Lynette M Renner

Lynette M Renner is a Professor at the University of Minnesota's College of Social Work, specializing in violence-related research with a particular focus on intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, and sexual abuse. Her work spans multiple disciplines including public health, psychology, and social work, with significant contributions to understanding the long-term impacts of violence on individuals and communities.

Dr. Renner's research interests center on intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, family violence, victimization, and mental health outcomes related to trauma. Her work examines help-seeking behaviors, the intersectionality of social determinants of health, and pathways to violence perpetration. She employs both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to explore these complex issues, with particular attention to how school, social welfare, and justice systems interact with violence exposure during formative years.

Analysis of Dr. Renner's recent publications reveals a strong trend toward interdisciplinary violence research that bridges public health, social work, and criminology. Her work increasingly incorporates environmental factors (like air pollution), digital spaces (such as social media), and systemic approaches to understanding violence. The research demonstrates a clear evolution from studying individual victimization toward examining broader social determinants and systemic interventions for violence prevention and response.

• Principal Investigator on CDC-funded project: Pathways to firearm violence perpetration (2023-2025)
• Co-Investigator on CAREQUEST Institute project analyzing social determinants of health (2023-2025)
• Principal Investigator on Minnesota Department of Health public opinion survey (2017-2018)
• Principal Investigator on DHHS Office of Women's Health project for IPV survivors (2015-2019)
• Principal Investigator on National Institute of Justice project on truancy and crime (2015-2018)

Dr. Renner collaborates extensively across disciplines, working with researchers in public health, criminology, psychology, and data science. Her projects often involve community partnerships and utilize mixed-methods approaches to address complex violence-related issues. She leads research teams that bridge academic institutions with community organizations and government agencies to develop practical interventions and policy recommendations based on empirical evidence.