Deborah Gorman-Smith

Deborah Gorman-Smith’s research, grounded in a public health perspective, is focused on advancing knowledge about development, risk and prevention of aggression and violence, with specific focus on minority youth living in high-burden urban communities. She has published extensively in areas related to youth violence, including the relationship between community characteristics, family functioning and aggression and violence, including partner violence and the impact of family-focused preventive interventions. She is also the principal investigator and director of the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention, one of six national Academic Centers of Excellence for Youth Violence Prevention funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dean Gorman-Smith has served as deputy dean for Research and Faculty Development at the School. She is also a member of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, a current fellow and the past president for the Society for Prevention Research and has served on other national and state committees including the Board of Scientific Counselors and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control.