring their vision to life.
What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know?
I’m originally from Cyprus, where I grew up in a large Greek family under the Mediterranean sun. I love to cook for family and friends. I’m an avid guitar player who plays blues and rock and goes to lots of concerts. I also do a lot of sim-racing and autocross, and follow motorsports. Ask me about my Mustang or my guitars.
Do you have a personal motto or philosophy that you follow?
I believe that real success is built together - through shared vision, hard work, courage, mutual trust, and support. That collaborative spirit is something I carry into every role.
What do you hope to bring to this role?
I hope to bring a mix of technical expertise and collaborative energy. My goal is to make the grants process smoother and less stressful, so our faculty can focus on the research and community impact they care about most.
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A Garden for Everyone:
A Welcoming Oasis at SSW
When you enter the main entrance of the School of Social Welfare on the Stony Brook campus, don’t forget to look to your right—you’ll notice a hidden gem: a peaceful garden oasis. Step outside through the nearby door or simply take in the view through the large glass windows. This is a garden for everyone, a welcoming oasis at SSW. Created and lovingly maintained by SSW staff member Richard Helling, the garden is a space meant to be shared and enjoyed by all. Each plant has a story, and many of them come directly from Richard’s own home garden, brought here to grow, thrive, and inspire a sense of calm and connection.
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LISTEN UP! Faculty Insight on Social Work in Libraries | |
Clinical associate professor
Leah Topek-Walker, DSW, was interviewed along with Silas Kelly, LMSW, about library social work and the book they both penned chapters for, 101 Things To Do With a Social Work Degree, for WUSB 90.1 FM's show "Play It Forward" last month! During the interview, they spoke with host Allison Van Cott McEntee about their contributions to the book and the chapter they co-authored, highlighting their perspectives on
the evolving role of social work in library settings.
Click the link to listen to the full episode.
| | | | Attention: Advanced Standing and Returning MSW Students Planning to Graduate by the End of Fall 2026 | | |
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
~ Dalai Lama
| | Editor: Jennifer Davidson | Contributing Editor: Andrew Capitelli | Graphic Design: Andrea Trezza | | Stony Brook University/SUNY is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer. | | Stay Informed. FOLLOW US on Social Media! | | | | |
