CNPD Announces 2025–2026 Faculty Research & Scholarship Contribution Award Winners

The University of North Dakota’s College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines (CNPD) is proud to recognize two outstanding faculty members with the 2025–2026 Faculty Research & Scholarship Contribution Awards.

Dr. June-Yung Kim, Assistant Professor of Social Work, has been named the recipient in the Tenure-Track Faculty category, and Dr. Jennifer Schlinger, Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work, has been selected as the recipient in the Clinical-Track Faculty category.

This prestigious award honors faculty whose impactful research and scholarly contributions advance knowledge, strengthen practice, and elevates the mission of CNPD.

Research & Scholarship Contribution Award, Tenure-Track Faculty category

Dr. June-Yung Kim, Assistant Professor of Social Work

Dr. June-Yung Kim has developed an outstanding research portfolio at the intersection of mental health, neurobehavioral teratology, and social welfare, focusing on the intergenerational impacts of substance use and mental health among individuals exposed to early biological and environmental risk factors. Her work advances understanding of resilience and informs socially responsive, evidence-based practice.

She brings extensive experience from a NIDA-funded longitudinal study and has led multiple funded projects, including CNPD Seed Awards and a current NIH-funded pilot study. She also received support from the Indigenous Trauma and Resilience Research Center for a participatory action research project.

Dr. Kim’s scholarly record includes 26 peer-reviewed publications (6 as first author), multiple manuscripts at various stages of review, completed 41 presentations, a book chapter, and five translated books. Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Richard Zdanis Dissertation Fellowship, the Arol Shack Dissertation Award, the KASWEA Outstanding Dissertation Award, and the 2024 KASWE Junior Career Achievement Award. Her collaborations across UND and with the NIJII team have contributed to multiple external grant submissions, including two funded proposals, and involvement in the $24.6 million BEACON ND initiative.

In addition to her research, Dr. Kim integrates her scholarship into teaching and professional development, advancing socially just, community-informed approaches in social work education.

Research & Scholarship Contribution Award, Clinical-Track Faculty category

Dr. Jennifer Schlinger, Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work

Dr. Jennifer Schlinger recently completed her Doctor of Education, with dissertation research focused on trauma education in social work curricula, reflecting her commitment to advancing both scholarship and social work pedagogy. Her work centers on translating trauma-informed care into teaching, practice, and professional development.

She has delivered multiple presentations on trauma-informed care across the region and is scheduled to present at upcoming conferences, including the North Dakota Long Term Care Association Conference. She has also collaborated with colleagues across disciplines to develop continuing education offerings on trauma-informed care for social workers, nurses, and dietetic professionals.

In addition, Dr. Schlinger developed a trauma-informed care elective course that transitioned from a special topics offering to a permanent course, was recently expanded to interdisciplinary enrollment, and reached capacity in its first semester, open to all majors.

Her scholarly contributions also include a forthcoming book chapter and an upcoming book on trauma-informed practice in higher education, developed in collaboration with colleagues across disciplines.

Dr. Schlinger’s work reflects a sustained commitment to advancing trauma-informed education through teaching, scholarship, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

CNPD Faculty Research and Scholarship Awards Process