Charles Chear, MSW

Charles Chear, MSW is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of North Texas. His research and practice interest focuses on the stress and support that people experience when they move (i.e., geographic and socioeconomic mobilities), and how sociotechnical systems—such as policies and technologies—shape the process. 

Before joining UNT, Professor Chear served as a Statistician with the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he was part of the data and evaluation team for the Community Services Block Grant—the oldest and largest federal anti-poverty grant in the United States. Previously, he was an Assistant Teaching Professor at the Rutgers University School of Social Work for nearly eight years. Earlier in his career, he spent 12 years in various social work–related roles in Philadelphia, Boston, Tucson, the Tohono O'odham Nation, and Cambodia, following an earlier career as an IT professional specializing in Linux administration.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, and a first-generation college student, Professor Chear is the son of Cambodian refugees. He is a native speaker of English and a heritage speaker of Teochew Chinese and Khmer (Cambodian).

geographic and socioeconomic mobilities, housing search, digital trace data, sociotechnical systems, comparative social work

I once worked for The Roots, the hip hop group also known as the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Mean Girls was based on my high school, which its writer and co-star, Tina Fey, also attended.