University Reports

Manuel Aguilar-Moreno

Manuel Aguilar-Moreno (Emeritus, Art) organized the 2026 Mesoamerican Symposium, honoring archaeologist Leonardo López Luján and restorer Diana Magaloni Kerpel. This year’s theme was “From the Mexica Empire to New Spain: Transculturation and Identity.” The event on April 10, 2026, was organized in collaboration with the Art History Society on campus. 

David Blekhman

David Blekhman (Technology) was one of three guest speakers at a Global Sustainability Summit themed “Hydrogen Power: Innovation and Opportunity,” hosted at Loyola Marymount University, March 18, 2026. 

Michele Bleuze

Michele Bleuze (Anthropology) organized the session “Land of the Dead: Bioarchaeological Perspectives on Mortuary Practices in Mesoamerican Subterranean Spaces” at the 91st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in San Francisco on April 30, 2026, and presented a paper, “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: The History and Development of Maya Subterranean Bioarchaeology.” She also coauthored “Red Pigments of the Ancient Maya: Investigating Two Enigmatic Subterranean Skeletal Assemblages” with graduate student Eric Gonzales. Additionally, Bleuze was a coauthor on two posters at the 95th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Biological Anthropologists in Denver, March 18-21, 2026. The first poster, “Mandibular Tori as a Result of Increased Masticatory Stress? An Analysis of Tori Expression and Osteoarthritis of the Temporomandibular Joint in a Donated Skeletal Collection,” was with graduate student Amanda Jokela and the second, “Non-Metric Dental Variation in a Classic Period (AD 250−900) Human Sacrificial Assemblage from Midnight Terror Cave, Belize,” was with graduate student Marineh Mousalu and James Brady (Anthropology).  

James Brady

James Brady (Anthropology) organized a session, “Advances in the Exploration of the Mesoamerican Subterranean Realm: Recent Discoveries and New Interpretations,” at the 91st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology in San Francisco on May 1, 2026. He presented a paper, “How Often Were Human Sacrificial Rituals Conducted? A Trial Formulation at Midnight Terror Cave, Belize,” and coauthored, “The Midnight Terror Cave Skeletal Assemblage: A Paleogenomic Perspective,” with former Cal State LA graduate student Cristina Verdugo. 

Stanley Burstein

Stanley Burstein (Emeritus, History) delivered a paper, “Greek Historiography and the Book of Judith,” at the 2026 meeting of the Association of Ancient Historians at the University of Iowa on April 18, 2026. 

Berenecea Johnson Eanes

Berenecea Johnson Eanes (Cal State LA), president, was a presenter on a two-woman panel at the FEMME 2026 Power Confab Retreat celebrating Women’s History Month at The Langham Huntington hotel in Pasadena, March 19, 2026. Eanes shared the stage during the “Fearless First Series: The Women Who Dare!” panel with fellow trailblazer Antonia Novello, who served as the first woman U.S. Surgeon General in the early 1990s. FEMME founder Sarah Ruiz Chavez served as moderator. 

Steve LaDochy

Steve LaDochy (Emeritus, Geography, Geology, and Environment) delivered a paper, “Where Art Thou LA: The Problems of Relocation of Weather Stations,” at the 2026 California Geographical Society Annual Meeting in Huntington Beach on April 25, 2026. 

Enrique C. Ochoa

Enrique C. Ochoa (Latin American Studies and History) was a speaker on a panel, “Plática: Stories Behind Mexican Foodways in L.A. since the Days of El Pueblo,” at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes on March 14, 2026. The panel discussed how Angelenos and our neighbors have experienced food pathways over time and how those ideas contributed to health, society, and economic well-being. 

Gregory Stevens

Gregory Stevens (Public Health) helped organize the university’s first outreach campaign on respiratory viruses, where volunteers distributed over 4,000 bookmarks with simple, easy-to-follow, evidence-based tips for staying safe, including vaccination information and referrals to the Student Health Center to receive on-the-spot flu shots. 

Joanne Altschuler

Joanne Altschuler (Professor Emerita, Social Work) coauthored an article with Dr. Anne Katz, “A Single Session Mask Making Group with Incarcerated GBT Adults,” published in The Prison Journal, vol. 106, issue 2, Feb. 12, 2026. 

J. Chris Bachman

J. Chris Bachman (Mechanical Engineering) coauthored an article, “Thermal stability and performance of Li-ion batteries at elevated temperatures: separator effects,” in the Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, vol. 56, no. 50, Feb. 1, 2026. 

David Blekhman

David Blekhman (Technology) coauthored a chapter, “Regional focus: The United States, distribution and H22X grid integration,” in the book, Hydrogen and Bioenergy, published by Elsevier, Jan. 1, 2026. 

Marco Del Angel

Marco Del Angel (Economics and Statistics) coauthored an article, “East Indiamen: Shipping and its effect on East India Company-Asian trade 1660-1830,” in Cliometrica: Journal of Historical Economics and Econometric History, March 13, 2026. 

Analena Hope Hassberg

Analena Hope Hassberg (Sociology) coauthored an article, “Inequities in food access during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multilevel, mixed methods pilot study,” in BMC Public Health, vol. 26, no. 549, Jan. 14, 2026. 

Barry Hibbs

Barry Hibbs (Geography, Geology, and Environment) authored and coauthored the following papers: “Salinity controls on artificial recharge—case study distinguishing mixing from mineral dissolution in a saline aquifer” in Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, vol. 32, no. 1, April 14, 2026; with M. Schilling, A. Sunda, and J. Miramontes, “Hydrogeologic and Agricultural Drivers of Groundwater Salinity, Boron, Selenium, and Nitrate in Wister Unit, Eastern Salton Sea, California,” in Hydrology, vol. 13, no. 2, Feb. 13, 2026; with C. Peralta, “Biofilms, groundwater seepage, and internal controls on dry-weather bacterial loading in underground storm drains,” in Water, vol. 18, no. 3, Feb. 3, 2026; “Eminent Hydrogeologist of Mexico: Alfonso de la O Carreño Active Period 1938–1973,” in Hydrogeology Journal, vol. 34, Feb. 18, 2026; and “Historical reflections: History and results of U.S./Mexico groundwater data exchange programs in the Paso del Norte region, 1897 to 2022,” in Groundwater, vol. 64, no. 1, Dec. 4, 2025.  

Anh-Luu Huynh-Hohnbaum

Anh-Luu Huynh-Hohnbaum (Social Work) authored an article, “Relationship difficulties: compounding effects of Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),” in Medical Research Archives, vol. 14, no. 2, Feb. 28, 2026. 

Joshua Kelly

Joshua Kelly (Geography, Geology, and Environment) coauthored an article with M.S. graduate student Suvam Patel, “Detection and accuracy of a geomorphic Proxy-Based shoreline indicator in PlanetScope imagery,” in the International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, March 2026. This paper introduces a novel shoreline mapping technique using commercial-grade satellite imagery that could significantly improve how we monitor shoreline change worldwide. Kelly also contributed to the 2026 California Coast and Ocean Report, which was released by the California Ocean Protection Council on March 24, 2026. The report is the first comprehensive, science-based assessment of coastal and ocean health in California history.

Yuanyuan Li

Yuanyuan Li (Marketing) authored a book chapter, “The Emergence and Growth of International Business Thought as an Evolutionary Process,” in the Historical Evolution of International Business: Growth Trajectory of an Academic Field of Study, published by Palgrave Macmillan, May 23, 2026. She also authored the following articles: “The insights from the crowd: Drawing inferences from many approaches to key empirical questions in international business,” in the Journal of International Business Studies, Nov. 5, 2025, and “Revisiting the springboard perspective: Market-seeking internationalization, dynamic capabilities, and digital transformation of emerging market firms,” in Management and Organization Review, vol. 2, no. 6, July 4, 2025. 

Stephanie Magallanes

Stephanie Magallanes (Nursing) coauthored the following articles: “Health Literacy Applications in Patients with Cancer” in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, vol. 29, no. 5, October 2025, and “Spinal Cord Compression and Cauda Equina Syndrome” in the Journal for the American Nurses Association, April 1, 2026. 

Sarah Minslow

Sarah Minslow (English) co-edited the volume, Contemporary International Literature and the Shoah, as part of the Science, Society & Culture Series: Studies in Jewish History and Memory, volume 19, published by Peter Lang, Dec. 16, 2025. 

James D. Simon

James D. Simon (Social Work), along with C. Lau and T. Franke, coauthored an article, “Evaluating a community response program for high-risk families diverted out of CPS after a child abuse investigation: A propensity score analysis of re-reports and substantiations,” in Child Maltreatment, Feb. 25, 2026. 

Jay Vargas

Jay Vargas (Criminal Justice and Criminalistics) coauthored an article, “Artificial intelligence assisted behavioral profiling of synthetic cannabinoids in planarians,” in the Forensic Toxicology, April 17, 2026. 

Petr Vozka

Petr Vozka (Chemistry and Biochemistry) coauthored the following articles: with U. Agbulut, F. Polat, S. Saridemir, M. Karagoz, and B. Abalnoz, “From Waste COVID‑19 Face Masks to Fuel: Pyrolysis‑Oil/Diesel Blends with Hydrogen Enrichment in a CI Engine,” in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, vol. 200, Jan. 14, 2026; with Z.Y. Shin, A.-H. Boroumand, J. DerMovsesian, S. Louie, E. Dudley, P. Cuadros-Arias, A. Rubio, and M. Li, “From Waste to Fuel: Catalytic Pyrolysis Transforms COVID-19 Face Masks into High-Octane Hydrocarbons,” in Sustainable Chemistry for Climate Action, vol. 7, December 2025; with M. Auersvald, G. Barzallo, H. Gieng, J. Patel, A. Sharma, K. Van Geem, and P. Straka, “Toward accurate olefin quantification in plastic waste oils: Analytical strategies and future directions,” in TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, vol. 193, December 2025; and with C. Gentilcore, C. Un, J. Martinez-Maldonado, and N.-H. Wang, “Continuous Low-Pressure Hydrothermal Processing Methods for Polystyrene Conversion to Oils,” in RSC Sustainability, vol. 3, June 30, 2025. 

Su-Jeong Wee

Su-Jeong Wee (Child and Family Studies) coauthored an article, “(Re)thinking Food and Food Practices in Early Childhood Education with Children through Suda Approach,” in Children & Society, Feb. 14, 2026. 

Navid Amini

Navid Amini (Computer Science) received a two-year, $150,000 grant from BrightFocus Foundation’s National Glaucoma Research program for his innovative research in vision health. Amini’s project is titled “How Glaucoma Patients Lift Their Feet and Use Smart Insoles to Walk Safely.”  

Jose Anguiano and Christopher Gravis

Jose Anguiano (Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies) and Christopher Gravis (Music) were both selected for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ Department Chair Leadership Institute (DCLI), a competitive national program for department chairs at regional public universities. They were among 37 higher education leaders nationwide who participated in the semester-long institute. The cohort met in Washington, D.C., Jan. 7–8, 2026, for intensive professional development focused on leading departments in today’s evolving higher education environment. The program emphasized skill-building, peer learning, and networking around key leadership topics in higher education. 

Pablo Baler

Pablo Baler (Modern Languages and Literatures) has been awarded the 2025 New American Fiction Prize for his novel Gilroy’s Gloryhole. The novel will be published in fall 2026 by New American Press. The prestigious prize is awarded annually to a full-length fiction manuscript by New American Press, an independent publisher committed to bringing readers the best in contemporary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and translations from across the United States and around the world. 

Connie Corley

Connie Corley (Emerita, Social Work) has received a 2025 grant from the California State University-Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association (CSU-ERFA) Foundation to support the “Resilience in Activism and Advocacy” research project. The CSU-ERFA funding will enable Corley to conduct and archive in-depth oral history interviews with a group of U.S. activists and advocates devoted to protecting democracy and voting rights. 

Barry J. Hibbs

Barry J. Hibbs (Geography, Geology, and Environment) has been selected to receive the 2026 Karl and Ruth Terzaghi Outstanding Mentor Award from the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG). The prestigious international award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in mentoring environmental and engineering geologists throughout their careers. Recipients are honored for longstanding mentorship of students and junior colleagues. The award will be presented during a banquet at AEG’s Annual Meeting in Chattanooga, Tenn., this September. 

Mike Krebs

Mike Krebs (Mathematics), along with graduate students Angel Carrillo, Jonathan Cervantes, and Francisco Leon, has been selected to receive the Mathematical Association of America’s 2026 George Pólya Award for the coauthored paper, “A Graph Theorist Plants a Tree,” published in The College Mathematics Journal, vol. 56, no. 1, 2025. The article offers a candid look at how mathematical research actually happens, and introduces key ideas in graph theory while planting seeds for future exploration.  

Jessica Morales-Chicas

Jessica Morales-Chicas (Child and Family Studies) has secured a $399,000 National Science Foundation grant for a three-year project titled “Improving Attributions in Undergraduate Pre-Calculus for STEM Success.” Daniel Da Silva (Mathematics) serves as co-principal investigator on this project. Morales-Chicas also secured a $171,000 NSF grant allocated to advancing the California State University Well-being Alliance for Research Masters (CSU WARM), a four-year, multi-campus initiative that focuses on graduate student mental health and well-being within STEM research training.  

Julie Patel Liss

Julie Patel Liss (Television, Film, and Media Studies) has been appointed to a statewide advisory board overseeing a new $20 million initiative to support local journalism and civic engagement across California. Patel Liss will serve on the Civic Media Program advisory board convened by the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). 

Eric Wood

Eric Wood (Biological Sciences), co-director of the university’s Urban Ecology Center, is a co-principal investigator on a $2.5 million grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to expand the Sentinel Sites for Nature, a coordinated network of long-term biodiversity monitoring locations across the state. The effort is led by Cal Poly Humboldt and the U.S. Geological Survey California Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and brings together researchers from 17 CSU campuses.