American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare

Gary Bowen, PhD

Active | Inducted in 2016

Bio

Dr. Bowen is Dean Emeritus and Kenan Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the School of Social Work at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research interests include school success among middle- and high-school students and the work/family linkages for the U.S. military.

Dr. Bowen is past president (2009-2011) of the National Council on Family Relations and a co-editor of Military Families and War in the 21^st century: Comparative Perspectives, released in 2015 by Routledge Press.

His honors include an Alumni Pacesetter Award in 1998 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s School of Environmental Sciences, “for actively making a difference in the lives of others and the world around them”; a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s School of Health and Human Sciences; and a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Social Work.

In 2001, Dr. Bowen was inducted as a National Council on Family Relations Fellow for his enduring contributions to the field of family studies through a career of teaching, scholarship, outreach, professional service, and leadership; in 1983, he was inducted as an Armed Forces and Society Fellow. In 2013, he was inducted as an inaugural fellow of the Society for Social Work and Research. Since 2004, Dr. Bowen has received the Dean’s Recognition of Teaching Excellence six times; this award recognizes faculty members who consistently receive the highest scores on students’ evaluations of faculty efforts in teaching meaningful information in innovative ways that best prepare students for their chosen careers. In 2016, Dr. Bowen received the Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring Award, which is based on nominations from fellow faculty members and Ph.D. students to recognize faculty who provide outstanding, sustained guidance and who cultivate a culture of mentoring, helping to strengthen the School and the social work profession.

On September 30, 2021, Dr. Bowen was presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor Roy Cooper, which recognizes his exemplary service to the state of North Carolina and his exceptional accomplishments. Dr. Bowen retired from the UNC-CH School of Social Work on December 31, 2023 after 39 years of service.

To access Dr. Bowen’s Faculty Page, click here: University of North Carolina, School of Social Work.