Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1990 - Family & Child Development w/specialization in Family Therapy
M.M.F.T,. Abilene Christian University, 1987 - Family Therapy
B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1985 - Journalism

• 2004, Sussman Award for Outstanding Research Publication, Groves Conference on Marriage and the Family.
• 2002-2005, Special Emphasis Panel for Developing and Advanced Centers for Interventions and Services Research, National Institutes of Mental Health.
• 2004, Guest Editor, Special Issue: Implications of Research with Diverse Populations, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
• 2002-2005, Associate Editor, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
• 2002, College of Human Ecology Excellence in Outreach and Engagement Award for the Minnesota to New York project
• 2002, Outstanding Service to the National Institutes on Health
• 2001, Marriage and Family Therapy Distinguished Lecture, Purdue University
• 2001, Outstanding Contribution to Cultural and Economic Diversity Award, American Family Therapy Academy
• 2000-2003, National Institute of Health Center for Scientific Grant Review Panel (Risk, Prevention, and Health Behavior Integrated Review Group).

Resiliency and the Strengths of African American Families - Culturally Effective Family, Community and School-Based Prevention Intervention Research - Quality of Life in Diverse Populations - Substance Abuse Prevention in Adolescents - End-of-Life Family Caregiving in African American Families - Exploration of Family, Cultural, and Spiritual Processes in African American Families Related to Death and Dying - Psychosocial Dimensions of Health, Illness and Disability

FSoS 3426/5426: Alcohol and Drugs: Families and Culture
FSoS 8001:  Conceptual Frameworks
FSoS 8033: Clinical Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy
FSoS 8035: Assessment of Couples and Families
FSoS 8550: Ethnicity and Family Therapy
FSoS 8295:  Family Therapy Practicum
FSoS 8296:  Family Therapy Internship

Tracking Changes in Minnesota's Diverse Families - Tracking Changes in Quality of Life Among Minnesota's Diverse Families project members are teaming with community leaders from across Minnesota's diverse ethnic and regional groups.  We are working to create a research project designed to help better understand diverse family strengths that lead to improvements in quality of life. Families representing five racial/ethnic groups (African American, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, and European American) are the focus of the project. 

Collaborative Center for the Study of Families in Diverse Contexts - The mission of Center is to better understand family life and strengthen family well-being, for all citizens, especially those who are from culturally, racially and ethnically diverse and often-disadvantaged groups, through discovery, scholarship and public engagement.

Understanding End-of-Life in African American Families - The overall aim of this project is to uncover and understand the factors, which must be considered when improving palliative and end-of-life care in the African American community. 

African American Family Strengths Project, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse - In this study, we are investigating the role that family protective factors play in the prevention of substance abuse among African American Adolescents. The overall purpose of our research was to uncover the relationship that exists between adolescent substance abuse and family, school, and individual experiences among African-American adolescents and their families.

• 2002-present FSoS Diversity Committee
• 2001 CHE Centers Advisory Committee
• 2001 FSoS Curriculum Committee
• 2000-2003 CHE Honors and Awards Committee 

Turner, W.L., Collins, C., & Erolin, C. (2007). Improving the health and well-being of African American Families: Effective and promising approaches. Minneapolis: Hennepin County Press.

Turner, W.L., Wieling, E., & Allen, W. (2004). Developing culturally effective family-based research programs: Implications for family therapists.  Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30, 257-270.

Turner, W.L., Wallace, B., Anderson, J., & Bird, C. (2004).  The last mile of the way: Understanding caregiving in African American families at the end-of-life. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30, 427-438.

Turner, W. L., Wieling, E. (2004).  Introduction to the Special Section: Implications of research with diverse families, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30, 255-255.

Boss, P., Beaulieu, L., Wieling, E., Turner, W., & LaCruz, S. (2004). Healing loss, ambiguity, and trauma: A community-based intervention with families of union workers missing after the 9?11 attack in New York City.  Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29, 455-468.

Turner, W. L., & Hench, M. (2003). Drug abuse prevention among African Americans. In Z. Sloboda, & W. Bukoski (eds.), Handbook for Drug Abuse Prevention, Theory, Science, and Practice. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.

Turner, W.L., & Wallace, B. (2003).  African American substance use: Epidemiology, prevention, and treatment. Violence Against Women, 10 (10), 1-13.

Turner, W.L., Clayton, R., Harrington, N., Novak, S., Miller, T., & Durden, D. (2002). Prevention in rural settings: Problems, challenges, and opportunities. Journal of Prevention Research, 5, 86-97.

Turner, W., Wieling. E., & Boss. P. (2002).  Ambiguous loss . Family Therapy Magazine, 1, 22-25.

Turner, W.L., & Hench, M.L. (2001). Prevention programs for African American. Journal of the National Medical Association.

Turner, W. (2001).  Cultural considerations in family-based primary prevention programs in drug abuse. Journal of Primary Prevention, 21, 285-303.

Ruble, N., & Turner, W.L. (2000). A systemic analysis of the dynamics of urban street gangs. American Journal of Family Therapy, 27, 247-264.