The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Featured Awards for Spring 2007
Dr. Les Adler, Miriam Hutchins
National Endowment for the Humanities Award
Project Title: "Jack London, Beauty Ranch and Re-Imaging the American Dream"
This project invites educators from across the U.S. to join distinguished professors of history, archeology, and literature for a weeklong workshop: Jack London, Beauty Ranch and Re-Imaging the American Dream. The workshop, to be held in July 2007, focuses on London's brief and dramatic life (1876-1916), full of contradictions, continuities, and significant contributions from his time, that of the Progressive Era, to the emergence of Modern America. Nearly ninety years after his death, Jack London remains one of the best-known and best-selling American authors in the world. He was a towering literary and cultural figure in early twentieth century America, whose writing, social attitudes, and political activism reflected and impacted public understanding far beyond the boundaries of any single geographic region, literary genre, or ideological belief system.
Dr. Hall Cushman
U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Award
Project Title: "Developing Tools to Promote the Recovery of Five Federally Listed Vernal Pool Grasses"
This project aims to provide resource managers with the practical information they require for use in reintroduction and restoration efforts involving five federally listed grass species that inhabit vernal pools. Vernal pools are one of the most endangered habitats in the United States and the grass species under investigation have been fragmented, reduced or eliminated by large-scale habitat destruction. This research will provide information on how to prevent extinction of declining species of grasses by stabilizing and increasing populations and ultimately lead to species recovery.
Dr. Charlie Ferguson
California Department of Social Services (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services) Award
This research project is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of California’s Title IV-E Child Welfare Waiver Capped Allocation Demonstration Project (CAP) as it is implemented in Alameda County and Los Angeles County. Title IV-E funds are a federal entitlement restricted to funding foster care placements for children who are child welfare dependents or probation wards. For the Demonstration Project, the federal government is capping Title IV-E funds in exchange for flexibility in the use of those dollars to pay for alternative services to foster care. The evaluation is guided by three main questions. Does the capped allocation/flexibility (a) result in a greater array of services available to children and families, (b) change the expenditure of funds from foster care to alternative services, and (c) improve outcomes for children and families? The evaluation consists of three components: (a) a process study, (b) a fiscal study, and (c) an outcome study. The evaluation will use an interrupted time series design to guide data collection activities. Both qualitative and quantitative will be collected and analyzed. The evaluation is a five-year project and will be completed with the cooperation of the departments of children and family services and probation in both counties.
