UW Social Work Professor Receives National Research Manuscript Award

Sandy Leotti, a University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences Division of Social Work assistant professor, is the recipient of the 2023 Feminist Manuscript Award from the Council on Social Work Education, the national association representing social work education.

The award was presented during the association’s annual conference in Atlanta, Ga., last fall. The award recognizes scholars whose work encompasses innovative social work practices; intersecting identities; underrepresented populations in social work education; application of feminist theories to diverse people; and the consideration of global contexts for women’s participation in social work.

Leotti’s winning manuscript, titled “Failed Mothers, Risky Children: Carceral Protectionism and the Social Work Gaze,” reflects her commitment to social justice, feminism and critical social work. The article is available at www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/722776.

Drawing on more than a decade of practical experience in youth development, mental health and disability, Leotti’s research investigates the intersections of social work, justice and the carceral state, aiming to understand and contribute to life-affirming responses to social issues impacting marginalized communities. Leotti advocates for community-based, noncarceral approaches to addressing harm and need while fostering a critical understanding of the carceral state’s impact on social work research, practice and education.

The UW College of Health Sciences and Division of Social Work highlighted Leotti’s honor, noting her “significant contributions to advancing social work scholarship and practice.”

About UW’s College of Health Sciences

UW’s College of Health Sciences trains health and wellness professionals and researchers in a wide variety of disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, speech-language pathology, social work, kinesiology, public health, health administration and disability studies. The college also oversees residency and fellowship programs in Casper and Cheyenne, as well as operating a speech/hearing clinic in Laramie and primary care clinics in Laramie, Casper and Cheyenne.

With more than 1,600 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, the college is dedicated to training the health and wellness workforce of Wyoming and conducting high-quality research and community engagement, with a particular focus on rural and frontier populations.