Serwaa S. Omowale, PhD, LMSW, MPH (MSW in 2008, MPH in 2021, PhD Social Work in 2021)
I am currently based in Houston, Texas. I am originally from Houston, so it is significant to be at home and do this type of work in the community. I am also excited to expand my research to a global context by collaborating with colleagues in South Africa.
I recently spoke at the International Marce Society for Perinatal Mental Health conference in Barcelona, Spain. The title of my presentation was “Using Implementation Science to Develop a Community-Based Perinatal Mental Health Intervention”.
Current position
Assistant Professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health
I am currently a tenure track professor in the Department of Management, Policy and Community Health. I primarily do community-based research with my main project being a population-specific intervention study that will pair social workers with birth doulas to improve maternal health for Black families. I did my post-doctoral fellowship at the University of California San Francisco were my training focused on intervention development. My current project, “The SWADDLE Study” was started in the San Francisco Bay Area during my postdoc, currently I am expanding the project to Houston, Texas. Additionally, I am expanding my research to the global context. I did the NIMHD funded LEAD Global Training Program Summer 2024 at Washington University, Saint Louis, which included onsite training in Uganda and South Africa. I am currently working on a South Africa project focused on understanding teen pregnancy in collaboration with colleagues at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa.
Who inspires you in your work?
My work is focused on the crisis of Black maternal and infant health in the United States. I’m trying to address these health disparities using community-based approaches.
What is your biggest professional accomplishment?
I finished the joint MPH/PhD program in 4 years during the Covid-19 pandemic. I ended up pushing through without reflecting or thinking about how challenging it was.
How has the social work education you received at Pitt helped you in your career after receiving your MSW and then after your PhD?
When doing my MSW, I was a John Hartford Fellow and pursued a certificate in gerontology. The gerontology social work training provided many advantages in the workforce because a lot of people did not have that geriatric training. When I was a doctoral student, I received a NIH diversity supplement that supported my training. Before going back to school, I was a geriatric social worker doing work in case management, short term rehab, and research at the VA Medical Center in Houston. People know Pitt so having that training was instrumental postgrad, even the VA Medical Center in Houston had psychiatrists who trained at Western Psych in Pittsburgh. Completing my training at Pitt helped with several opportunities, like applying for a post-doctoral fellowship and searching for tenure-track faculty positions.
What is the most significant thing you learned at Pitt SSW?
Pitt social work is known for its community engagement and community-based work. My PhD advisor and dissertation chair was Dr. John Wallace, who is very involved in this field. I was able to see how our program does community engagement which prepared me to do community-based intervention work.
What motivated you to pursue a degree in social work?
I did my undergrad in African American Studies at Georgia State University. I always wanted to do something with that background and pursue a career that is applied. Social work is applied work and attempts to address social problems.
What's your favorite memory of the Pitt SSW?
My dissertation defense fell during the pandemic, but I was adamant about doing it in person. It was the first hybrid defense at the time. I wanted to have the in-person experience. I was thankful for the in-person and virtual support to celebrate this accomplishment.
How much do you rely upon your Pitt SSW network in your work today?
I was just talking to Dr. Rauktis about applying for a Fulbright and a group of former doctoral students are forming an academic peer group for junior scholars. I have relied heavily on other Pitt doctoral students and faculty networks to collaborate on several research projects.
What advice would you have for young Pitt SSW alumni?
Do something that you’re passionate about. If you don’t see the opportunities there, create them yourself. The newer generation of social workers are creating new jobs and opportunities. It is important to understand how diverse and versatile MSW is. I still use my MSW skill set when I interact with people and in my research.
Read Dr.Omowale’s LEAD Global Training Program blogs here:
- https://sites.wustl.edu/lead/power-privilege-and-identity-in-the-global-health-space/
- https://sites.wustl.edu/lead/unjanithe-greeting-of-durban-south-africa/
- https://sites.wustl.edu/lead/the-sun-has-set-in-kzn-for-now/