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When the war in Ukraine started and Canada welcomed some Ukrainian refugees – Dr. Raluca Bejan became interested in the difference in their reception vs. the recent refugee wave from Afghanistan. Dr. Bejan, School of Social Work, is an expert in migrant and refugee issues, and has recently released findings of a study looking at the inequalities of Canada’s reception of refugees from Ukraine versus Afghanistan.

As Manager of e-Learning, Terris Klaus oversees the SSW’s Bachelor’s of Social Work (BSW) and Master’s of Social Work (MSW) Distance Education programs. Some of her main responsibilities include working with professors to develop skills and confidence to teach in an online environment, assisting students and professors with Distance Education program-related concerns, and staying current in contemporary developments in e-Learning including Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. Terris Klaus appreciates the variety of duties that shape her role.

Two short films premiering at the Black Cultural Centre on November 14th address the barriers faced by African Nova Scotians when accessing healthcare and resources related to gender-based violence, and show the importance of applying an Africentric lens to health and social services.

Dr. Jeff Karabanow says when he moved to Nova Scotia, one of his first interviews was about the lack of investment into public housing in the province, and 25 years later it remains the same. The School of Social Work professor says after a pandemic, very low income assistance rates and rising prices of rent and housing, there’s really no safety net for people who are struggling.

In a world facing devastating climate-induced emergencies and international disasters, Dr. Haorui Wu, assistant professor in the School of Social Work (SSW), is devoted to the empowerment of crisis preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation across local, provincial, federal, and transnational levels.

In her years spent as a registered veterinary technician with the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association, Dal Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate Kathleen Dunbar witnessed the need for grief support among companion animal caregivers experiencing companion animal loss. Moreover, she noticed a lack of support for veterinarians and veterinary support staff experiencing ethical distress, moral distress and burnout due to the emotional labour of their profession.