Pilar S. Horner

Associate Professor - Tenure

120 Baker Hall
517-353-0775
phorner@msu.edu

EDUCATION

PhD, University of Michigan
MSW, University of Michigan
AB, University of Michigan

EXPERTISE

Substance use and social work workforce readiness
AI and simulation in social work education
Social work education, accreditation, and heterodoxy
Migration, immigration, and transnational families
Latino health, HIV/AIDS, and health disparities
Qualitative, ethnographic, arts-based, and community-engaged research

RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP

Dr. Pilar S. Horner’s scholarship focuses on strengthening the social work profession through research on education, workforce readiness, behavioral health, migration, and health disparities. Her current work examines substance use training for social workers, AI-powered simulation in social work education, and the future of social work education and accreditation. She has also conducted extensive research on Latino communities, immigration, HIV/AIDS prevention and care, Puerto Rican families post-Hurricane Maria, and community-based approaches to social work research.

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

MI CARES: Addiction and Social Work, focused on strengthening behavioral health and substance use training for social workers.
AI-powered simulation in social work education, centering social work values, competencies, and practitioner voice in design and implementation.
Scholarship on epistemic pluralism, open inquiry, constructive disagreement, and the future of social work accreditation.
Research on resilience, migration, health disparities, and culturally responsive service delivery among Latino and transnational communities.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Twis, M. K., Hodge, D. R., Farber, N., Horner, P., Rueda, H. A., Lens, V., Drake, B., & Alam, N. (2026). Epistemic pluralism, open inquiry, and constructive disagreement: Strengthening the 2029 EPAS. Research on Social Work Practice.

Whipple, M., Boyke, H., Ferrier, R., & Horner, P. (2024). Examining the relationship between culture and perceived societal substance use stigma among stakeholders in Michigan. Substance Use & Misuse.

Boyke, H., & Horner, P. S. (2023). A critical framework for analyzing the impacts of sub-federal immigration policy in post-9/11 United States. Journal of Policy Practice and Research.

Ortiz, D. V., Horner, P., Sato, M., Nelson, A., & Lamas, D. (2023). Separate but not divided: Art-based inquiry on attachment and resiliency among displaced Puerto Rican families in Central Florida post Hurricane Maria. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Download Pilar S. Horner's curriculum vitae

LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE AND TEACHING

HXSW, Heterodox Social Work
Macro United Executive Planning Committee
I teach BSW and MSW Policy Courses, and Controversial Topics in Health