On May 5, 2026, the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work at Babeș-Bolyai University hosted the lecture “Listening and Learning: A Social Worker’s Research Journey”, delivered by Cassandra Simmel from Rutgers University, under the umbrella of Inspire Research Series @ FSAS and Social Works! Research & Innovation Talks.

The lecture offered a compelling reflection on a career dedicated to child welfare and youth mental health research, bringing together questions of policy, practice, ethics, and lived experience. Moving across landmark studies, systemic challenges, trauma-informed approaches, and youth participation in decision-making, Cassandra Simmel illustrated how research can become a meaningful form of social engagement and advocacy.

Beyond the richness of the topics discussed, the meeting revealed something equally important: a remarkable sense of personal coherence in research – a rare combination of intellectual rigor, long-term commitment, and genuine dedication to improving the lives of vulnerable children and young people. It was, in many ways, a conversation about what it means to remain deeply faithful to the social and ethical stakes of one’s work over time.