Sunil Butler is a researcher and data analyst in Colorado State University’s Social Work Research Center. Butler holds a B.A. in mathematics with a minor in English literature from Colorado College, and a M.S. in statistics from Colorado State University. His previous research experience includes consulting in agriculture and economics, and theory research in computational probability and linear modeling.
Learn more about his current work in applied research for child and youth well-being, and child maltreatment prevention.
What brought you to the Social Work Research Center in the School of Social Work?
“I became interested in the Social Work Research Center at Colorado State University because I wanted to do some good with my skill set. I chose to join SWRC after it became clear that the work would be both a worthwhile pursuit and an interesting challenge.”
What are your research interests?
“My research interests have spanned several categories. Prior to this position, I worked on research in agriculture, economics, and statistical theory. My current research interests are in child welfare, child well-being, and generally in social work practice and implementation.”
What’s your view on evidence-based practice in social work?
“I believe evidence-based practices bring a lot of value to social work programs. The trick is in integrating individual experience with both the data collection and analysis, so that the personal impact of our decisions isn’t lost in conventional data science practices.”
What’s your favorite thing about CSU so far?
“My favorite part of CSU is the trust and ensuing freedom that the administration gives us to handle things correctly based on our expertise. It’s my goal to reward that trust with strong results.”
About the Social Work Research Center
As a center in Colorado State University’s School of Social Work, the Social Work Research Center was established in 2004 to provide evidence-based research, practice, and policy in the child welfare, health/mental health, and juvenile justice domains. Our mission is to create university–practice partnerships that bridge the gap between research and practice, transform the human services landscape, and strengthen families and communities.
The School of Social Work is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
