معرفی
Dr. Dawn Thurman serves as Associate Professor in the BSW Department at Morgan State University's School of Social Work, where she pioneers the ethical integration of AI in social work practice and education. As Chair of the Technology and Communication Infrastructure Committee and key member of the university-wide CHARGE AI Task Force, she shapes institutional technology policies while directing research through Morgan's Center for Equitable AI and Machine Learning Systems.
Her academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Social Work (2008) and MSW (2002) from Howard University, a B.A. in Psychology (2000) from Canisius University, and a Master of Medical Cannabis Science (2022) from University of Maryland Baltimore Shady Grove.
Dr. Thurman's research centers on AI ethics within social work contexts, with specialized focus on Black families, clinical practice innovations, and marginalized community impacts. Her interdisciplinary work through the AIM-LIFT Forum ensures technological advancements align with social work's core values of equity and human dignity, particularly addressing systemic barriers faced by African American populations.
Recent publications (2018-2024) reveal consistent thematic focus on racial disparities in educational systems, psychosocial wellbeing of Black youth, and professional experiences of African American women. Her scholarly output demonstrates methodological diversity across quantitative analyses of depression correlates, qualitative explorations of motherhood experiences, and policy-focused examinations of school discipline practices.
Major recognitions include:
- Educator of the Year (2019) from National Association of Social Workers, Maryland Chapter
- Multiple Outstanding Teacher Awards from Morgan State University (2017-2018)
- Morgan State University Summer Grant Award (2018)
- Principal Investigator Advancing Research at Morgan Fellowship (2023-2024)
As Principal Investigator for the $983,932 SAMHSA SHIELD Fellowship, she leads workforce development initiatives for behavioral health practitioners while directing two Center for Equitable AI projects ($200,000) examining ethical AI implications. Her grant portfolio also includes the $100,000 Fight Blight Baltimore initiative and IGAP Prototype application development funding.
Through her leadership in the Center for Equitable AI and Machine Learning Systems, Dr. Thurman coordinates cross-disciplinary research teams investigating algorithmic bias impacts on marginalized communities while developing frameworks for ethical AI implementation in social service delivery systems.
