Samira Ali, PhD, associate professor and director of SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW), will be Inducted into the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) Fellows during an Awards Presentations on Saturday, January 17, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

This distinction celebrates SSWR members who advance research addressing critical issues in social work practice and policy while fostering a diverse, equitable, and just society. Established in 1994, SSWR now includes more than 1,800 members representing over 200 universities and institutions worldwide.

Dr. Ali will receive her award at the SSWR annual conference, where GCSW faculty, staff, and students will present their scholarship through more than 20 symposia, poster sessions, roundtables, and special interest groups. She joins esteemed colleagues Quenette Walton and Robin Gearing—associate professor and professor, respectively—in attaining the prestigious rank of SSWR fellow.

A dedicated scholar-activist, Dr. Ali partners with communities and organizations to pursue justice-driven, public-impact research. Her work emphasizes community-led strategies to create sustainable systems and solutions. Her research portfolio includes community-based participatory research (CBPR), HIV prevention, and examining structural influences on health behaviors among youth and women in both global and local contexts. As Center Director for SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center, Dr. Ali leads one of four national centers addressing HIV/AIDS in the South, focusing on mental health, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and wellness.

Recently, Dr. Ali co-authored a paper titled “Implementation outcomes of trauma-informed organizational change among HIV service organizations in the Southern United States,” published in Social Science and Medicine – Mental Health. This work underscores the transformative potential of trauma-informed organizational change in HIV service settings.

Dr. Ali earned her PhD in Social Welfare from the University of Pennsylvania and her MSW from Columbia University. Learn more about Dr. Samira Ali and SUSTAIN.

At GCSW, we are proud to celebrate Dr. Ali’s achievement as we continue Charting Our Path to Excellence—advancing research, equity, and innovation in social work education and practice.