Research
The Latino Research Center collaborates with community organizations, University of Nevada, Reno faculty, and national partners to conduct research. Its primary research focus is on four key areas: health/public health, economy, education, and immigration/civic engagement. The ultimate objective of these initiatives is to contribute to research centered around the Latino community and generate meaningful impacts in the state of Nevada.
Current grants awarded
Theme area: Community of Bilingual English-Spanish Speakers Exploring Issues in Science and Health (CBESS) 2.0
Cohort: 2023-2024
Collaborators: Latino Research Center, UNR School of Medicine, College of Education and Human Development.
Description: The Community of Bilingual English-Spanish Speakers Exploring Issues in Science and Health (CBESS) project seeks to engage bilingual rural high school students to increase Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) plus health exposure.
Theme area: Reno Arts & Culture Commission, Arts & Culture Event Grants 2024
Cohort: Fall 2024
Collaborators: Latino Research Center, Multicultural Center, and Hispanic/Latinx Community Relations
Description: Día de Los Muertos, a two-day celebration with roots in Aztec culture, occurs November 1- 2. During this period Latinx families remember and honor lives of their dearly departed. Our on-campus celebration will provide an opportunity for all community and students to celebrate culture and learn about Día de Los Muertos.
Theme area: The acquisition of information structure by child heritage bilinguals
Cohort: 2022-2024
Collaborators: Latino Research Center, Department of World Languages and Literatures
Description: The goal of this project is to conduct an experiment on the acquisition of information structure in child heritage Spanish. Anticipated outcomes include conference presentations and a journal article, dissemination of findings through the Latino Research Center, community stakeholders and other interest groups who can use language understandings to support child and family needs.
Theme area: Emerging HSIs Amidst Latinx Faculty Departures
Cohort: 2022-2024
Collaborators: University of Nevada, Reno College of Education and Human Development, Latino Research Center, IUPLR, DePaul University, and UCONN
Description: The purpose of this study is to better understand the Latinx staffing patterns at Emerging HSIs and examine why Latinx faculty are considering leaving or have departed from institutions. In conducting this study, we will (a) identify descriptive data to better understand the landscape of current Emerging HSIs as they work toward the HSI designation, (b) establish a cross-institutional effort to identify themes or patterns in Latinx faculty departure, (c) explore current strategic plans of emerging HSIs in relation to current retention efforts and their pursuit of the HSI designation and (d) disseminate findings through various article publications.
Funded research
Collaborators: Inter-University Programs (IUPLR) for Latino Research (DePaul University and UCONN)
Description: The purpose of this study is to investigate the Latinx staffing patterns at Emerging HSIs to understand why Latinx faculty have left (or are considering leaving) from their institution. In doing so, Latinx faculty departure decision-making efforts will be explored to get a broader perspective on the impact at Emerging HSIs.
Collaborators: University of Arizona
Description: This study aims to investigate how information structure modulates the way child Spanish-language heritage speakers process input in their heritage language by comparing two groups: children who speak Spanish in Mexico compared to children who speak Spanish in the United States (and are bilinguals).
Non-funded research
Collaborators: Truckee Meadows Community College Men of Color Program Leaders
Description: The Men of Color Mentorship Program has been in existence at Truckee Meadows Community College to support six cohorts (2016-2021) with career paths and college opportunities. Program participants have been male students of color, ages 15-18, enrolled among four high schools within Washoe County School District. The purpose of this study is to conduct a program evaluation using participant feedback to better understand the experiences among the males who participate in Men of Color but do not pursue postsecondary enrollment.
Collaborators: Dr. Melody Huslage and Dr. Raúl Fregoso Bailón
Description: This study will carry out focus group interviews to identify needs of Latinx faculty at UNR with regard to research productivity.
Collaborators: Greater Nevada Credit Union
Description: Family financial wellness supports critical outcomes for families regarding economic status. As the Latinx demographic continues to grow, a better understanding of existing needs among Latino Families regarding family financial wellness can help institutions (and families) identify methods and strategies for support. The purpose of this study is to collect baseline data on Latinx/o family financial wellness using a quantitative methodology.
Collaborators: University of Texas at Arlington Faculty
Description: This study aims to investigate the preferences of Latinx employees regarding compensation and work-family balance, while considering the intersecting identities of race, age, and gender. The focus of this study is on the extent to which race, age, and gender influence preferences for compensation and work-family balance.
Collaborators: Dr. Raul Fregoso Bailón
Description:
The purpose of this study is to collect qualitative baseline data on Latin-American and Latinx teacher’s and students’ narratives (poems, autobiographies, memoirs, testimonies, interviews, among others) to incorporate them into the construction of new educational foundations and curriculum for schools in Nevada.
Collaborators: Dr. Melody Huslage and Dr. Rose Ann Gutierrez
Description:
This study will seek to identify current baseline data on Nevada’s Latino immigrant population.