Head of School of Social Work

Professor Venkat Pulla is an accomplished social work academic and practitioner. He earned his Master's degree in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, received the Tata Dorabji Merit scholarship and completed a PhD in Social Work from the Karnatak University in India. He is a fellow of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), and has been a member for over 32 years.

As the Foundation Head of the School of Social Work at NAPS, Dr. Pulla is well-known for his strengths-based practice training and grounded theory research methodologies. His research explores the ethical benefits of strengths-based approaches, which contribute to more effective and empowering social work practices. Dr. Pulla makes a significant portion of his work available under Creative Commons licensing, to allow broader access to his research and encourage the free sharing of knowledge.

Dr. Pulla is the joint editor-in-chief of the Journal Space and Culture, India, which is published in the United Kingdom, as well as an associate editor for SN Social Sciences - Open Springer. He has taught a variety of social work courses at both the BSW and MSW levels, including field practice supervision at several Australian universities (ACU, CSW, CQU, Monash, CDU and USC). His academic career in Australia began at Charles Darwin University (formerly Northern Territory University).

Dr. Pulla also brings extensive practice expertise, having worked with government agencies in areas such as community development, disability, migration, refugee resettlement, dual diagnosis and multicultural social work. He is the founder of the Brisbane Institute of Strengths-Based Practice in Australia and currently serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at James Cook University's College of Arts, Society, and Education.

Publications at: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0395-9973