The New Dean of the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago

Deborah Gorman-Smith has been named dean of the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago. She is the Emily Klein Gidwitz Professor of the School of Social Service Administration and has been serving as interim dean since July 2017.

Dr. Gorman-Smith first joined the faculty at the University of Chicago in 2012. In addition to teaching, she also serves as the principal investigator and director of the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention. The center is one of six national Centers of Excellence for Youth Violence Prevention funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is committed to studying and addressing the underlying causes of youth violence.

Throughout her career. Dr. Gorman-Smith has published extensively and received grants in numerous areas related to youth violence. She is a member of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and  current fellow and past president of the Society for Prevention ResearchDr. Gorman-Smith has served on other national and state committees including the Board of Scientific Counselors and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It is a great honor and privilege to lead this distinctive school, home to a multidisciplinary group of faculty committed to rigorous research and preparing the next generation of leaders to address society’s most pressing challenges. I look forward to partnering with faculty, staff and students to advance SSA’s vital contributions to social work and social welfare practice and policy,” Dr. Gorman-Smith said.

Dr. Gorman-Smith holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Northern Illinois University and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in clinical-development psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago.