Elizabeth DePoy is professor of social work and interdisciplinary disability studies and also holds an appointment as Senior Research Fellow at Ono Academic College, Research Institute for Health and Medical Professions, Kiryat Ono, Israel. Dr. DePoy is a nationally and internationally recognized scholar in research and evaluation methods and original theory in the fields of disability, diversity, and design. Co-authored with Stephen Gilson, DePoy developed Explanatory Legitimacy Theory which analyzes how population group membership is assigned, based on political purpose, and met with formal responses that serve both intentionally and unintentionally to perpetuate segregation, economic… status quo, and inter-group tension. Dr. DePoy is currently working on her 12th book, has contributed many chapters to edited collections, and has over 100 articles published in peer-reviewed journals. She has earned over 7 million dollars in extramural research grants at the University of Maine. In the service arena, Dr. DePoy provides evaluation, research and grant-writing consultation to agencies and organizations.
Stephen Gilson is professor of social work and interdisciplinary disability studies and also holds an appointment as Senior Research Fellow. Ono Academic College, Research Institute for Health and Medical Professions. Kiryat Ono, Israel. He is a theorist and policy analyst who is best known for his work in disability, diversity, and health policy through the lens of legitimacy theory. Co-authored with Elizabeth DePoy, Gilson developed Explanatory Legitimacy Theory which analyzes how population group membership is assigned, is based on political purpose, and is met with formal responses that serve both intentionally and unintentionally to perpetuate segregation, economic status quo, and… inter-group tension. His research interests and publications have focused disability identity, experiences of domestic violence and women with disabilities, disability theory, disability as diversity, social justice, and health and disability policy and advocacy. Dr. Gilson is currently working on his 9th book, has contributed many chapters to edited collections, and has over 60 articles published in peer reviewed journals. He is currently pursuing a collaborative research agenda to develop and test software that will provide full access to web and electronic information. Dr. Gilson presents his work locally, regionally, nationally and internationally and has collaborative relationships with international scholars. In the service arena, Dr. Gilson is extremely active on university, local, national and international committees, organizations, and concerns. His commitment to universal ideology as a means to promote social justice and equal opportunity guides his service work. His awards for scholarship include: Society for Disability Studies (SDS), Senior Scholar Award, 2009 University of Maine, Department of Psychology, Stanley Sue Distinguished Lecture Series, Diversity Lecture - "Now guess who is coming to the diversity dinner: Disability and beyond bodies and backgrounds" 2009 Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), Multicultural Council Award for Leadership in Diversity, 2008 Faculty Fellowship Summer Institute in Israel, Society for Peace in the Middle East, Summer, 2008. Allan Meyers Award for Scholarship in Disability, American Public Health Association, September, 2005. CSWE Commission on the Role and Status of Women �Feminist Scholarship Award for 2000.� E. P. Cramer, S. F. Gilson, and E. DePoy � �Experiences of Abuse and Service Needs of Abused Women with Disabilities.�