University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work

Today, loved ones, colleagues, and students gathered for the lowering of the University of Calgary Swann Mall flag in honour of Dr. Régine Uwibereyeho King.

Dr. Ajwang' Warria shared with guests that, "In Africa, rain is seen as a blessing," and that she believes Dr. Uwibereyeho King blessed us today with this rain and with her presence in our lives.

Celebrations of her life continue, including a funeral service on Saturday June 13 at 10 am, at Westview Baptist Church, 1313 Ranchlands Way NW, Calgary.

As conversations unfold this week at the International Association of Middle Eastern Studies (IAMES) Conference in Madrid, held in honour of Dr. Jacqueline Ismael and Dr. Tareq Ismael, we’re reminded how one scholar can start something that shapes generations.

Dr. Jacqueline Ismael was one of the founders of IAMES, a UCalgary alum and professor, and a global leader in social work. She helped redefine how we understand international social policy by centring the human impact of political decisions.

Read more about her prolific career and impact: https://news.ucalgary.ca/news/60-faces-social-work-how-dr-jacqueline-ismael-helped-shape-international-social-work

🎓 Today’s the day.

Congratulations to our graduating Class of 2026! As you prepare to cross the stage this afternoon, take a breath to reflect on your unique journey and the inner strength that brought you to this milestone.

This is just one step on your path to fostering wellbeing for others and advocating for social justice.

❤️ We’re so proud of you and we can’t wait to see what you start next✨

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our colleague and friend, Dr. Régine Uwibereyeho King.

A respected scholar, educator and community leader, Dr. Uwibereyeho King devoted her life to advancing healing, reconciliation, racial justice and mental health through her research, teaching and service. As a survivor of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, her scholarship explored how individuals and communities recover from trauma and violence, drawing on her deep commitment to compassion, peace-building and African Indigenous knowledges.

Dr. Uwibereyeho King was a deeply respected faculty member in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. She inspired students and colleagues alike through her generosity, wisdom and unwavering belief in the power of community. Her work was recognized through numerous honours, including a Research Excellence Chair appointment, a Killam Emerging Research Leader Award, a Taylor Institute Team-Teaching Award, and the Alberta Immigrant Impact Award for Inclusive Workplaces.

Beyond her academic accomplishments, Dr. Uwibereyeho King will be remembered for the humanity she brought to every conversation, her dedication to equity and anti-racism, and her ability to help others see hope and possibility in even the most difficult circumstances.

🩶

Celebration of life events include the following:
- A Rwandan Community Wake and Vigil is being held from 5 to 9 pm on Thursday, June 11, at the Marlborough Community Hall, 636 Marlborough Way NE, Calgary.
- A funeral service is being held on Saturday June 13 at 10 am, at Westview Baptist Church, 1313 Ranchlands Way NW, Calgary.

The University of Calgary campus flag is being lowered in her honour on Friday, June 12.

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Our thoughts are with Dr. Uwibereyeho King’s family, friends, students, colleagues and the many communities she touched in Canada, Rwanda, and around the world. Her legacy will continue through the countless lives she influenced and the enduring contributions she made to social work, scholarship, and social justice.

Dr. Julie Drolet was featured on CTV News discussing new research on wildfire evacuations in Alberta.

Her work highlights gaps in support for evacuees during the 2023–24 wildfire seasons showing that recovery doesn’t end once people leave the immediate danger. Many individuals and families continue to face challenges long after displacement, including access to housing, income, and essential services.

As climate-related disasters increase, this research underscores the need for more coordinated, long-term supports that reflect the realities of those impacted.

📺 Watch the interview:

Wildfire evacuees need more support: Researcher discusses study on 2023-24 wildfire season Julie Drolet, a social work professor with the University of Calgary, says new research suggests wildfire evacuees don't get enough help in 2023-24.

New research from Dr. Julie Drolet and her team is shedding light on the ongoing challenges faced by wildfire evacuees in Alberta.

The research highlights gaps in support systems, from uneven access to services to the long-term impacts of displacement on individuals and families.

The findings underscore the need for more coordinated, equitable approaches to support people not just during evacuation, but throughout recovery.

Dr. Drolet will be presenting her findings at the upcoming Big Thinking Summit being held at the Edmonton Convention Centre June 9 to June 11.

🔗 Read more: https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/design-a-better-system-alberta-wildfire-evacuees-need-more-support-shows-research

Faculty of Social Work - Central and Northern Alberta Region Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences

'Design a better system': Alberta wildfire evacuees need more support, shows research New research based in Edmonton is unearthing gaps in support for Alberta wildfire evacuees.

A recent Medscape article shares the urgent need to address inequities in organ donation and transplantation systems, and the importance of Indigenous-led approaches.

The article highlights barriers to preventative measures and medical care as contributors to the high rates of Indigenous people on transplant lists in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.

Dr. Caroline Tait is leading research that centres Indigenous knowledge, lived experience, and community partnerships to better understand and address these barriers.

📰 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/indigenous-led-study-targets-transplant-inequities-2026a1000hgi

For many people recovering from addiction, returning to the classrooms, workplaces, and social circles frequented prior to recovery means facing the environments that made recovery difficult in the first place.

Dr. Victoria Burns and colleagues are tackling this challenge through a growing approach in recovery science that shifts the focus to a new direction: recovering in place.

👉 Read more about the research, Recovery On Campus - ROC Alberta organization, and efforts underway to promote recovering place on post-secondary campuses: https://ucalgary.ca/news/rethinking-recovery-researchers-explore-how-environments-support-addiction-recovery

Today, our 60th anniversary series highlights another instructor who left a lasting impact: the late Gayle Gilchrist-James.

Her hiring at our Edmonton campus in 1975 was part of the move to incorporate more practical social work education into the initially policy-focused faculty.

Following leadership roles at the Alberta Association of Social Workers and Canadian Association of Social Workers, she became vice-president, North America and then the first Canadian elected president of the IFSW International Federation of Social Workers.

Her legacy includes:
- Helping to draft the first comprehensive Canadian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics
- Contributing to early international work around defining social work practice globally
- Founding the IFSW Human Rights Commission to advocate for missing, imprisoned and persecuted social workers and students around the world

👉 Learn even more about her remarkable life and work: https://news.ucalgary.ca/news/60-faces-social-work-gayle-gilchrist-james-maverick-who-helped-bring-canada-global-social-work-stage