Associate Professor James Martin Lectures in Germany and at The University of Massachusetts

In December, Associate Professor James Martin presented a two-day workshop on "Clinical Social Work Practice: Conceptual Foundation and Basic Skills" at RheinMain University, in Wiesbaden, Germany. The workshop -- attended by students in the BSW program -- consisted of material taught in the NYU Silver School of Social Work course Social Work Practice I. It included both lecture and extensive role-playing having to do with basic clinical practice skills.

"While BSW students at RheinMain University have rigorous education on theories, policies, and research methods, their education about clinical practice skills is less intensive than what our students have at the Silver School," said Martin. His workshop served to enhance the education of the German students, as well as to give their program ideas on how to better prepare students for practice.

In February, Martin presented a clinical psychology colloquium at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) on "The Impact of Historical Time on Research with LGBT Populations." His talk was part of a faculty and student development series funded by a grant from the American Psychological Association's Commission on Ethnic Minority Recruitment, Retention, and Training in Psychology.

In order to explain and illustrate the impact of historical time on social research, the presentation examined how constructions of LGBT identities and life courses changed dramatically over the course of the 20th century. Faculty in the University's clinical division and students across psychology divisions at UMass made up the colloquium audience. Said Martin, "Attendees noted that the example of LGBT populations helped them to better understand the importance of historically contextualizing research on all populations."