October 2023: Dr. Daniel Jacobson López (SSW)
Daniel Jacobson López, an expert in trauma, joined BU School of Social Work as an assistant professor in 2021. He is also a visiting faculty member at Yale University’s School of Public Health and a BU Diversity & Inclusion STAR scholar. His research examines the experiences of gay Latino and Black sexual assault survivors and services provided to them; violence against gay Black and Latino men, and LGBTQ individuals; and COVID-19’s effects on people living with HIV/AIDS. Most recently, he traveled to Ghana with the Yale School of Nursing to reduce stigma and increase HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM). Prior to joining BUSSW, Jacobson López was a postdoctoral associate at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, where he was a Career Education and Enhancement for Health Care Research Diversity (CEED) Scholar. He was the first ever Latinx PhD graduate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work and is the founder of the University’s first Latinx graduate student group. In 2020, he became the inaugural chair of diversity and inclusion for the University of Pittsburgh Postdoctoral Association. Learn more about Professor Jacobson López in his full interview below.
What made you decide to be a social scientist/ why does social science matter to you?
I decided to become a social scientist because I wanted to understand how race, sexual orientation, gender, and other identities affect and shape individuals’ experiences, both at the macro and individual level. So many people endure trauma based on their identities and I wanted to understand its influence on individuals and then help to find solutions to further help individuals find the strength to overcome them. Social science matters to me because statistics don’t ever tell the full story; the experiences and hearts of people do.
Can you tell us about a recent research project that you’re excited about?
I’m very excited to work on the project funded by CISS. This project centers on the services that medical care professionals provide to gay Black and/or Latino male sexual assault survivors. It is an area that is poorly understood yet urgently needs to be addressed. I’m glad to be working with a friend and colleague of mine, Dr. Steven Meanley on this project.
What is the best piece of professional advice you ever received?
I think that I have to remain true to myself and to the communities I wish to serve. There are certainly more challenges as a gay Latino, but I offer a unique and needed perspective as a gay man of color and need to know that my research is needed.
What is your favorite course you’ve taught at BU?
My favorite course to teach is Clinical Practice with Adult Trauma. I love this course; I have been able to integrate intergenerational and racial trauma into the course as well. And on how to diagnose with the DSM-5-TR but also understanding the problematic aspects of the DSM as well.
Tell us a surprising fact about yourself.
I know three languages and I have a Black belt in Karate.