Interdisciplinary Frontiers in the Humanities and Arts (IFHA) Program
IFHA Award Notification
Following a rigorous review process and consultation with the Provost and the Chair of the Academic Senate, the Office of Research is proud to announce the recipients of the inaugural Interdisciplinary Frontiers in the Humanities and Arts (IFHA) awards. In total, $3.6 million will be awarded to seven highly innovative interdisciplinary IFHA clusters over a three year period. The funded clusters are listed below.
Following the Research Investments in the Sciences and Engineering (RISE) initiative, IFHA is the second UC Davis competitive grant program designed to establish new, globally competitive large-scale interdisciplinary research activity at UC Davis. Together, these two funding mechanisms will create exciting communities of scholarship and catalyze a new era in transformative collaborative research excellence for the campus.
Interdisciplinary research teams are critical to crafting transformative theories and approaches to the complex cultural, humanistic, and social problems facing today’s individuals and societies. Interdisciplinary collaboration taps the strengths of each team member and discipline, acknowledging artistic expression and performance, providing linguistic context, and deploying multiple communication and analysis methodologies to explore original, complex research topics at the intersection of disciplines
A report will soon be released that provides an executive summary of the IFHA initiative as well as details of the program, including the IFHA review process.
The IFHA funded clusters will support the Chancellor’s Vision of Excellence in that they will strengthen the ability of UC Davis humanities, arts and social science faculty to compete for major foundation, federal and philanthropic grants, and to explore partnerships with civil society, the private sector, and other educational institutions. IFHA clusters will also create new opportunities for interdisciplinary research training at the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels across the humanities, social sciences, and creative and performing arts.
Our appreciation goes to the faculty and staff who put so much energy into the 30 submissions received by OR. While there were many excellent proposals, with requests totaling nearly $27.5 million, the resources available and stringent evaluation process allowed for only a limited number of Cluster concepts to be funded.
To those teams who were not selected on this occasion, OR staff look forward to working with you to identify other avenues for funding your Cluster concepts. Cluster Leaders of all proposals will soon receive review summaries that should be useful in advancing project goals and improving scientific competitiveness.
Finally, congratulations to the awardees of the IFHA Program at UC Davis. The staff at OR is looking forward to working with the winning teams to make the IFHA projects a resounding success, building on our combined strengths to create the research of the future.
Harris A. Lewin
Vice Chancellor for Research
Please see above, at left, for the IFHA RFA (Request for Applications) and FAQs. Feel free to send any questions on IFHA to: campusIFHA@ucdavis.edu
Cluster Leader | Proposal Title | Cluster Faculty |
| Mario Biagioli Science and Technology Studies & History College of Letters & Science, Division of Social Sciences & Law School of Law | Innovating the Communication of Scholarship | Jonathan Eisen, Evolution & Ecology Mackenzie Smith, University Library Colin Milburn, English Andy Jones, University Writing Program/IET Madhavi Sunder, Law Jim Griesemer, Philosophy Bertram Ludaescher, Computer Science Andrew Hargadon, GSM Anupam Chander, Law |
| Ann Stevens Economics College of Letters & Science, Division of Social Sciences | California Community Colleges, Vocational Programs and Workforce Development: Improving the Workforce and Improving Lives | Michal Kurlaender, Education Victoria Smith, Sociology Jean Stratford, University Library Marianne Page, Economics Heather Rose, Education Kimberlee Shauman, Sociology Scott Carrell, Economics |
| Colin Milburn English College of Letters & Science: Division of Humanities, Arts & Cultural Studies | Gamification and Innovation in the Digital Humanities | Carolyn de la Peña, American Studies Joseph Dumit, Science & Technology Studies / Anthropology Caren Kaplan, American Studies Oliver Kreylos, Geology John Marx, English Michael Neff, Computer Science Kriss Ravetto, Cinema & Technocultural Studies Eric Smoodin, American Studies J. Bruce German, Food Science & Technology Cynthia Carter Ching, Education Louise Kellogg, Geology Nina Amenta, Computer Science Ian Korf, Molecular & Cellular Biology Lawrence Bogad, Theater & Dance |
| Marianne Page Economics College of Letters & Science, Division of Social Sciences | Understanding the Long-Term Effects for Children in Economic Distress | Katherine Conger, Human & Community Development Paul Hastings, Psychology Ann Stevens, Economics Amanda Guyer, Human & Community Development Ross Thompson, Psychology |
| Giovanni Peri Economics College of Letters & Science, Division of Social Sciences | Managing Temporary Migrations: California, US and the World | Luis Guarnizo, Human & Community Development Kevin Johnson, Law David Kyle, Sociology Philip Martin, Agricultural & Resource Economics Leticia Saucedo, Law Ed Taylor, Agricultural & Resource Economics Erin Hamilton, Sociology Jeanette Money, Political Science Andres Resendez, History |
| Nolan Zane Asian American Studies College of Letters & Science: Division of Humanities, Arts & Cultural Studies & Psychology College of Letters & Science, Division of Social Sciences | Interdisciplinary Reappraisals to Enhance Health and Resilience in Immigrant Communities | Jill Joseph, Internal Medicine / Nursing Lynette Hunter, Theater & Dance Mary Lou de Leon Siantz, Internal Medicine Carolina Apesoa-Verano, Nursing Susette Min, Asian American Studies Wendy Ho, Asian American Studies Adela de la Torre, Chicano/a Studies Paul Hastings, Psychology Robert Emmons, Psychology |
| Susan Verba Design College of Letters & Science: Division of Humanities, Arts & Cultural Studies | UC Davis Center for Design in the Public Interest | Sarah Perrault, University Writing Program Suad Joseph, Anthropology / Women & Gender Studies Bo Feng, Communication Angela Booker, Education Kwan‐Liu Ma, Computer Science |
