Dr. Badger is an Associate Professor in the College of Social Work and serves as the Dean for Student and Academic Affairs.  Her teaching experience includes courses on ethics and civic engagement, and her research deals with occupational stress.  Her current work examines how peer support and social comfort influence the quality of life and community reintegration for burn survivors.  One if her particular interest in on how peer support and community building within a university might impact academic performance and retention of students.  Thus, her research and course offerings align well with the academic mission of the Peace Studies program, and she plays a vital role in helping the program achieve its mentorship goals.

Dr. Badger has taught in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. Her areas of teaching have included practice, ethics, civic engagement, administrative and supervision, and the undergraduate senior capstone course. She has a strong interest in professional and student development, and in strengthening the resources found within communities and organizations. Her research agenda includes undergraduate educational programming and evaluation as well as professional development.
 

She is particularly interested in how peer support and community building within a university might impact academic performance and retention of students.
 

Other research efforts are focused on the healthcare environment and include topics such as examining secondary traumatic stress and other occupational stressors on health care social workers. She is currently involved in research examining the psychosocial adjustment of burn survivors, specifically the impact of peer support and social comfort on quality of life and community reintegration post-burn.