Allan Cole

Allan Cole, Ph.D., is the Dean of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin and holds the Bert Kruger Smith Centennial Professor title. He also serves as Deputy for Health Humanities and Technology at Dell Medical School and is a Courtesy Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. His leadership bridges social work, healthcare ethics, and interdisciplinary research.

Dean Cole’s academic focus includes chronic illness, health humanities, and spirituality’s role in social work. He created the Moritz Center for Societal Impact (2023), fostering research and community partnerships to address social challenges. His scholarship emphasizes Parkinson’s disease advocacy, evidenced by his book series like Discerning the Way and Jumping to the Skies.

Recent articles explore spiritual interventions for substance use, mindfulness in education, and queer theology in youth ministry. These works reflect interdisciplinary themes in healthcare, psychology, and theology.

No notable scientific awards are listed in the provided information. Dean Cole’s leadership includes mentoring students and advancing institutional goals through grants and collaborations, though specific grant details are not documented here. He oversees the Moritz Center and maintains editorial roles for journals like Journal of Spirituality and Religion in Social Work.