Dr. Tiffany Laursen

Social Innovation: Consultant, Educator, Researcher, Entrepreneur

Background & Interest:

I believe that ordinary people can make an extra-ordinary difference. Ushering in such transformative change, however, requires evidence on how social change strategies work – or not!

Since 1999, I have worked on various social development practice and research projects across 19 countries. During these projects, and in my educational pursuits, I have experienced a major gap between social innovation science and practice: science struggles to be inclusive of practice oriented research, and practitioners lack theories to build their social change models with. Without theories, the ability to test social change becomes evasive and social development interventions - as well intended as they are - struggle to produce the changes they intend to make.

Witnessing this gap sparked my interests in marrying research and practice, thus I am working to:

  • educate social innovators on integrating theory we do have into practice,

  • support social change through helping innovators build and evaluate their change models,

  • research the processes of social change to build theories of social innovation practice.

This is a large space, but one that I believe is important to advancing social development and the sustainable development goals - globally. In this pursuit, theory should be built to explain and predict the ways in which social change can occur, and explore how social innovators can implement those theories.

Prior to these ventures, I spent 13 years working for nonprofits in New York State providing services to people with developmental disabilities and their families in both direct support and management.

Teaching:

In addition to these ventures, I am an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. Since fall of 2021, I have enjoyed teaching undergraduate and graduate students about social innovation, social entrepreneurship and social change; international development; research methods for social service practice; social sector management; theories of diversity, inequality, and social change; and power in social change.

In every semester, students have ranked me on the “List of Professors Ranked as Excellent” commenting that I am “extremely knowledgeable,” “reliable - intelligent - patient,” “practical,” and “truly cares for her students.” They note that I “break down complex topics and make it so the whole class can understand.” Students remark that I “connect the material to the real world” and my teaching philosophy welcomes them to “learn without intimidation…allowing questions and learning from mistakes.”

Education:

  • PhD in Social Work from University of Illinois Urbana -Champaign,

  • Master’s in International Relations/Development from Harvard University,

  • Bachelor of Arts in Social Theory, Social Structure, and Social Change concentrated in Leading International Social Change from SUNY Empire State University,

  • Associate of Science in Social and Behavioral Sciences from SUNY Monroe Community College,

  • Certificate in Disability Studies from NY State Association of Community and Residential Agencies.

For more information:

  • see p. 14 of this Real World Impact Report 2023 by the University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign, School of Social Work (full text posted here)

  • Full C.V.