Trauma Interest Work Group (TIWG)
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The Trauma Interest Work Group (TIWG) promotes the scientific and interdisciplinary understanding of trauma while working to improve equity and justice on the South Side of Chicago and beyond. We do this through education, scholarship, clinical care, community engagement, and advocacy.
Vision statement
Everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. As scholars, practitioners, and community members, we believe that the University of Chicago is uniquely positioned, and has an obligation to mitigate the burden of trauma and improve equity and justice for residents of the South Side and beyond.
Realizing our vision
TIWG pursues this vision by establishing multidisciplinary dialogue and taking an ecological approach to the complexities of trauma at the individual, relational, community and institutional levels.
By communicating and strategizing across disciplines—including clinical work, social work, public health policy, sociology, community advocacy, and more—TIWG advances a rigorous, scientific, and compassionate approach to the understanding, treatment, and prevention of trauma. Our goal is to improve the University’s response to current and future instances of trauma, while increasing institutional awareness of inequitable systems and structural violence.
TIWG is supported by the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation and we would like to expand this multidisciplinary dialogue through national and international partnerships.
Values
The below values guide our actions and activities in pursuit of this vision:
Collaboration Across Disciplines
We believe diverse perspectives are necessary for a trauma-informed paradigm shift. We aim to integrate voices across the following areas: psychology, law, social work, public policy, medicine, public health, local communities, environmental science, human development, economics, and sociology.
Health Equity through Trauma-Informed Practices
We work to change practices, structures, and policies to realize health equity in the communities directly served by the University of Chicago and its hospitals.
An Intersectional Understanding of Trauma
We recognize the connections and interdependencies among individual, community, and structural manifestations of trauma and take a systems-approach to reducing the burden of trauma.
Application
Research project proposals should be submitted using the form below and must include:
1. Statement of Purpose
- Abstract (250 words max): What is the problem you seek to address, what is your approach to address this topic, and what specific outcomes will your project deliver?
- Research Plan (750 words max): Please describe your research question(s) and why it/they are novel and important. Also, articulate why this work would benefit from collaboration, anticipated outcomes, and a timeline & key project milestones. Specify follow-on funding opportunities you will target should the project generate expected data, analysis or results.
2. Budget and Budget Narrative (a budget template is available for download; narrative 250 words max)
3. A CV or resume for the project lead
Steering Committee
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Sonya Mathies Dinizulu
PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Chair of the Trauma Interest Working Group
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Doriane Miller
MD, Professor of Medicine, Director, Center for Community Health and Vitality
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Yael Hoffman
MPH, LSW, Project Manager, REACT Program, University of Chicago Dept of Pediatrics
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Bradley Stolbach
PhD, Associate Professor, University of Chicago Department of Pediatrics
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Staff
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Aimee Giles
Associate Director of Events & Programs, Mansueto Institute
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Heidi Lee
Senior Operations Manager, Mansueto Institute
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Events
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The Trauma Interest Working Group hosts events and film screenings on topics such as violence prevention and human rights, including the “Community Perspectives on Safety” series and the “Forced Migration” series. Join us at our upcoming events, and watch past events.