Roberto Aspholm

Roberto Aspholm serves as Associate Professor at the University of St. Thomas' School of Social Work within the Morrison Family College of Health. With over a decade of field experience in Chicago's South Side and East St. Louis, he investigates street gangs, community violence, and prevention strategies in marginalized urban neighborhoods.

Education:

• PhD, Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago
• MSW, Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago
• BSW, Loyola University Chicago

His research examines structural drivers of violence through lenses of race, inequality, and social policy. Current work analyzes pandemic-violence intersections and evolving gang structures, emphasizing community-centered solutions and policy reform. As a Minneapolis native, he maintains active engagement with urban violence prevention initiatives while contributing expert commentary to public discourse.

Recent publications address gang transformation in Chicago, coronavirus-gun violence linkages, and racial health disparities across academic journals, policy reports, and media platforms including Jacobin and Chicago Sun-Times. His scholarship bridges academic research with practical intervention frameworks for community violence reduction.