Wendy Auslander, Ph.D., has been named the Barbara A. Bailey Professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work. Auslander is the third holder of this professorship, succeeding Arlene R. Stiffman, Ph.D., and Aaron Rosen, Ph.D.
“Thanks to the generosity of our distinguished alumna, the late Barbara Bailey, Wendy Auslander can continue carrying on the great work at the Brown School, work that contributes to the well-being of our society,” Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton said.
Auslander, chair of the Brown School’s doctoral program, is one of the leading scholars in the field of health promotion and risk reduction relating to chronic diseases such as diabetes and HIV/AIDS.
Her research examines health disparities between minority and nonminority youths with diabetes, poverty and single-parenthood as risk factors to diabetes, and the relationship of sexual abuse histories and mental health problems to HIV risk behaviors among adolescents in foster care. Auslander also is looking at the design and evaluation of interventions for adolescents with type 2 diabetes, an area of key importance nationally.
Auslander has authored more than 50 articles appearing in major professional journals and is an editorial board member of the Journal of Early Adolescence and Health and Social Work, and she was recently selected to author the chapter on chronic disease in The Handbook of Health and Social Work, the leading reference in the field.
“This chaired professorship recognizes the outstanding contributions Wendy has made to our school and to fields of public health and social work,” said Edward F. Lawlor, Ph.D., dean and the William E. Gordon Professor. “Her commitment is evident in her research and service endeavors; we look forward to her continued leadership in this growing area for our School.
Auslander earned a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from Cornell University and a master’s and doctoral degrees in social work from Washington University.
Barbara A. Bailey earned her master’s degree in social work from the Brown School in 1943. She began her career as a psychiatric social worker for the Orange County Health Department in Florida, went on to serve as the department’s chief psychiatric social worker and then for many years was administrative director of The Guidance Center, a child guidance clinic in Orlando, Fla.
Barbara A. Bailey died in 1985. She bequeathed the majority of her estate to the School of Social Work, which has used those resources to support conferences and bring distinguished social welfare policy makers, administrators, researchers and foreign educators to Washington University as visiting professors and lecturers.
The Barbara A. Bailey Professorship was established in 1997.