Faculty Research Grants
2025-2026 Faculty Recipients:
Mirle Rabinowitz Bussell, Jennifer Nations, Stacey Livingstone, Urban Studies and Planning, Can Living With Other Formerly Homeless Veterans Improve Health and Housing Outcomes? A Pilot Investigation into the Impact of Tenant-Based and Project-Based HUD-VASH Vouchers
Jeffrey Clemens and Julie Cullen, Economics, Population Decline, Immigration Policy, and the Efficiency of Public Schools
Amy Eguchi and Marianna Amato, PhD candidate, Education Studies, The increasing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) for companionship, emotional support, and mental health consultation among LGBTQ+ young adults (ages 18-25).
Lawrence Frank, Urban Studies and Planning, Documenting Health and Economic Benefits of Bikeway Investments in San Diego County: Creating the Bikeway Public Health Assessment Model (B-PHAM)
Agustina Paglayan, Political Science, Civic Education in a Polarized and Eroding Democracy
| Name | Department | Project | Grant Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abrajano, Marisa Elmendorf, Christopher Quinn, Kevin |
Political Science Law Law |
Racial Discrimination in Voting: A Conjoint Analysis | 2012-2016 |
| Adida, Claire | Political Science | Understanding the needs and preferences of asylum-seekers at San Diego’s Day Center: A partnership between the International Rescue Committee and UC San Diego | 2023-2024 |
| Ambo, Theresa | Education Studies | (Un)Mapping UC Motkoolahooee | 2022-2023 |
| Andrews, Abigail | Sociology | Weaponized waiting at the US-Mexico border: A community-driven study to litigate and mitigate the current refugee “crisis” | 2021-2022 |
| Arnold, Bruce Camarena, Misael De la Lama, Carlos Kiser, Tracey Pollock, Mica Samaniego, Kim Yonezawa, Susan |
MDTP, Math Dept SDCC, Math Dept SDCC, Math Dept Education Studies CREATE SCPA, Math Dept CREATE |
Scaling A Better Mathematical Model: Accelerating Low-Income Students Through Developmental Mathematics in Community College | 2012-2016 |
| Bachofer, Karen Betts, Julian Zau, Andrew |
SanDERA Economics SanDERA |
The College Prep for All Mandate: An Examination of New Graduation Requirements in the Context of San Diego | 2012-2016 |
| Berman, Eli Sandholtz, Wayne |
Economics Economics |
Enhancing College Completion through Peer Coaching | 2012-2016 |
| Betts, Julian | Economics | Transitions to Postsecondary Eduation for San Diego’s Students: Trends, Gaps by Student Groups and Factors Predicting Postsecondary Performance | 2019-2020 |
| Bussell, Mirle Rabinowitz, Nationa, Jennifer, Livingston, Stacey | Urban Studies and Planning | Can Living With Other Formerly Homeless Veterans Improve Health and Housing Outcomes? A Pilot Investigation into the Impact of Tenant-Based and Project-Based HUD-VASH Vouchers | 2025-2026 |
| Carrio, Manuel Shvartzberg | Urban Studies and Planning | The Language of Territory: Settler Colonialism and Modern Architecture in Palm Springs | 2019-2020 |
| Carrio, Manuel Shvartzberg Irani, Lilly |
Urban Studies and Planning Communications |
Frontline Communities Affected by Climate Change through the Just Transitions Initiative | 2021-2022 |
| Clemens, Jeffrey and Cullen, Julie | Economics | Population Decline, Immigration Policy, and the Efficiency of Public Schools | 2025-2026 |
| Cohen, Shana | Education Studies | Improving Odds: Enhancing Access to Quality Autism Interventions for Low-Income Mexican-Heritage Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders | 2012-2016 |
| Cole, Mike Cruz, Teddy Forman, Fonna Rao, Ramesh |
Psychology Visual Arts Political Science Elect and Comp Eng |
The UC San Diego Community Stations Initiative: Knowledge Exchange Corridors | 2012-2016 |
| Crist, Katie | Urban Studies and Planning | Integrating Built, Natural, and Social Environment Data to Predict Travel, Health, and GHG Emissions | 2022-2023 |
| Curtis, Charles Wixted, John |
Music Psychology |
The UC San Diego Community-Based Research and Outreach Project: A Prototype and a Vision of Working Partnership between Research Universities and Community Centers | 2012-2016 |
| Daly, Alan | Education Studies | San Diego Equity Collective | 2023-2024 |
| Daly, Alan Moukarzel, Sara |
Education Studies Health Sciences and Education Studies |
#Breastfeeding: Exploring the Social Media Communication and Knowledge Space | 2019-2020 |
| Daly, Alan Escobedo, Francisco Labato, Joanne Moolenaar, Nienke Rabin, Jeff Umekubo, Lisa |
Education Studies Chula Vista Elem Sch Dist SDSU Math and Statistics Education Studies Mathematics Chula Vista Elem Sch Dist |
Project ICON: Investigating the Complexity of Networks | 2012-2016 |
| de Waard, Andrew | Communication | Derivative Media: The Financialization of Film, Television, and Popular Music | 2019-2020 |
| Dow, Steven | Cognitive Science | Creating a Civic Innovation Ecosystem to Improve Transportation Infrastructure in San Diego | 2018-2019 |
| Eguchi, Amy and Amato, Marianna, PhD candidate | Education Studies | The increasing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) for companionship, emotional support, and mental health consultation among LGBTQ+ young adults (ages 18-25) | 2025-2026 |
| Espiritu, Yen-Le Holtzman, Caren Ribas, Vanesa |
Ethnic Studies Ethnic Studies Sociology |
Family-Centered Newcomers Program: An Integrated, Multigenerational, and Multidisciplinary Approach | 2018-2019 |
| Espiritu, Yen-Le Jolivette, Andrew Ross, Frank |
Ethnic Studies | Indigenous and Refugee Communities in San Diego | 2021-2022 |
| Communications | BorderClick: Photographic Explorations By TransBorder Youth | 2019-2020 | |
| Political Science | Adam Smith, Public and Private: Latin American Legacies | 2018-2019 | |
|
Frank, Lawrence |
Urban Studies and Planning | Documenting Health and Economic Benefits of Bikeway Investments in San Diego County: Creating the Bikeway Public Health Assessment Model (B-PHAM) | 2025-2026 |
| Urban Studies and Planning | Integrating Built, Natural, and Social Environment Data to Predict Travel, Health, and GHG Emissions | 2022-2023 | |
|
Gibson, Clark |
Political Science GPS History |
Demanding Political Accountability through Information Technology and Rigorous Social Science Methods | 2012-2016 |
| Communication | Environmental Knowledge and Knowledge Environments: Cultures of earning and Global Ecology in the Digital Age | 2019-2020 | |
| Economics | School Choice and the Housing Market | 2022-2023 | |
| Political Science & GPS | Assessing the Impact of Local Election Timing on Minority Representation and Local Spending | 2018-2019 | |
|
Heinzman, Erica |
Education Studies Education Studies Math Proj & Exec Dir, Math for America San Diego (CREATE) |
African-American Achievement Summit Follow-Up: Examining Opportunity Gaps for SDUSD African-American Students in Fourth-Year Mathematics | 2018-2019 |
|
Heyman, Gail |
Psychology | Developing Best Practices for AI Use in Education | 2023-2024 |
| Political Science | Intensity Theory: How What Voters Most Care About Shape Elections and Representation | 2019-2020 | |
| Communication Computer Science and Engineering |
Public Software for Public Welfare: The Case of Transportation in San Diego | 2019-2020 | |
|
Jolivette, Andrew |
Ethnic Studies | Application for Yankelvoich Partnership Grant for NaFve American Elder and Culture Bearer-in-Residence Program | 2023-2024 |
|
Kaiser, Bonnie & Berterman, Aaron & Fox, Dov |
Anthropology | Developing Best Practices for Violence Risk Assessments in Youth: Implications for Clinical Practice, Decision-making, and Public Policy | 2023-2024 |
|
Lerner, Amy |
Urban Studies and Planning | Building Partnerships for Food Justice and Sustainable Food Systems at UCSD | 2023-2024 |
|
Lewis, Leslie |
Urban Studies and Planning | Evaluating the San Diego Homelessness Service Ecosystem in Collaboration with Homeless-Experienced Researchers in Training | 2023-2024 |
| Urban Studies and Planning | The Homelessness-Hub (H-HUB) Phase 2: Scaling up to the Homelessness Action and Research Policy Collaborative (HARP) | 2021-2022 | |
| Mackie, Gerald | Political Science | Social Norms Change as Urban Development Strategy | 2012-2016 |
| Mamas, Christoforos Cohen, Shana R. Choi-Vanos, Bailey | Education Studies | This project aims to improve educational equity for newcomer refugee students by fostering relational inclusivity in classrooms. Through partnerships with San Diego educators and organizations, we will use the Social Network Analysis (SNA) Toolkit to map peer relationships, identify exclusion patterns, and design inclusive and culturally responsive strategies. Activities include culturally responsive classroom interventions and a professional book club to support teachers. By enhancing students’ sense of belonging and addressing systemic barriers, this project provides a scalable, data-driven framework to improve socioemotional and academic outcomes, therefore advancing efforts to create equitable learning environments for refugee students locally and nationally. | 2024-2025 |
| Martin, Isaac | Urban Studies and Planning | How Are Voters Willing to Pay for Social Policy? A Computational Analysis of California Ballot Measures | 2012-2016 |
| Nellis, Gareth Lowe, Matt |
Political Science University of British Columbia |
WhatsApp with India? The Effects of Social Media on Political Preferences and Violent Majoritarianism | 2019-2020 |
| Nguyen, Mai | Urban Studies and Planning, Director of the Design Lab | Designing Next-Generation Housing for Californians | 2022-2023 |
| Paglayan, Agustina | Political Science | Civic Education in a Polarized and Eroding Democracy | 2025-2026 |
| Paglayan, Agustina | Political Science & GPS | Schooled: How Politics Shapes Education and Opportunity | 2018-2019 |
| Peerson, Susan | Urban Studies and Planning | Reconsidering the role of San Diego alleys in vibrant, urban life as impactful interstitial spaces for community and environmental change | 2023-2024 |
| Pezzoli, Keith | Urban Studies and Planning | Co-creating a Green Infrastructure Research-to-Action Agenda Calling for Equity in San Diego’s Approach to Urban Forestry | 2021-2022 |
| Pezzoli, Keith Sun, Feiyang Lewis, Leslie R. Chatti, Deepti Lerner, Amy | Urban Studies and Planning | Water insecurity, worsened by climate change, is an escalating problem in the San Diego-Tijuana region and other vulnerable areas worldwide. Small-scale Localized Water Infrastructure (LWI) offers solutions by addressing gaps and weaknesses in rigid Centralized Water Systems (e.g., reservoirs, dams, and pipelines). This Pilot Project assesses LWI plans, policies, and practical solutions like bioswales, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and reconstructed wetlands across five southern watersheds in the San Diego metropolitan region. The goal is to generate data, evidence, new knowledge, and stories to support adaptive, resilient, and community-based water systems, with a focus on disadvantaged communities most impacted by climate disruption. | 2024-2025 |
| Phuong, Andrew & Hofstetter, Carolyn | Education Studies | Research-Practice Partnership on Increasing College STEM Instructors’ Equitable Teaching Competencies and Student Success | 2023-2024 |
| Phuong, Andrew Hofstetter, Carolyn Huang, Fan Nguyen, Judy Ewaz, Rita Lo, Stanley | Education Studies Education Studies Biological Sciences Education Studies Education Studies Biological Sciences | This study aims to reduce inequalities in college student outcomes by integrating AI-enabled retrieval practice, adaptive pedagogy, micro-affirmations, and wise feedback into gateway math courses. Randomly assigned instructors will collaborate with researchers to construct AI-treatment activities, while a control group employs business-as-usual methods. Treatment students will receive directions on customizing AI to their interests and learning needs. The AI will support retrieval practice, offer equitable feedback and validation, and align examples with student interests. The study examines whether the treatment improves achievement and benefits minoritized students. Engaging student and instructor perspectives, design-based research will guide refinements of the AI-treatment intervention. | 2024-2025 |
| Pollock, Mica | Education Studies and CREATE | The Potential of School-based Social Justice Clubs in an Era of Restriction: A Design Research Study | 2022-2023 |
| Rabinowitz-Bussell, Mirle | Urban Studies and Planning | Homeless Hub | 2019-2020 |
| Rabinowitz-Bussell, Mirle | Urban Studies and Planning | Place-Based Philanthropy, Social Equality and Environmental Sustainability: Comparative International Approaches. | 2018-2019 |
| Rossano, Federico | Cognitive Science | A tale of two cultures: the effect of urban vs. rural socialization on children’s perception of outgroup members, gender differences and property | 2019-2020 |
| Sadoff, Sally Brownback, Andy |
Economics and Rady Economics |
Improving Community College Effectiveness Through Performance Incentives | 2012-2016 |
| Schmidt, Thomas | Communications | Capacity-building for Media Outlets Led by People of Color to Combat Disinformation | 2021-2022 |
| Shilon, Mor | Urban Studies and Planning | Refining University-Community Partnerships: Interdisciplinary Research and Practice in Israel and San Diego | 2021-2022 |
| Skrentny, John Walshok, Mary |
Sociology AVC for Public Programs and Dean of Extension |
America's Shadow Training System: University Extension Schools in Regional Tech Economies | 2012-2016 |
| Wittenberg, Eva | Linguistics | Broadening Access to Dysgraphia Therapy Using Novel Technology | 2019-2020 |
| Wixted, John | Psychology | Enhancing Evidence of Innocence from a Police Lineup | 2021-2022 |
| Yonezawa, Susan | Center for Research on Educational Equity, Assessment & Teaching Excellence (CREATE) | Alumni Toolkit | 2018-2019 |
| Zhang, Bolun | Sociology | Building a Bridge Between Algorithmic Systems Scholars at UCSD and Data and Society | 2021-2022 |