Esaa Mohammad Samarah
Hometown: Melbourne Beach, Florida, USA
Fall 2021 – present
PhD in Social Work
FSU Legacy Fellowship
Educational/Professional Background
Esaa Samarah earned a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Florida in 2015 followed by an MSW from Florida State University in 2019. Esaa has extensive research experience working within several different labs at the University of Florida including a two-year incumbency as Research Coordinator. Esaa received a Medal of Honor from the University of Florida for Academic Achievement in Sociology and worked as an investigator for the Department of Children and Families in Alachua County. Esaa completed his final practicum hours for his MSW at the Child Advocacy Center in Gainesville where he learned invaluable lessons about trauma informed care.
Research and Teaching Interests, or Professional Field
Esaa Samarah's research focus to-date centers on public health disparities, child welfare, and EBI evaluation. Esaa's research interests broadly fit under the umbrella of child welfare and specifically focus on displacement, racial/ethnic/religious minority outcomes in child welfare settings, institutional accountability, as well as research accessibility for child welfare professionals.