Research Program

The Charles B. Rangel Center provides small grants to faculty for research related to the subject of diversity in public service. It also sponsors paid research opportunities for graduate students in the Public Service Management Program. Research at the Rangel Center is supported by the Ford Foundation.


RESEARCH GRANTS TO FACULTY
The Rangel Center offers a limited number of $8,000 grants to CCNY Social Science faculty conducting research on one of the topics listed below.  The deadline to apply is September 15th.  (Apply here)

Diversity in Public Service:  including studies of trends in diversity at the local, state, and federal levels of government and in the non-profit sectors; of best-practices for promoting diversity in public service, of the impacts of diversity in public organizations, and of impediments to diversity and career advancement. Public Service Graduate Education for Minorities and Other Underserved Students: including studies of pedagogical methods that work best, skill sets that advance marketability, special needs of underserved students, impediments to academic success, trends in diversity, and recruitment practices for a diverse student body. Public Service as a Career Choice among Underserved Groups: including studies of current awareness of and perspectives on public service; social, cultural, and other impediments to pursuing higher education, and best practices in promoting awareness of public service.

The Rangel Center's most recent grants went to the following members of the faculty:

Prabal De and Robert Melara (Departments of Economics and Psychology) – "Perceived College Premium, Student Performance and the Potential Closing of the Achievement Gap": An examination of the role of information, such as the economic returns to a college degree, on student achievement from historically disadvantaged or underrepresented groups. Daniel DiSalvo (Political Science Department) – "Modern American Conservatism: Ideas, Social Policy, and Civil Rights": An examination of the successes and failures of social policy from the American conservative movement with a focus on the role of race in its development. L'Hereux Lewis (Sociology Department) – "Black College Students and Paths to the Public Sector": An analysis of the role of activism in the choice for a career in public sector, as well as other career and life choices of African American students. Yochanan Shachmurove (Economics Department) – "Gender, Entrepreneurs, Minorities and Public Policy": An examination of gender differences in pay relative to male participation in household work.

Graduate Student Research Assistantships
The Rangel Center offers a limited number of graduate assistantships to students in the Public Service Management Program (PSM) at CCNY.  Students work with faculty on research of mutual interest. Opportunities are available to full-time students, and the Center gives preference to students with research experience. Students receive stipends in return for their research support. Awards are made for a semester; renewal depends on satisfactory performance.  Students who wish to be considered for assistantships should apply before September 15th. (Students apply here) Faculty who wish to have a graduate assistant should apply by the same date. (Faculty apply here)

The Center currently has 11 research assistants:

Maryam Abdul-Aleem & Alpha Sesay: Assisting Professor Chen (Sociology) with an analysis of services from social workers and various nonprofit organizations aimed at allowing older residents to remain in their homes rather than move to retirement communities.

Nkem Ejoh: Working with Professor Akinsulure-Smith (Psychology) on a study of HIV knowledge, risk and protective factors among West African refugees, asylees and asylum seekers.

Irene Castro: Working with Professor Paik (Sociology) on a project analyzing parental / family influence on the US juvenile justice system.

Taressa Dalchand: Working with Professor Poros (Sociology) on (i) A description of the migration flows from India to East Africa in the colonial period and (ii) Key Concepts in Migration.

Malita Esnard: Assisting staff at The Rangel Center with various projects pertaining to the management of the PSM program.

Lauren Goglick: Working with Professor De (Economics) on (i) an evaluation of the impact of breast cancer on the employment status of women of various ethnic groups and (ii) an analysis of the impact of a community engaged Integrated Cancer Care Access Network on cancer treatment adherence.

Cesar Moreno: Working with Professor Foster (Economics) on a project concerning municipal debt valuations for state funded unemployment insurance programs.

Meagan Ten Eyck: Working with Professor Rosario (Psychology) analyzing the reasons underlying disparities in cancer-related risk behaviors between sexual minorities and heterosexuals.

Natalia Trujillo: Assisting Professor Baver (Political Science / Latin American Studies) with an analysis of the implementation of environmental access rights in Latin American countries, specifically Mexico and Chile.

Ezra Christopher:  Working with Professor Anglin (Psychology) understanding ethnic variability in psychological symptoms.