Research, Teaching, & Service
Here you can see a summary of my research, teaching, and service activities. To receive a copy of my Research Statement and Teaching Philosophy Statement, kindly email me at edaluzscherf@crimson.ua.edu
Academic Affiliations
Sep. 2023 – Present
Graduate Student Affiliate, Rest and Resilience Research Group
(https://sites.ua.edu/she-research/), University of Alabama
Principal Investigator: Luciana Giorgio, PhD
Sep. 2023 – Dec. 2024
Graduate Student Affiliate, The Forced Migration Initiative (https://forcedmigration.wustl.edu/),
Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. Director: Mitra Naseh, PhD
Jan. 2022 – Dec. 2023
Affiliated Researcher, ERC Human Rights Nudge (https://www.humanrightsnudge.com/),
University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Law. Director: Dr.Veronika Fikfak
Research Experience
Fall 2026
Graduate Research Assistant
The University of Alabama, School of Social Work
Principal Investigators (PI): Luciana Giorgio, PhD (0.25 FTE),
and Sheila McMahon, PhD (0.25 FTE)
Funders: University of Alabama
Summer 2025
Graduate Research Assistant
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
PI: Dr. Luciana C. Giorgio (0.50 FTE)
Funders: University of Alabama
Fall 2024 / Spring 2025
Graduate Research Assistant
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
PIs: Dr. Brian Bride and Dr. Luciana C. Giorgio (0.50 FTE)
Funders: University of Alabama
Summer 2024
Graduate Research Assistant
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
PIs: Dr. Hee Yun Lee (0.25 FTE) and
Dr. Nicole Ruggiano (0.25 FTE)
Funders: UA, NSF, and NIH, among others
Oct. 2023 – Dec. 2024
Student Co-Principal Investigator
Project title: Experiences of Racism and Discrimination
Among Latinx Patients in Primary Healthcare Settings
PI: Dr. Shane Gill, at Thomas Jefferson University
Jan. 2018 – Dec. 2019
Undergraduate Research Assistant
The University of Vale do Itajai (Brazil), School of Social Sciences
Human Rights and Citizenship Research Group
PI: Malu Zanatta, PhD
Teaching Experience
Summer 2026
Instructor of Record
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
Course: SW 200 History of Social Welfare in the U.S.
Mode of instruction: Online.
Credit hours: 3.
Spring 2026 & Fall 2025
Instructor of Record
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
Course: SW 101 Orientation to Social Work
Mode of instruction: In-person.
Credit hours: 3.
Fall 2024
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
Course: SW 410 Human Behavior and Social Environment
Instructor of record: Hyunjune Lee, PhD
Mode of instruction: In-person.
November 2024
Guest Lecturer
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
Course: SW 410 Human Behavior and Social Environment
Topic: Immigration and the Life Course
Instructor of record: Hyunjune Lee, PhD
Mode of delivery: In-person.
October 2024
Guest Lecturer
The University of Alabama School of Social Work
Course: SW 212 Death, Dying, Bereavement
Topic: Cultural Manifestations of Grief in Latin America
Instructor of record: Haelim Jeong, LMSW
Mode of delivery: In-person.
September 2024
Guest Lecturer
Middle Tennessee State University
Course: SW 4690 Integrative Seminar in Social Work
Topic: Human Rights and Social Work Practice in Brazil
Instructor of record: Andrea Bell, LCSW
Mode of delivery: Online.
April 2024
Guest Lecturer
The University of Vale do Itajaí (Brazil)
Course: Human Rights (International Program)
Topic: Global Migration and Human Rights
Instructor of record: Ricardo Boff, MSc.
Mode of delivery: Online.
Invited Talks and Speaking Engagements
March 2026
Title: Grad School 01: Exploring Non-Traditional Pathways
Role: Panelist
May 2025
(Navegantes-SC, Brazil)
Title: The Promise of Human Rights in the 21st Century: Between Idealism and Reality (Keynote Address)
Event: Synergy’s Academic Week
March 2024
Monmouth University School of Social Work, United States
Speaking Engagement with Social Work Students In Celebration of Social Work Month
Title: Leading a Career in Academia as a Macro
Social Work Researcher
https://youtu.be/64hJmIfJQhM?si=1v6BEFrnxMZTdI9-
November 2023
University of Minho, Portugal
Center for International Relations Area Studies
Event: Beyond Borders: The Challenges of Refugees and Migrants Around the World
Title: Immigration Policy as a Social Determinant of Health
August 2023
University of Vale do Itajai, Brazil
School of Legal and Social Sciences
Event: Alumni Week
Title: Pathways to an International Research Career
November 2022
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Department of Social Work
Event: Alumni Session on Ph.D. Opportunities for Erasmus Mundus Graduates in Social Work
Service
Editorial Roles
March 2026 – Present
The International Journal of Qualitative Methods
Publisher: Sage Publishing
Role: Editorial Review Board Member
April 2024 – Present
Frontiers in Political Science
International Studies section.
Role: Community Reviewer
Committee Work
April 2024 – Present
Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR)
Doctoral Student Committee (DSC)
Mentoring Sub-Committee
Role: Committee Member
Peer-review (Ad hoc)
2026: Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine (Springer); Journal of Loss and Trauma (Routledge). 2025: Journal of Homosexuality (Taylor & Francis); Archives of Public Health (BMC, Springer); Frontiers in Public Health, section Public Health Policy; Frontiers in Sociology. 2024: Discover Social Science and Health (Springer Nature); Frontiers in Political Science; BMC Global and Public Health (Springer Nature); Biodemography and Social Biology (Taylor & Francis); Discover Global Society (Springer Nature); Council on Social Work Education Conference proposals reviewer. 2023: Social Work in Public Health (Taylor & Francis); Advances in Social Work (Indiana University); Critical and Radical Social Work (Bristol University Press); European Social Work Research (Bristol University Press); International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare (Emerald Group Publishing). 2022: Springer Book Series in International Social Work (Book proposal reviewer); International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy (Emerald Group Publishing); Globalizations (Taylor & Francis). 2020: Asian Journal of Education and Social Sciences (SCIENCEDOMAIN International).
Mentoring
August 2023 – April 2024
Tide Together Graduate Mentor Program
Role: Mentee.
Fall 2023
Brazilian Student Association (BRASA)
Role: Mentor/Graduate School Admissions Consultant (Volunteer).
Volunteering and Civic Engagement
January 2025
SSWR 29th Annual Conference
Seattle, WA.
Role: Student Volunteer.
Jul. 2021 – Aug. 2021
Curitiba, Brazil (Remote).
Role: Writing contributor.
I helped the Institute strengthen its mission by providing short articles for its online blog platform.
May 2021 – July 2021
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Remote).
Role: Project proposal and grant writing volunteer.
I was responsible for identifying potential donor organizations and for revising funding proposals.