Profile

Dr. Maria Schweer-Collins is a Research Assistant Professor with the HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice and the Prevention Science Institute at the University of Oregon.

Dr. Schweer-Collins holds expertise in applied research methodology, with an emphasis on applying research synthesis methods to improve the timely translation of research into policy and action. She is also dedicated to developing open source methods that can improve the responsivity of research to applied contexts. Substantively, her research centers on eliminating the health and psychosocial disparities that youth involved with child welfare and juvenile justice-involved youth face. A thread of work is focused on improving scalable, mental health supports for parents who have experienced trauma and other early life adversities.

Prior to joining the University of Oregon faculty, Dr. Schweer-Collins completed her Ph.D. in Prevention Science at the University of Oregon in 2020 and an IES-funded postdoctoral fellowship also at the University of Oregon. Her research and teaching were shaped by her background working as a licensed mental health clinician in a variety of community-based and educational settings. As a former Doris Duke Fellow and founding and current member of the Child Well-Being Research Network, she is committed to conducting actionable research to promote equitable policies and practices to improve the lives of youth and families