The work of CSUN faculty and staff members is recognized in a variety of ways, including:
- Funding from outside organizations to support unique programs and cutting-edge research facilitated on campus.
- Publications of books or articles.
- Professional awards.
- Presentations at conferences.
- Appointments and elections to governing boards.
Please use this link to announce your achievements for publication in CSUN Newsroom.
Below is a list of the individuals whose work was recognized from January 2025 through May 2025.
Awards
Moshoula Capous-Desyllas (Sociology) and Silvia Fernandez (Mathematics) received the 2025 CSUN Faculty Award for Outstanding Faculty.
Jacob Hinkel-Lipsker (Kinesiology), Kimberly Kirner (Anthropology) and Vickie Yu (Communication Disorders and Sciences) have received the 2025 Distinguished Teaching, Counseling, or Librarianship Award.
Douglas Kaback (Theater) received the 2025 CSUN Faculty Award for High-Impact Innovation.
Liviu Marinescu (Music) received the 2025 CSUN Faculty Award for Exceptional Creative Accomplishment(s).
Robin Muller (Philosophy) received the 2025 CSUN Faculty Award for Highly Influential and Sustained Innovation.
Tohid Sardarmehni (Mechanical Engineering) received the Outstanding Engineering Achievement Merit Award from The Engineers’ Council.
Alejandro Prado (Chicano/a Studies) received the 2025 CSUN Faculty Award for Visionary Community Based Service Learning.
Suzanne Scheld (Anthropology) received the 2025 CSUN Faculty Award for Extraordinary Service.
Jeremy Yoder (Biology) received the 2025 CSUN Faculty Award for Preeminent Scholarly Publication(s).
Research and Sponsored Projects
Sepideh Abolghasem Ghazvini (Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management) has received $23,928 from the United States Department of Energy, in support of a project entitled “Advancing Automated Computer-Aided Process Planning (CAPP): Leveraging AI for Machining Process Selection Considering Part Geometry and Manufacturing Cost.”
Carina Alvarado Alcala (Educational Opportunity Program) and Shiva Parsa (Educational Opportunity Program) have received $272,364 from the United States Department of Education, in support of a project entitled “California State University, Northridge Student Support Services Program.”
Wendy Ashley (Social Work) has received $519,421 from the University of California, Los Angeles, in support of a project entitled “University Consortium for Children and Families (UCCF).”
Annette Besnilian (Marilyn Magaram Center) has received $1,200,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture, in support of a project entitled “Collaborative Pathways to Food and Nutrition Careers Through Culinary and Food Safety Certification.”
Danielle Bram (Center for Geospatial Science and Technology) has received $148,000 from the Ventura County Resource Conservation District, in support of a project entitled “Ventura County Watershed Resilience Planning Program.”
Danielle Bram (Center for Geospatial Science and Technology) and Regan Maas (Geography and Environmental Studies) have received $498,200 from California State University, Chico in support of a project entitled “California Broadband Field Testing.”
Tracy Buenavista (Asian American Studies) and Liliana Gonzalez (Gender and Womens Studies) have received $99,983 from California State University, Office of the Chancellor, in support of a project entitled “The Intersectional Ethnic Studies (tIES) Minor Program at California State University, Northridge.”
Moshoula Capous-Desyllas (Sociology) has received $8,500 from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee in support of a project entitled “Using Digital Photovoice to Explore the Relationships Between Social Media Content and Suicidality Among Transgender Adolescents.”
Damian Christian (Physics and Astronomy) has received $61,087 from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, in support of a project entitled “Dunn Solar Telescope Observations in Support of the Parker Solar Probe Perihelia.”
Kah Chun Lau (Physics and Astronomy) has received $58,000 from Sandia National Laboratories, in support of a project entitled “Creating Quantum Spin Liquids by Disrupting the Magnetic Order in Conjugated Metal-Organic Nanosheets.”
Peter Edmunds (Biology) has received $40,000 from the Borchard Foundation, in support of a project entitled “Franco-American Collaboration to Address Alignment of Goals and Objectives in Advancing Science to Solve the Global Coral Reef Crisis.”
Rafi Efrat (Bookstein Institute), has received $120,000 from the United States Department of Treasury, in support of a project entitled “The Bookstein Low Income Taxpayer Clinic.”
Rafi Efrat (Bookstein Institute), Sara Berzenski (Psychology), and Merav Efrat (Health Sciences) have received $133,207 from the State of California, in support of a project entitled “The CSU 5+ VITA Initiative.”
Maria Elizondo (Student Affairs, Office of the Vice President) has received $700,491 from the California State University, Chico, in support of a project entitled “CalFresh Outreach.”
Michael Eller (Chemistry and Biochemistry) has received $141,158 from the Mayo Clinic, in support of a project entitled “Mass Spectrometry for Highly Sensitive and Sample-Sparing Analysis of Extracellularvesicles in Liver Diseases.”
Brian Foley (Secondary Education) has received $241,651 from the National Science Foundation, in support of a project entitled “Extending and Enhancing the STEM Teacher Pipeline through a Community of Learners and Virtual Lesson Study.”
Brian Foley (Secondary Education), Kellie Evans (Mathematics), and Virginia Oberholzer Vandergon (Biology) have received $52,154 from the University of Oregon, in support of a project entitled “Geogebra Institute Subaward for University of Oregon Western Regional Noyce Network.”
Myriam Forster (Health Sciences) has received $29,848 from the University of Texas, Austin, in support of a project entitled “SALUDe Subaward.”
Rosalia Garcia-Torres (Family and Consumer Sciences ) has received $5,975 from the California State University Agricultural Research Institute, in support of a project entitled “Developing Case Studies for Undergraduates: Valorization of Fruit and Vegetable by Products for New Product Development.”
Steven Graves (Center for Geospatial Science and Technology), Danielle Bram (Center for Geospatial Science and Technology), W. Gabriel Selassie (Africana Studies) and Maurice Hudson (Social Work) have received $30,000 from the Sacramento State – Faculty Research Fellows Program, in support of a project entitled “Food Deserts & Competition.”
Cedric Hackett (Dubois-Hamer Institute) has received $15,000 from the Los Angeles Unified School District, in support of a project entitled “COS-BASP Spring 2025: Identity in Action: A Leading Legacy Blueprint (Chatsworth MS)” and $10,500 from the Los Angeles Unified School District, in support of a project entitled “2024-25 Enrichment Workshops for Porter Ranch Community School.”
Cedric Hackett (Dubois-Hamer Institute) and Sheila Steinberg (Institute for Sustainability) have received $9,000 from the Los Angeles Unified School District, in support of a project entitled “BSAP Spring 2025 for Porter Ranch Community School: Sustainable JEDI Day: A Multicultural Sustainability Imperative.”
Dena Herman-Mendes (Family and Consumer Science) has received $999,838 from the California Department of Public Health, in support of a project entitled “Gestational Diabetes and Postpartum Care Initiative.”
Nhut Ho (Autonomy Research Center (ARCS), Amiel Hartman (Mechanical Engineering), Xunfei Jiang (Computer Science) and Kacie Blackman (Health Sciences) have received $59,596 from the Administration for Community Living, in support of a project entitled “Development of Semi-Autonomous Wheelchair and Socially-Aware Robot Health Aid to Encourage Community Participation for Persons with Low Mobility.”
Crist Khachikian (Civil Engineering and Construction Management), Daisy Lemus (Communication Studies) and Melissa Tindage (Communication Studies)have received $366,778 from the National Science Foundation, in support of a project entitled “Shaping Engineering Identities: The Influence of Faculty Communication on Latinx Students in Engineering Education.”
Bingbing Li (Autonomy Research Center (ARCS) and Nhut Ho (Autonomy Research Center (ARCS) have received $48,368 from the University of California, Irvine, in support of a project entitled “The Sustainable Manufacturing Alliances for Research and Training Industry Assessment Center (The SMART IAC)” and $136,500 from the University of California, Los Angeles, in support of a project entitled “AR/VR Hardware and Software for Training.”
Li Liu (Computer Science) has received $8,080 from Auburn University, in support of a project entitled “FACT: Interactive Deep Learning Platform and Multi-Source Data Integration for Improved Soil Moisture Forecasting.”
Gang Lu (Physics and Astronomy) has received $999,990 from the United States Department of Defense, in support of a project entitled “Excitons in Two-Dimensional Magnetic Heterostructures.”
Gang Lu (Physics and Astronomy) and Xu Zhang (Physics and Astronomy) have received $800,000 from the United States Department of Energy, in support of a project entitled “Excitons in Flatlands: First-Principles Explorations.”
Cathrine Maiorca (Elementary Education) has received $12,588 from Saint Louis University, in support of a project entitled “MiMICRE Grant and with iSCORE.”
Juana Maria Valdivia (Student Outreach and Recruitment) and Monica Jimenez (Educational Opportunity Program) have received $317,460 from the United States Department of Education, in support of a project entitled “Talent Search San Fernando Valley North Central.”
Virginia Oberholzer Vandergon (Biology), Brian Foley (Secondary Education), Matthew d’Alessio (Geological Sciences), Li Ye (Chemistry and Biochemistry) and Norman Herr (Secondary Education) have received $45,000 from the University of California Regents, in support of a project entitled “San Fernando Valley Science Project ESSA.”
Jennifer Pemberton (Strength United) and Merilla Scott (Strength United) have received $204,499 from the California Office of Emergency Services, in support of a project entitled “Campus Sexual Assault (CT) Program.”
Nayan Ramirez (Criminology and Justice Studies) has received $45,410 from Northeastern University, in support of a project entitled “NIDA subcontract: The Impact of Longitudinal Social Networks on Young Adult Substance Use and Misuse.”
Christoph Schaal (Mechanical Engineering) has received $10,000 from the Aerospace Corporation, in support of a project entitled “Concept Development of an Experimental Payload for In-Space Inspection of Bonded Joints.”
Merilla Scott (Strength United) has received $90,000 from the California Office of Emergency Services, in support of a project entitled “Sexual Assault Response Team (XS) Program,” $454,406 from the California Office of Emergency Services, in support of a project entitled “AT – Child Abuse Treatment Program,” $194,000 from the California Office of Emergency Services, in support of a project entitled “Underserved Child and Youth Advocacy Program (XY),” $27,600 from the City of Los Angeles, in support of a project entitled “Domestic Response Abuse Team (DART) – North Hollywood,” $27,600 from the City of Los Angeles, in support of a project entitled “Domestic Response Abuse Team (DART) – Foothill,” $46,912 from the City of Los Angeles, in support of a project entitled “Domestic Response Abuse Team (DART) – Mission,” $27,600 from the City of Los Angeles, in support of a project entitled “Domestic Response Abuse Team (DART) – West Valley,” $49,999 from the National Children’s Alliance, in support of a project entitled “PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT – MEETING THE 2023 NATIONAL STANDARDS” and $250,000 from the California Office of Emergency Services, in support of a project entitled “Child Advocacy Center (KC).”
Mark Steele (Biology) has received $50,000 from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in support of a project entitled “SONGS Mitigation Monitoring Program, 2024-2025.”
Sheila Steinberg (Institute for Sustainability) has received $100,000 from Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, in support of a project entitled “Conservation Concierges Collaboration to Develop A Climate Workforce.”
Maryam Tabibzadeh (Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management) has received $47,042 from the University of California, Los Angeles, in support of a project entitled “Extending Human Reliability Analysis Methods for Explicit Inclusion of Organizational Factors: Methodology and PRA Implications” and $45,599 from the Regents of the University of California, in support of a project entitled “Extending PRA and HRA Legacy Methods and Tools with a Cause-Based Model for Comprehensive Treatment of Human Error Dependency.”
Houssam Toutanji (Center for Engineering and Computer Science Research and Education), Xudong Jia (Center for Engineering and Computer Science Research and Education), and Ruting Jia (Electrical and Computer Engineering) have received $35,000 from California State University, Sacramento, in support of a project entitled “CSU-LSAMP STEM PATHWAYS & RESEARCH ALLIANCE (Chancellor Award).”
John Valdovinos (Electrical and Computer Engineering) has received $26,277 from the Medtronic MiniMed, in support of a project entitled “Finite Element Model of a Continuous Glucose Monitoring Sensor (CGM) and Experimental Methods for Characterizing CGM Electrodes.”
Ivor Weiner (Special Education) has received $326,682 from Heluna Health, in support of a project entitled “Community Navigator Program.”
Jenn Wolfe (Secondary Education) has received $36,506 from the University Corporation Regents, in support of a project entitled “CSUN Writing Project CSMP” and $39,089 in support of a project entitled “CSUN Writing Project ESSA.”
