Dr. Jan Fook
Welcome to Dr. Jan Fook, who joined the School of Social Work as Director on August 15, 2011.
Dr. Fook has been a social worker and academic for over 30 years. She was recently Professor of Professional Practice Research and Director of the Interprofessional Institute at the South West London Academic Network (Royal Holloway, St. George’s (University of London) and Kingston University). She was born and educated in Australia where she has worked most of her life. She has held a variety of academic positions in Australia, the UK and Norway (including professorial positions at La Trobe University, Southampton University and Diakonhjemmet College, Oslo) but has an ongoing interest in professional education and practice research. Over the last 15 years she has focused on developing critical reflection, and has conducted many workshops with professionals across Australia and in Europe, the UK, Asia and Canada. Her model of critical reflection is currently being adopted across West London boroughs in the UK.
Her research work involves the empirical research of professional practice, and developing better methods for representing the complexity of this. She has published 13 books and over 70 articles and book chapters. Her books include: Radical Casework (Allen & Unwin); Professional Expertise (with Martin Ryan & Linette Hawkins, Whiting & Birch); Social Work: Critical Theory and Practice (Sage), and Practising Critical Reflection (with Fiona Gardner, Open University Press).
What a terrific addition to the School of Social Work! I’m excited of the potential that Dr. Fook will bring. Her passion for social justice as well as her knowlege of critical self-reflection will help train the best practitioners/leaders in the field of social work. As an alumnus of Dal, I fondly remember reading many articles by Dr. Fook and to say that she’s an inspiration would be an understatement!! I can only imagine how the school will grow by leaps and bounds…..
I am very delighted to see that Dalhousie has included Dr. Fook to the school of social work. I am pretty sure the school of social work and Canadian social workers will benefit from her social justice work and critical reflections. As a former Dalhousie student in the social work, I remember reading many articles and books by Dr. Fook, today I am still inspired by her work which has also helped me to grow in the field. I hope one day I will meet her and continue to learn from work.
I was a member of the first graduates of Deakin University. It was wonderful having a person of her integrity as the chair. The reflective practitioner is with me always. I hpoe we meet again sometime