University of Texas at Austin Social Work professor honored by Council on Social Work Education

February 16, 2006

AUSTIN, Texas—Dr. Noël Busch, assistant professor of social work at The University of Texas at Austin, has been honored by the Council on Social Work Education for her efforts toward the understanding of issues related to domestic violence and sexual assault.

Busch, who is the director and principal investigator of the university’s Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, received the “Distinguished Recent Contributions to Social Work Education Award” on Feb. 16 at ceremonies in Chicago. The award, presented during the annual meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, also recognizes her efforts in the areas of refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants and trafficking victims.

Since joining the university faculty five years ago, Busch has managed more than 20 research and direct service projects with $1.3 million in funding.

In 2003, she was principal investigator of the first statewide survey of sexual assault in Texas. The study found that 1.9 million adult Texans—more than 12 percent—had been sexually assaulted some time in their lives.

Busch regularly trains participants on issues of interpersonal violence at local, state and national conferences. She also serves as an expert witness in criminal, civil, parole and immigration cases involving domestic violence and sexual assault.

The Council on Social Work Education is a national partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies and private citizens and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the country.

For more information contact: Nancy Neff, School of Social Work, 512-471-6504.