RIVERSIDE, CA — Dean Daryle Williams and the University of California, Riverside (UCR) College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS) are proud to announce the launch of the Dean’s Research Impact Initiative. This strategic program is designed to catalyze high-impact scholarship and creative activity during the Winter and Spring 2026 terms, serving as a springboard for a robust, expanded research ecosystem in the 2026-27 academic year and beyond. 

As part of this initiative, Dean Williams has awarded five Dean’s Research Impact Initiative seed grants. Drawing from unspent endowment funds, each grant of $10,000 to $15,000 provides CHASS Senate faculty with the critical early-stage accelerator grants needed to pilot innovative projects, foster interdisciplinary partnerships, and position CHASS at the forefront of research at the University of California and across the Association of American Universities.

2026 Dean’s Research Impact Initiative Seed Grant Recipients

The following faculty members have been selected for their potential to drive meaningful change through their respective disciplines:

• Claudia Holguín Mendoza, Associate Professor, Department of Hispanic Studies
• Christophe Katrib, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production
• Juliette Levy, Associate Professor, Department of History
• Kēhaulani Vaughn, Associate Professor, Department of Ethnic Studies
• Rachel Wu, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology

All seed funds must be spent by September 1, 2026, on the expectation that each grantee will be well-positioned to seek additional external funding in the coming academic year. In partnership with the Graduate Division, each grantee will also be able to seek additional one-time summer funding for graduate student research support. 

“These seed grants represent more than just financial support; they go beyond accelerating Chancellor Hu’s focus on our research enterprise, “ Dean Williams said. “Each grant makes concrete the enduring truth that the humanities, arts, and social sciences are pillars of the modern research university. CHASS is an engine of discovery and development at UCR." 

“By supporting these five scholars today, we are setting the stage for CHASS to lead the way in interdisciplinary excellence and research with public visibility and social impact. These efforts ensure that the momentum generated by Professors Holguín Mendoza, Katrib, Levy, Vaughn, and Wu — and our outstanding undergraduate and graduate students — will evolve into a permanent, well-supported infrastructure for excellence, now and into a bright future.”

Cultivating the Research Pipeline: Incentivizing Student Excellence

The Dean’s Research Impact Initiative extends beyond faculty support to include our student scholars. In a collaborative effort with the UCR Graduate Division and the Division of Undergraduate Education, CHASS is introducing new incentives to celebrate and reward student research:

• Undergraduate Excellence Prizes: CHASS will award three cash prizes to top CHASS undergraduates at UCR’s Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities Symposium, April 20-24, 2026. Awards of $500 will be presented to CHASS undergraduate majors for Best Oral Presentation, Best Poster Presentation, and Best Creative Arts Presentation. These awards will highlight exceptional achievements and further encourage student engagement in research and creative activity within CHASS. Award recipients will be selected based on feedback from presentation evaluations. Honorees will be formally recognized at a Symposium Celebration Luncheon in early May.
• CHASS Grad Slam Award: The top CHASS graduate student at Grad Slam 2026 will receive a cash prize, recognizing excellence in the “three-minute thesis” competition and public speaking. Campus finals are scheduled for April 10, to be held before a panel of judges, university leaders, and a live audience. The campus winner will go on to represent UCR at the UC-wide Grad Slam Finals in Sacramento on April 22, 2026.

By integrating these student milestones into the initiative, CHASS is building a comprehensive "pipeline" that connects undergraduate and graduate student exploration with advanced faculty research.

"In 2026, UCR and the Division of Undergraduate Education is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the signature Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities Symposium held every spring on campus,” said Louie F. Rodriguez, Vice Provost and Dean of the Division of Undergraduate Education. “We are excited about this partnership with CHASS, which will allow us to expand the celebration of student research, a known high-impact practice associated with student success." 

Aligning with Chancellor S. Jack Hu’s Vision for Research

The Dean’s Research Impact Initiative is a direct response to the campus-wide research goals established by Chancellor S. Jack Hu and Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development Rodolfo Torres.

By providing these five seed grants, CHASS is actively implementing the Chancellor’s three core research pillars of Strategically Aligning Seed Funding, Diversifying the Funding Ecosystem, and Enabling High-Impact Research. 

“Graduate education is fundamentally research education, and the Dean’s Research Impact Initiative is exactly the kind of strategic investment that accelerates discovery while strengthening the training environment for students,” said Lidia Kos, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies.

“By pairing faculty seed grants with targeted graduate student research support, CHASS is building a model for how campuses can expand scholarly impact while developing the next generation of researchers, thinkers, artists, and public intellectuals. The Graduate Division is proud to partner with CHASS in advancing student success through meaningful research opportunities and mentorship.”

Looking Ahead: AY 2026-27

While the current Winter and Spring terms focus on seeding these five research projects, the Dean’s Research Impact Initiative is just the beginning. CHASS is exploring future opportunities with the Office of Research and Economic Development to accelerate large-scale projects and identify new corporate and foundation partnerships.

“The Dean’s Research Impact Initiative reflects exactly the kind of strategic, forward-looking investment that strengthens UCR’s research and innovation enterprise,” said Rodolfo Torres, Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development. “RED looks forward to further partnering with CHASS on joint funding programs that help faculty build momentum, attract external support, and expand research and creative activities opportunities for scholars and students across the humanities, arts, and social sciences."

About the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS): CHASS is the largest college at the University of California, Riverside. CHASS is home to three Pulitzer Prize winners, two U.S. Poet Laureates, over 11,000 students, 600 faculty members, and more than 20 departments and programs, fostering a diverse interdisciplinary environment where critical thinking, innovation, and social responsibility thrive. Through initiatives like the Dean’s Research Impact Initiative, the College continues to redefine the role of the humanities, arts, and social sciences in the 21st century at one of the world’s premier R1 research universities. Learn more at chass.ucr.edu

FEATURED PHOTO. CHASS Dean Daryle Williams announces plans for the Dean’s Research Impact Initiative during the 2025 CHASS State of the College, held at UC Riverside’s Barn restaurant on November 5, 2025. Photo by Lyndsey Rankin, CHASS Marketing and Communications.