Michal Shamai (University of Haifa) – Welfare and Social Work Group head

Michal Shamai, Ph.D. is Associate Professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Haifa, Israel. Her research area focuses on the impact of potential traumatic events on micro and mezzo systems, such as, couples, families, community and helpers. Along her career she had received many research grants related to disasters created by war and terror (Israel Science Foundation, Educational Ministry, Ministry of Welfare and more). She is the author of many articles related to the impact of natural and human made disasters. In her research she uses quantitative and qualitative methodologies. In addition to her research activities Prof. Shamai has an extensive practice experience in psychosocial interventions with direct and indirect victims of war and terror; with communities during and after war and natural disasters; and with helpers (mainly social workers and educational psychologists) during and after disaster. Her research and practice experience was described in a book she authored: "Systemic interventions for collective and national trauma: Theory, practice and research" published by Routledge on 2016.

She has participated in many academic conferences, including as invited and keynote speaker presenting her researches regarding the topics of war, terror and natural disasters. She was invited several times to the Israeli media (TV and radio) to discuss her areas of expertise. She is a member in the board of several journals (Family Process, Journal of Family Therapy and Contemporary Family Therapy) and reviewer in many journals in the field of social work, mental health and trauma. Prof. Shamai received two awards for her research on the area of collective trauma. The first award was given by the Israeli Union of Social Work (2014) –Prof. Jossef Katan Award for the contribution of the academic work to the field (practice). The second was given by the American Academy of Family Therapy – for innovative contribution of research and practice with families and systems living in war and threat of terror.