Interim-Dean James Jaccard Elected to the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare

The American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (the Academy) has elected Interim-Dean, Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health Dr. James Jaccard as a Fellow of the Academy.

Dr. Jaccard is one of the foremost experts in decision making and attitude change, and was involved in the seminal work on the influential Theory of Reasoned Action. His research applies decision, attitude, and communication theory to the alleviation of social problems, particularly adolescent and young adult problem behaviors related to unintended pregnancy and substance use. Dr. Jaccard also has an extensive background in and is widely published on psychometrics, statistical methods, theory construction, and development of conceptual models.

Dr. Jaccard joins Silver School colleagues Dr. Deborah Padgett and Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, who is also Co-Director of the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health, as a member of the Academy. He and 14 other scholars and practitioners will be inducted into the elite body in January 2017 at the Society for Social Work Research conference in New Orleans.

Established in 2009, the Academy is an honorific society dedicated to achieving excellence in the field of social work and social welfare through high impact work that advances social good. Academy President Richard Barth, Dean of the University of Maryland School of Social Work, said, “The Fellows of the Academy are all strong leaders in integrating scientific methods and social work practice and policy and an enormous resource for the field. I am delighted that 15 more Fellows will be inducted as this will significantly strengthen the range and impact of our work to address the grand challenges facing our society.”