The work of CSUN school and employees members is acknowledged in a wide range of methods, together with:
- Funding from exterior organizations to help distinctive packages and cutting-edge analysis facilitated on campus.
- Publications of books or articles.
- Professional awards.
- Presentations at conferences.
- Appointments and elections to governing boards.
Please use this hyperlink to announce your achievements for publication in CSUN Newsroom.
Awards
Luis G. DeVera (Geography), a lecturer in CSUN’s Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and an environmental scientist for the California State Parks Great Basin District, obtained the state parks’ 2026 Climate Adaptation Award for the venture “Fuels Reduction Team at Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park, Great Basin District.”
Publications
Anne Choi (Assistant Vice President, Office of Faculty Programs and Initiatives, Division of Academic Affairs) appeared on a real crime panel at SXSW 2026 in Austin, Texas, talking about her guide, “L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood” (2025), revealed by Third State Books.
Leemon McHenry (Philosophy), professor emeritus, revealed an article, “Panpsychism and Speculative Biology: A.N. Whitehead and C.H. Waddington,” in December 2025 within the Revue Roumaine de Philosophie.
Research and Sponsored Projects
Alyssa Arentoft (Psychology) obtained $27,119 from the University of North Texas, Health Science Center in help of a venture entitled “The Health and Aging Brain Study – Health Disparities (HABS-HD).”
Chhandak Basu (Biology) obtained $124,558 from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in help of a venture entitled “The HALOQUEST (Halobacterium Astrobiological Laboratory for Observing and Questioning Extraterrestrial Signatures and Traits) Project.”
Annette Besnilian (Marilyn Magaram Center) obtained $210,000 from Northeast Valley Health Corporation in help of a venture entitled “WIC-based Dietetic Internship Program.”
Mechelle Best (Dean, Health and Human Development) obtained $220,000 from Los Angeles Mission College in help of a venture entitled “HHD SFV K-16 Collaborative.”
Jamie Booth (Autonomy Research Center) and Nhut Ho (Autonomy Research Center) obtained $157,511 from Medtronic MiniMed in help of a venture entitled “Comprehensive Evaluation Method for Skin Patch Adhesives.”
Danielle Bram (Center for Geospatial Science and Technology) obtained $29,323 from California State University, Fresno, in help of a venture entitled “Aquifer Pumped Hydro Project – APH.”
Danielle Bram (Center for Geospatial Science and Technology) obtained $135,000 from the CSU Office of the Chancellor in help of a venture entitled “CSU Statewide Online Mapping Resource.”
Moshoula Capous-Desyllas (Sociology) obtained $17,001 from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee in help of a venture entitled “Using Digital Photovoice to Explore the Relationships Between Social Media Content and Suicidality Among Transgender Adolescents.”
Zhen Chai (Special Education) obtained $249,943 from the U.S. Department of Education in help of a venture entitled “Project CREATE: Preparing Culturally Responsive Early Educators in Teacher Education.”
Yi Ding (University Library Administration, Office of the Dean) obtained $5,000 from California State University, Dominguez Hills in help of a venture entitled “CSU Open Education Advocacy Fellowship: Kickstarting a Regional Student Partnership (OpenEd Advocacy Fellowship / CSU OEAF).”
Rafi Efrat (Bookstein Institute) obtained $41,679 from the U.S. Department of Treasury in help of a venture entitled “The Bookstein Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic.”
Rafi Efrat (Bookstein Institute), Sara Berzenski (Psychology) and Merav Efrat (Health Sciences) obtained $585,000 from the U.S. Department of Treasury in help of a venture entitled “The CSUN VITA Program.”
Rafi Efrat (Bookstein Institute), Sara Berzenski (Psychology) and Merav Efrat (Health Sciences) obtained $675,109 from the California Department of Community Services and Development in help of a venture entitled “The CSU5+ VITA Clinic Collaborative.”
Rafi Efrat (Bookstein Institute) obtained $158,321 from the U.S. Department of Treasury in help of a venture entitled “The Bookstein Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic.”
Maria Elizondo (Student Affairs, Office of the Vice President) obtained $92,688 from California State University, Chico in help of a venture entitled “CalFresh Outreach.”
Eileen Evans (Geological Sciences) obtained $179,152 from the National Science Foundation in help of a venture entitled “CAREER: Shallow Geophysics of Fault Creep: Linking Slip and Surface Deformation on the San Andreas Fault.”
Eileen Evans (Geological Sciences) obtained $63,658 from the National Science Foundation in help of a venture entitled “CAREER: Shallow Geophysics of Fault Creep: Linking Slip and Surface Deformation on The San Andreas Fault.”
Gilberto Flores (Biology) obtained $173,514 from the Arla Foods Ingredients Group P/S in help of a venture entitled “Characterizing Growth and Persistence of Diverse Human-Associated Akkermansia On Milk Derived Glycoconjugates.”
Cedric Hackett (DuBois-Hamer Institute for Academic Achievement) obtained $5,000 from the Los Angeles Unified School District in help of a venture entitled “Brotherhood of Scholarship and Excellence (BroSE)/ Social Justice Humanitas Academy Partnership.”
Cedric Hackett (Dubois-Hamer Institute) obtained $15,000 from the Los Angeles Unified School District in help of a venture entitled “2025-26 Enrichment Workshops with Northridge Academy High School.”
Cedric Hackett (Dubois-Hamer Institute) obtained $6,575 from the Los Angeles Unified School District in help of a venture entitled “Nobel Enrichment 2025-26.”
Amy Hanreddy (Special Education) and Ellen Stohl (Educational Psychology and Counseling) obtained $75,000 from the Los Angeles County Office of Education in help of a venture entitled “Inclusive College Program Development and Expansion Grant.”
Seunghoon Hwang (Autonomy Research Center), Heramb Nemlekar (Mechanical Engineering), and Nhut Ho (Autonomy Research Center) obtained $112,466 from Medtronic MiniMed in help of a venture entitled “Automated Peel Coat Tape Application System for Sensor Fabrication.”
Kah Chun Lau (Physics and Astronomy) obtained $58,000 from Sandia National Laboratories in help of a venture entitled “Creating Quantum Spin Liquids by Disrupting the Magnetic Order in Conjugated Metal-Organic Nanosheets.”
Jun Li (Mathematics) obtained $126,819 from the National Science Foundation in help of a venture entitled “LEAPS: MPS Four Dimensions From Two in Symplectic Topology and Dynamics.”
Thomas Minehan (Chemistry and Biochemistry) obtained $70,000 from the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund in help of a venture entitled “Carbon-Carbon Bond-Forming Reactions of Ynol Ethers Under Oxidative Conditions.”
Heramb Nemlekar (Autonomy Research Center), Seunghoon Hwang (Mechanical Engineering), and Nhut Ho (Autonomy Research Center) obtained $177,199 from Medtronic MiniMed in help of a venture entitled “Humanoid and Robot Arm Integration for Packaging Automation.”
Virginia Oberholzer-Vandergon (Biology), Matthew d’Alessio (Geological Sciences), Brian Foley (Secondary Education), Li Ye (Chemistry and Biochemistry), and Norman Herr (Secondary Education) obtained $18,000 from the University of California Board of Regents in help of a venture entitled “San Fernando Valley Science Project.”
Freddie Sanchez (Student Affairs, Office of the Vice President) obtained $200,000 from the California Volunteers in help of a venture entitled “CSUN College Corps.”
Vinicius Maron Sauer (Autonomy Research Center) and Nhut Ho (Autonomy Research Center) obtained $157,342 from Medtronic MiniMed in help of a venture entitled “Preventing Air Introduction During Insulin Pump Refilling: A Proposal for Bubble-Free Transfer Technologies.”
Mirna Sawyer (Institute of Community Health and Wellbeing) obtained $19,798 from Dignity Health (Northridge Hospital) in help of a venture entitled “Bringing in the Bystander (BITB).”
Joshua Schwartz (Geological Sciences) obtained $13,600 from the California Department of Conservation in help of a venture entitled “Geochronology of Southern California Plutonic Rocks.”
Merilla Scott (Strength United) obtained $194,000 from the California Office of Emergency Services in help of a venture entitled “Underserved Child and Youth Advocacy Program (XY).”
Merilla Scott (Strength United) obtained $196,906 from the California Office of Emergency Services in help of a venture entitled “Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach Program.”
Merilla Scott (Strength United) obtained $5,000 from Rising Communities in help of a venture entitled “Community Public Health Teams.”
Merilla Scott (Strength United) obtained $90,000 from the California Office of Emergency Services in help of a venture entitled “Sexual Assault Response Team (XS) Program.”
Merilla Scott (Strength United) obtained $250,000 from the California Office of Emergency Services in help of a venture entitled “Child Advocacy Center (KC) Program.”
Yohannes Shiferaw (Physics and Astronomy) obtained $147,500 from the National Institutes of Health in help of a venture entitled “Multi-Scale Computational Modeling of Calmodulin Mutations Associated With CPVT.”
Danielle Spratt (Community Engagement) obtained $5,000 from LEAD California in help of a venture entitled “CSUN MLK Community Justice Days of Service.”
Chuanbing Sun (Civil Engineering and Construction Management), Anwar Alroomi (Civil Engineering and Construction Management), Houssam Toutanji (Engineering and Computer Science, Office of the Dean), Sami Maalouf (Civil Engineering and Construction Management), and Jora Amirkhanian (Civil Engineering and Construction Management) obtained $33,000 from the Growth Sector in help of a venture entitled “Building Transfer Pathways: A Summer Program for Community College Students at CSUN.”
Maryam Tabibzadeh (Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management) obtained $19,318 from the Regents of the University of California in help of a venture entitled “Extending PRA and HRA Legacy Methods and Tools With a Cause-Based Model for Comprehensive Treatment of Human Error Dependency.”
Joseph Teprovich (Chemistry and Biochemistry) obtained $31,683 from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in help of a venture entitled “Synthesizing and Characterizing Phase Change Electrolyte Materials for Improving Thermal Battery Performance.”
Houssam Toutanji (Engineering and Computer Science, Office of the Dean) obtained $220,000 from the Los Angeles Mission College, in help of a venture entitled “CECS SFV K-16 Collaborative.”
Juana Maria Valdivia (Student Outreach and Recruitment) and Monica Jimenez (Educational Opportunity Program) obtained $317,460 from the United States Department of Education in help of a venture entitled “Talent Search San Fernando Valley North Central.”
Juana Maria Valdivia (Student Outreach and Recruitment) and Monica Jimenez (Educational Opportunity Program) obtained $225,030 from the United States Department of Education in help of a venture entitled “Talent Search San Fernando Valley Northeast.”
Juana Maria Valdivia (Student Outreach and Recruitment) and Monica Jimenez (Student Success) obtained $324,979 from the United States Department of Education in help of a venture entitled “Upward Bound – San Fernando Valley North Central.”
John Valdovinos (Electrical and Computer Engineering) obtained $213,018 from Medtronic MiniMed in help of a venture entitled “Developing a Machine Learning Supported Numerical Model of a Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Sensor and Investigating Methods to Improve CGM Sensor Warm-Up Time.”
Cheryl Van Buskirk (Biology) obtained $147,500 from the National Institutes of Health in help of a venture entitled “Exploring the function and shedding of a potential C. elegans Neuregulin.”
Jenn Wolfe (Secondary Education) obtained $39,089 from the University Corporation Regents in help of a venture entitled “CSUN Writing Project ESSA.”