Former Dean and Distinguished Professor of the Graduate School
Distinguished Professor of the Graduate School Jeffrey L. Edleson is the Harry and Riva Specht Chair Emeritus and served as Dean from 2012 through August 2019. He was a professor of social work at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work for 29 years before joining Berkeley in 2012 and the founding director of the Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse.
A leading expert in domestic violence, Dr. Edleson's current research examines the impact of adult violence on children and how social systems respond to these children. His work also focuses on international parental...
Professor of the Graduate School and Dean Emeritus
James Midgley is Professor of the Graduate School and Dean Emeritus of the School of Social Welfare. He served as Dean from 1997 to 2006 and was the Harry and Riva Specht Professor of Public Social Services from 1997 to 2016 when he retired from full-time academic work. Originally from South Africa, he studied at the University of Cape Town where he trained as a social worker and completed a master and doctorate in sociology. He subsequently joined the faculty teaching sociology, social policy and social work. In 1970, he won a prestigious campus award to study at the London School of...
Emeritus Professor and Professor of the Graduate School
Mack Professor Emeritus and Professor of the Graduate School Michael J. Austin is the founding the director of the Mack Center on Nonprofit and Public Sector Management in the Human Services, former editor of Human Service Organizations, and former Staff Director of the Bay Area Social Services Consortium. He is also the former dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania and has taught at Florida State University and the University of Washington, where he chaired the macro practice specializations.
Emeritus Professor and Professor of the Graduate School
Professor of the Graduate School Andrew Scharlach served as the longtime Eugene and Rose Kleiner Professor of Aging at the School of Social Welfare. He also directed the Center for the Advanced Study of Aging Services.
Dr. Scharlach’s research examines innovative social and community supports designed to promote healthy aging. His current multi-year program of research examines emerging initiatives for helping communities to become more aging-friendly. Dr. Scharlach’s other research interests include aging policies, programs and services; social support; family caregiving; work/...
