Dr. Will Dobud is a social worker, researcher, and educator who has worked with adolescents and families in the United States, Australia, and Norway. Will is from Washington, D.C., and divides his time between the United States and Australia each year.
Will is an award-winning researcher and educator who has received recognition for excellence in research, teaching, and crime prevention. Dr. Dobud is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Charles Sturt University, Australia's largest social work school. Will is an invited international speaker who conducts workshops for therapists and families around the globe.
Will's research focuses on improving therapy outcomes for teenagers and promoting safe, ethical practices. He has investigated and written about America's Troubled Teen Industry, especially wilderness therapy. He has worked alongside advocates, survivors, researchers, and clinicians to protect youth from institutionalization and harm.
Award Winning Researcher and Educator
In 2015, Dr. Dobud was awarded the very competitive Australian Postgraduate Award for exceptional research potential for his doctoral research exploring outdoor therapy internationally. In 2021, Dr. Dobud was awarded the Distinguished Researcher of the Year by the Association for Experiential Education for his research trying to improve outdoor therapy experiences for youth and challenging America's Troubled Teen Industry.
In 2022, Dr. Dobud collaborated with Mark Cartner and the Queensland Police Service's Walk of Life program to win the Silver Award for Crime Prevention from the Australian Institute of Criminology.
Working at Charles Sturt University in Australia, Dr. Dobud was awarded with highest rates of student engagement in the School of Social Work and Arts and the most productive early/mid-career researcher in 2023. In 2024, the school awarded Dr. Dobud with the Excellence in Teaching Award and the Excellence in Research Award. He also won the Vice Chancellor's 2024 Research Excellence Award for an Early Career Researcher.
