Translational Data Science for Social Impact
Evidence-Based Practice | Social Work & Public Health | Social Work & Social Policy
Translational Data Science for Social Impact (TDSSI) is an international, peer-reviewed journal that publishes research at the intersection of data science and the social and health sciences. As data-driven methods become integral to research, practice, and policy, there is a critical need for venues that not only advance analytical techniques but translate them into tangible social benefits. TDSSI was established to meet this need.
The journal sits at the crossroads of data science, public health, social work, implementation science, psychology, economics, policy, and related fields. It provides a dedicated forum for scholarship that bridges computational methods with social inquiry to address real-world problems such as health disparities, housing instability, environmental risks, inequities in education and justice, and beyond. The journal publishes original research and comprehensive reviews that demonstrate how data science can inform policy development, improve health and service delivery, and empower communities. Emphasizing practical relevance and the potential for scale,
TDSSI fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and aims to close the gap between analytical innovation and on-the-ground impact.
TDSSI is grounded in the values of social justice, equity, and accountability. Authors are expected to engage with ethical issues, including privacy, bias, data governance, and the well-being of vulnerable populations, alongside methodological rigor. TDSSI serves a global community of scholars, practitioners, and policymakers and encourages cross-national perspectives to promote knowledge exchange and build a more equitable, data-informed society.
Aims
· Provide a premier international forum for high-quality, peer-reviewed research that integrates data science with the social and health sciences to tackle pressing societal challenges.
· Advance understanding and practice of data-driven methods, such as machine learning and deep neural networks, to inform policy, evaluate interventions, and improve decision-making across social systems (e.g., public health, social services, etc.).
· Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration among data scientists, public health experts, social work researchers, implementation scientists, psychologists, economists, policy analysts, urban planners, and practitioners to ensure holistic, evidence-informed solutions.
· Promote ethical, transparent, and equitable use of data, with attention to fairness, privacy, accountability, and respect for diverse communities.
Scope
The journal welcomes original research articles and reviews that:
· Apply data science techniques to real-world social and health issues to generate actionable insights and social impact.
· Develop and evaluate data-informed policies, programs, and interventions.
· Examine ethical, legal, and social implications of data-driven research and technology deployment.
· Explore technology-enabled services or tools that enhance service delivery, community engagement, or resource allocation.
| Katie Aafjes-van Doorn | Area Head of Social Sciences, New York University Shanghai, China |
| Keith Alford | School of Social Work, University at Buffalo—SUNY, USA |
| Beth Angell | School of Social Work, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, USA |
| Sara Bachman | School of Policy and Practice, University of Pennsylvania, USA |
| Melissa Begg | School of Social Work, Columbia University, USA |
| Paul Branscum | College of Education, Health and Society, Miami University, USA |
| Ross Brownson | George Warren Brown School of Social Work and the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis, USA |
| Eric Walsh-Buhi | School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University, USA |
| Merlin Chowkwanyun | Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, USA |
| Alan Cole | School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, USA |
| Stephanie Cook | School of Global Public Health, New York University, USA |
| Laura Curran | School of Social Work, University of Connecticut, USA |
| Susan Davies | School of Social Work, Tulane University, USA |
| Ramona Denby-Brinson | School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA |
| Jordan DeVylder | Silver School of Social Work, New York University, USA |
| Nabila El-Bassel | School of Social Work, Columbia University, USA |
| Elizabeth Farmer | School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh, USA |
| Noelle Fearn | School of Social Work, St. Louis University, USA |
| Patricia Findley | School of Social Work, Loyola University Chicago, USA |
| Kirk Foster | School of Social Work, University of Texas Arlington, USA |
| Deborah Gorman-Smith | Crown Family School of Social Work, University of Chicago, USA |
| Neil Guterman | Silver School of Social Work, New York University, USA |
| Hyeouk "Chris" Hahm | School of Social Work, Boston University, USA |
| Brian Hall | School of Global Public Health, New York University Shanghai, China |
| Schnavia Smith Hatcher | School of Social Work, University of Alabama, USA |
| Jennifer Hill | Applied Statistics, Social Science, and Humanities, New York University, USA |
| Philip Hong | School of Social Work, University of Georgia, USA |
| Anne Hughes | School of Social Work, Michigan State University, USA |
| Sheara Jennings | School of Social Work, Howard University, USA |
| Melissa Jonson-Reid | Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, USA |
| Hee Yun Lee | School of Social Work, University of Georgia, USA |
| George Leibowitz | School of Social Work, Rutgers University, USA |
| Matthew Liao | School of Global Public Health, New York University, USA |
| Elizabeth Lightfoot | School of Social Work, Arizona State University, USA |
| Hsien-Chang Lin | College of Education, San Diego State University, USA |
| Vivian Lou | Department of Social Work and Social Administration, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong |
| Benjamin Lough | School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA |
| Philip Massey | Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, USA |
| Henrika McCoy | Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver, USA |
| Debra McPhee | Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University, USA |
| Yajun Mei | School of Global Public Health, New York University, USA |
| Michelle Munson | Silver School of Social Work, New York University, USA |
| Daniel Neill | Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University, USA |
| Philip Osteen | College of Social Work, University of Utah, USA |
| José Pagán | New York University, New York, NY, USA |
| Rohini Pahwa | Silver School of Social Work, New York University, USA |
| Niyati Parekh | School of Global Public Health, New York University, USA |
| Desmond Patton | School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania, USA |
| Brian Perron | School of Social Work, University of Michigan, USA |
| Judy Postmus | School of Social Work, University of Maryland Baltimore, USA |
| Jonathan Purtle | School of Global Public Health, New York University, USA |
| Eric Rice | School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA |
| Matthew Rossheim | College of Public Health, UNT Health Fort Worth, USA |
| Janet Shapiro | Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Bryn Mawr College, USA |
| Sanjay Shete | Department of Biostatistics, Division of Discovery Science, University of Texas MD Anderson, USA |
| Lizheng Shi | Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, USA |
| Jon Singletary | Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, Baylor University, USA |
| Matthew Smith | School of Public Health - Bloomington, Indiana University, USA |
| Fred Ssewamala | Silver School of Social Work, New York University, USA |
| Susan Stone | School of Social Welfare, University of California Berkeley, USA |
| Julia Stoyanovich | Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, USA |
| Hao Su | Department of Computer Science and Engineering, New York University, USA |
| Dorian Traube | Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, USA |
| Dexter Voisin | Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Dean of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, USA |
| Liang Wang | Department of Public Health, Marshall University, USA |
| Kenneth Ward | Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, USA |
| Hong Xue | College of Public Health, George Mason University, USA |
| Gautam Yadama | School of Social Work, Boston College, USA |
| Keith Zullig | Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, West Virginia University, USA |