Rate My Professor Susan Wason

Susan Wason serves as the Fieldwork Team Leader and Professional Practice Fellow in the Social and Community Work Programme at the University of Otago, within the School of Social Sciences, Humanities Division. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma in Social Work from the University of Canterbury (BA, DipSocWk (Cant)), a Master of Arts from the University of Otago (MA (Otago)), and a GDNPM. Drawing on her background in statutory social work and social work in the not-for-profit sector, Wason teaches the Introduction to Professional Practice paper and coordinates fieldwork placements for third- and fourth-year social work students. These placements integrate students into social service organisations, providing hands-on experience. She views her role as an exciting opportunity to work with students, the university, and the community to develop social work professional practice.

Wason's scholarly work addresses social work education, field education, food insecurity, and the effects of parental mental health distress on children. Key publications include her 2019 research article 'Food banks and food rescue organisations: Damned if they do; damned if they don’t,' published in Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work (31(4), 71-83), which analyzes historical developments and local responses to food poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand. In 2020, she co-authored 'Aroha, Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga: Social work educators’ reflections on the Covid-19 lockdown in Aotearoa New Zealand' in Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work (32(2), 65-70), discussing adaptations in teaching, ethical principles, and relational dynamics during the lockdown. Recent contributions feature co-presentation of 'Field education in Te Waipounamu: Context, collaboration and practice' (2024, National Field Education Network and ANZSWWER Symposium) and papers on retrospective stories of growing up with parental mental health distress (2023, ASAA/NZ Annual Conference and Sociology, Gender Studies & Criminology and Social & Community Work Postgraduate Symposium VII). Wason also supervises postgraduate theses in social work.