The College of Behavioral and Community Sciences has announced that George Burruss, PhD, professor in the Department of Criminology, has been named chair of the department. Debra Dobbs, PhD, professor in the School of Aging Studies and academic director of the Center for Hospice, Palliative Care and End-of-Life Studies, and Chris Simmons, PhD, associate professor of instruction in the School of Social Work, have also officially accepted ongoing leadership roles as directors of their respective schools. All three will begin their new roles on Aug. 7, 2025.
Burruss has served as associate department chair of the USF Department of Criminology since 2019. He joined the 猫咪视频app (USF) in 2016 as an associate professor and was promoted to professor in 2022. He earned his PhD in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Missouri鈥揝t. Louis in 2001. Before completing his doctorate, Burruss worked as a fraud investigator with the Office of the Missouri Attorney General. He is affiliated with , and serves as a USF Faculty Fellow for USF鈥檚 Global and National Security Institute and Rapid7, a cybersecurity firm. He is the founder and director of the CIBR Lab 鈥� the Cybercrime Interdisciplinary Behavioral Research Laboratory at USF 鈥� and a founding member of the USF . Burruss succeeds John Cochran, PhD, who has served as chair since 2019.
Dobbs has served as interim director of the USF School of Aging Studies since July 2023. She joined USF in 2006 as an assistant professor and was promoted to professor in 2023. As academic director of the Center for Hospice, Palliative Care and End-of-Life Studies, she has developed research partnerships with hospice organizations in Florida. She has also served as director of the PhD program in aging studies. Prior to USF, she was a research associate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill following a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the . She also worked as a project manager at the Gerontology Center at the University of Kansas and at the Office of Aging and Long-Term Care in the 猫咪视频app鈥檚 School of Social Welfare while completing her doctorate in sociology. Earlier in her career, Dobbs worked as a case manager for older adults and as social services director of a nursing home.
Simmons has served as interim director of the USF School of Social Work since August 2024. He joined the USF School of Social Work in 2003 as an instructor. From 2010 to 2014, he served as a clinical assistant professor and assistant professor of social work at the University of Mississippi before returning to USF in 2014 as a clinical instructor. He was promoted to associate professor of instruction in August 2020. Simmons also serves as faculty director of the Social Work Clinic at the , an interdisciplinary, 猫咪视频app-run free clinic at USF that provides care to uninsured adults from underserved communities.
鈥淥ur departments and schools are gaining strong, thoughtful leaders who understand the needs of our 猫咪视频apps, faculty, and the fields they serve,鈥� said Julie Serovich, PhD, dean of the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences. "Dr. Burruss, Dr. Dobbs, and Dr. Simmons bring a depth of experience that will strengthen our academic programs and support continued excellence across teaching and research.鈥�