Dr. Ken Wedel joined the faculty of the Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work in 1979 and currently is Professor Emeritus. Prior to his appointment, he held teaching positions at the University of Kansas and Virginia Commonwealth University. He was Director for the School from 1979 to 1986, and Interim Director during from 2000 to 2001. In 2005, Dr. Wedel was Interim Director for the Center for Early Childhood Professional Development in OU Outreach, and from 2009 to 2016 he was Coordinator for the founding of the Knee Center for Strong Families at the School. His areas of teaching and research include social policy, administration, organizational behavior, and history of social work. He is co-author of four books, including a social policy text Social Policy and Social Programs: A Method for the Practical Policy Analyst (2005 and 2009 editions) with Donald E. Chambers. Dr. Wedel has been Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator on several national and state-level grants. He served as elected member of the OU Faculty Senate and the Faculty Senate Welfare Committee, and is a member of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). His service to AAUP include holding the offices of chair for the University of Oklahoma chapter and President of the AAUP state conference. He is a long-standing member in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) where he has been honored as a Social Work Pioneer. Dr. Wedel is a Licensed Master Social Worker in Oklahoma, with an Administration Specialty.
