Brett Drake

Brett Drake is the Professor of Data Science for the Social Good in Practice at the Brown School, Washington University. He specializes in child welfare research, focusing on early intervention in child neglect cases and socio-environmental factors influencing child maltreatment. His work integrates data science with social work to address systemic inequities and improve preventative services.

• Areas of Focus: Child Maltreatment Epidemiology, Big Data Applications, Racial Disproportionality

Drake teaches master’s-level courses on diversity, human behavior, and practice analysis, alongside doctoral research methodology classes. He collaborates with state agencies on data evaluation and has been recognized as one of the World's Top 2% Scientists and among the Most-Cited Scientists in social work. His research spans decades, including the creation of a widely used Missouri child maltreatment database with his colleague and wife, Melissa Jonson-Reid.