Margaret Lombe
Associate Professor, Chair of Macro Practice Dept.
An expert in social work and global health equity, Dr. Lombe is also chair of the Macro Practice department at BUSSW. Her research focuses on advancing the wellbeing of marginalized communities, seeking to impact upstream interventions or system-level changes by paying close attention to social and economic justice, empowerment, and participatory democracy.
Dr. Lombe’s work also addresses a number of important social issues domestically and globally including research on the stigmatization of people suffering from HIV/AIDS, food insecurity, and housing adversity in Boston and in African countries. Her contributions to the social welfare field include contesting traditional social welfare paradigms which employ deficit-based interventions. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Lombe has been appointed by the United Nations to serve as an advisor and member of Expert Group meetings and is a mayoral appointee to the Ryan White Planning Council for the Boston Public Health Commission.
Specialties
• International Socioeconomic Development (capacity building)
• Poverty, Social Exclusion/Inclusion
• Global Health
• Food Security and Low-Resource Households
• HIV/AIDS and Youth
• Rights-Based Approaches
• Cross-Cultural Research
• Evaluation Research
Research Areas
Related News
View All- BUSSW Co-Hosts International Social Work Conference on Advancing Sustainable Development in Zambia
In January 2027, a global community of social workers, scholars, and change-makers will gather in Lusaka, Zambia, for an international conference centered on social work’s role in advancing sustainable development.
- Professor Lombe Launches Beyond Borders Journal
This peer-reviewed journal showcases real-world impact and strengthens approaches to social welfare worldwide.
- Professor Lombe & Colleagues Lead BU CTSI Knowledge-Sharing Event on How to Diversify the Research Workforce
There are clear advantages to having a diverse research workforce: it can rectify systemic inequalities by better addressing the needs and concerns of different populations, improve problem solving by integrating diverse experiences throughout the research process, and help institutions remain competitive in increasingly globalized fields. This important topic was explored at an event hosted and […]
Education
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BA (Communications)
Daystar University
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MSW (Social Work)
Washington University
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PhD (Social Work)
Washington University
Awards and Honors
2013, 2015: Dean’s Award for Outstanding Social Work Scholarship, Boston College
2008, 2009: Dean’s Award for Outstanding Social Work Scholarship, Boston College
2000-2002: Social Development Scholar, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University
1999-2000: P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University
1998-2000: Dr. Sun Yet Sen Scholarship, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University
1995: Dean’s Award for Academic Excellency, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya
1994-1995: P.E.O. International Scholarship, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya