School of Social and Political Science

Background

Rebecca J. Macy, PhD, MSW, is an Honorary Professor of Social Work in the School of Social and Political Science and is a Visiting Research Fellow in the School of Social Work and Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin. She was on the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) School of Social Work for over 20 years where she served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development. She has served as the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Family Violence and held a Guest Professor appointment at Jinan University in Guangdong, China. Macy is a Fellow in the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. The rigor of Macy’s research and its benefits for social work practice have been recognized with awards from the North Carolina Division of Public Health, the Office of the UNC-CH Provost, and the Orange County Rape Crisis Center. She received the Daily Village Pride Award from the WCHL Radio in Chapel Hill, North Carolina twice.

Macy’s research comprises over 20 years’ experience conducting studies on preventing and responding to family violence, human trafficking, and sexual violence. Macy regularly conducts investigations in community settings, working in collaboration with service users and their families, service providers, and policy makers. Her research has been supported with funding from federal and state agencies, foundations, and private donors. Macy has published 119 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, editorials, and invited commentaries, and has given over 240 peer-reviewed, invited lectures, and invited presentations. Her research expertise enriches her teaching, including courses and workshops on community-engaged research, mixed methods, program evaluation, as well as trauma and violence. Given her commitment to engaged research, Macy also disseminates her studies’ findings through community venues, organizational trainings, as well as briefs and toolkits.