President Dianne F. Harrison saluted faculty and staff researchers at the second annual Principal Investigators Recognition Celebration on Oct. 7. About 140 principal investigators attended the event at the University House. Photo by Lee Choo.

Faculty and staff who raise millions of dollars for research conducted at California State University, Northridge were honored at the second annual Principal Investigators Recognition Celebration on Monday, Oct. 7.

President Dianne F. Harrison hosted about 140 faculty and staff researchers at the University House. Each principal investigator, the lead researcher on a funded project, was individually honored and presented with a token of the university’s appreciation for their dedication to projects that range from research on the impact of global warming on coral reefs and wetlands mapping to improving support for Latino and low-income students and support for adoption services.

“These efforts bring critical resources needed to continue and expand the important work that we do at CSUN every day,” Harrison said. “Research and sponsored programs are vehicles through which we reach out and connect more closely with the community and the world. They excite and ignite the intellectual growth and development of our students, and open doors to a brighter future.”

Increasing CSUN’s research activity and sponsored programs is one of the president’s seven planning priorities. She launched the first Principal Investigators Recognition Ceremony last year as part of that effort.

Both Harry Hellenbrand, provost and vice president for academic affairs, and William Watkins ’74 (Urban Studies), vice president of student affairs and dean of students, thanked the researchers for their work.

President Harrison congratulates April Taylor, a professor in the Department of the Child and Adolescent Development. Photo by Lee Choo.

April Taylor, a professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Development who received a $124,002 grant from the UC Regents to support a project titled “Psychosocial Benefits of Ethnic Diversity in Urban Middle Schools: Diversity Supplement,” said the event made her feel special.

“What I really appreciated about the ceremony was the opportunity to be with like-minded folks that are all encouraging,” Taylor said. “It was also nice to see how much is going on at CSUN. It makes me even more proud of our faculty.”

To read more about research at CSUN, visit our faculty and staff achievements webpage.

Principal Investigators, Research