Center for Research + Evaluation

The Center for Research and Evaluation staff have expertise in conducting primary and secondary research and evaluation projects ac ross workforce development, education, youth services, health, and arts and culture. The following is a selection of CR+E research reports:

• Kovacs, G.C., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Hu, S., & Shapiro, J.D., Women in STEM Workforce Index 2020, report for Athena (2020).
• Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Carton, G., Emerging Careers for College Graduates (2017).
• Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Carton, G., Priming the Talent Pipeline (2017).
• Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Carton, G., Labor Market Analysis: Public Sector for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (2017).
• Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Carton, G., Emerging Careers for College Graduates (2016).
• Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Carton, G., San Diego County Labor Market Analysis: Specialty Foods and Brews, interviews for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (2016).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos G., San Diego County Labor Market Analysis: Aerospace Industry, report for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (2015).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos G., Carton G., Downtown San Diego: The Innovation Economy's Next Frontier, report for the Downtown San Diego Partnership (2015).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos G., Priority Sectors: Workforce Initiatives in San Diego County, report for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (2015).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos G., Diamond Neighborhoods Collective Impact, dashboard for the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation (2015).
• Shapiro, J.D., Baru, S., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Hot Careers for College Graduates (2015).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Baru, S., San Diego County Labor Market: Advanced Manufacturing, report for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (2014).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., " Beyond Tech Transfer: A More Comprehensive Approach to Measuring the Entrepreneurial University" Journal of Management Studies (2014).
• Walshok, M.L. and West, Joel. " Serendipity and Symbiosis: UCSD and the Local Wireless Industry." In Public Universities and Regional Growth: Insights from the University of California. Kenney, Martin, and David Mowery. Forthcoming Stanford Press, (2014).
• DeVries, H., Baru, S., Shapiro, J.D., Hot Careers for College Graduates and Returning Students (2014).
• Walshok, M. L., Shragge, A., Invention and Reinvention: The Evolution of San Diego's Innovation Economy, Stanford University Press (2013).
• DeVries, H., Baru, S., Shapiro, J.D., DeVries, H., Baru, S., Shapiro, J.D.,  Hot Careers for College Graduates and Returning Students (2013).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Owens, N., " Unraveling the Cultural and Social Dynamics of Regional Innovation Systems", Report to the National Science Foundation (2013).
• Audretsch, D. B., & Walshok, M. L. Creating competitiveness: Entrepreneurship and innovation policies for growth. Elgar Publishing (2013).
• Walshok, M.L., The Strategic Management of Place, Evolution of San Diego Innovation Economy. Ed. David Audretsch. Elgar Publishing (January 2013).
• Walshok, Mary. " A Systemic Approach to Accelerating Entrepreneurship." innovations 8.3-4 (2013): 7-17.
• Walshok, Mary L., Josh D. Shapiro, and Nathan Owens. "Transitional Innovation Networks Aren't all Created Equal: Towards a Classification System". The Journal of Technology Transfer (1, 2012).
• Walshok, M.L., Owens, N., OrthoWorx Evaluation: Second Report January 2011-July 2012, report for BioCrossroads Indiana (2012).
• DeVries, H., Baru, S., Shapiro, J.D., Hot Careers for College Graduates and Returning Students (2012).
• Walshok, M. L., Munroe, T., DeVries, H., Closing America's Job Gap, New Win Publishing (2011).
• DeVries, H., Hot Careers for College Graduates (2011).
• DeVries, H., Hot Careers for College Graduates (2010).
• Walshok, M. L., Connecting Science and Business, Developing University-Industry Relations - Pathways to Innovation from the West Coast, Ed. Miller, R. C., LeBoef, B.J. Jossey-Bass Publishers (2009).
• Walshok, M.L., Owens, N., Horowitt G., Usry, S., Biotechnology Cluster Project: San Diego Analysis, report for the United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney (2010).
• Walshok, M.L., Horowitt, G., NISP CONNECT, assessment report for MATRIX, Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel (2009).
• Walshok, M.L., Evaluation of Generation I of the Workforce Investment Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative, report prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Policy Development, Evaluation and Research, Washington, DC (2009).
• Walshok, M. L., Lee, C.W.B., Road Map for Collaboration: Describing St. Louis, MO's Federally Funded Research and Innovation Assets through RaDiUS, report for Washington University's Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (2006).
• Morris, K., Owens, N., Walshok, M.L., Borderless Innovation: Catalyzing the Competitiveness of the San Diego - Baja California Region, report by San Diego Dialogue (2005).
• Walshok, M. L., Lee, C.W.B., Eizenberg, M., Lowenstein, A., Guttman, R., Building the Foundation for U.S. - Israel Initiatives in Biotechnology: Connecting Israel's Institute of Technology (Technion) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), report for the U.S. - Israel Science & Technology Foundation (USISTF) (2005).

CR+E partners with nonprofits, community, and academic institutions to support projects centered around workforce development, education, youth services, health, and arts and culture. Our expert team employs a wide range of research methodologies and statistical techniques to assist with every stage of the research process from identifying funding opportunities and grant writing to program monitoring and evaluation reporting. The following is a list of services we provide:

NONPROFITS & COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS 

Grant Writing Support & Proposal Development

• Identifying funding opportunities
• Literature review
• Grant writing
• Methodology support

Research Design

• Identifying research questions
• identifying appropriate research design
• Identifying outcome measures

Data Collection, Management & Analysis

• Data collection
• Data cleaning and organization
• Analysis

PDF download of services offered for Nonprofit and Community Organizations here.

ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS

Grant Writing Support & Proposal Development

• Identifying funding opportunities
• Literatire reviews
• Grant writing
• Methodology support

Grant Evaluation

• Evaluation design and methodology
• Program monitoring and grant progress reports
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Evaluation reporting

PDF download of services offered for Academic Institutions here.

CR+E is an advocate for data-driven decision making. In addition to helping organizations make decisions informed by quantitative and qualitative data, the research center is also committed to training others in data collection, analysis, and interpretation of findings.

The following are some programs the organization spearheads:

Fellows Program

CR+E offers a unique opportunity for UC San Diego undergraduate and graduate students to become research fellows in the department. Students work closely with the CR+E research team on a diverse ranch of research projects, receiving mentoring in research methodology, data collection, analysis, and report writing. Students are welcome to apply for the program by emailing a statement of interest to Dr. Georgia Kovacs at gkovacs@ucsd.edu.

Josh Shapiro, Ph.D.
Chief Strategy and Impact Officer
Josh Shapiro is the Chief Strategy and Impact Officer in the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. He is responsible for using data and research to improve the performance and opportunities for the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies as well as assisting with setting the strategy for the organization's future by identifying and leading innovation and development initiatves. Josh provides oversight for the Center for Research and Evaluation. He has expertise in workforce development and has worked on evaluation projects covering a wide range of topics including STEM education, health care, and the role of philanthropy in economic development. Dr. Shapiro was one of the core evaluators on the effectiveness of the Department of Labor’s $500 million WIRED initiative. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, San Diego, and worked as a public-school teacher prior to pursuing his doctoral degree.

Georgia Kovacs, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Georgia Kovacs is the Executive Director of the Center for Research and Evaluation in the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. She oversees external research, institutional research, and a collective impact backbone team. Georgia holds a doctoral degree in Educational Psychology & Methodology from the University at Albany (SUNY) and has expertise in education, quantitative methods, applied research, and evaluation. Georgia has served as Co-PI and lead evaluator for grants funded by NSF, NIH, UnitedHealthcare, and private foundations. 

Kelly Nielsen, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Kelly Nielsen is the Assistant Director of the Center for Research and Evaluation where he directs the center’s external research team. He holds a doctoral degree in sociology from the University of California, San Diego. He is the co-author of Broke: The Racial Consequences of Underfunding Public Universities (University of Chicago Press) along with peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters focused on the sociology of higher education, U.S.-Mexico migration, and sociological theory. Prior to coming to the Center for Research and Evaluation, Kelly held postdoctoral positions at the University of California, Merced and Cornell University.

Nan Chen, Ph.D., PMP
Senior Project Coordinator
Nan Chen is the Collective Impact initiative Senior Project Coordinator for the Center for Research and Evaluation. Prior to joining CR+E, she worked as a research specialist on numerous collaborative projects in neuroscience with an emphasis on project management. She holds a doctoral degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the University of Southern California.

Samantha Berthelette, M.A.
Senior Project Coordinator
Samantha Berthelette is a Senior Project Coordinator for the Collective Impact Initiative in the Center for Research and Evaluation at UC San Diego. She holds a master's degree in philosophy from Florida State, and her research focuses on moral agency across different socioeconomic groups. She brings a background in teaching, cross-functional collaboration, and event coordination. Prior to joining the Collective Impact team, Samantha worked with numerous programs and organizations that aimed to improve higher education. 

Nathan Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Senior Research Analyst
Nathan Gonzalez is a Senior Research Analyst in the Center for Research and Evaluation at UC San Diego. He is a sociologist and expert on ethnic, racial, and religious inequalities and violence. Dr. Gonzalez brings topical expertise in political sociology and stratification, as well as technical expertise in interview methods, ethnographic methods, and mixed-methods research. He received his PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago in 2020.

Lauren Nippoldt, Ph.D.
Senior Research Analyst
Lauren Nippoldt is a Senior Research Analyst in the Center for Research and Evaluation at UC San Diego. She holds a doctoral degree in Medical & Psychological Anthropology from the University of California San Diego. Her research focuses on religion, humanitarianism, ethics, medical care, wellbeing, and community building. Over the years, Lauren has worked with community-based organizations in the United States and India supporting access to medical care, equity in educational outcomes, and interventions regarding housing and food insecurity.

Karina Shklyan, Ph.D.
Senior Research Analyst 
Karina Shklyan holds a PhD in Sociology at UC San Diego. Here doctoral research investigated how different contexts shape immigrant acculturation in new host countries. She has written on the role of localities, nonprofit institutions, the military, political climates, and coethnic communities. Her current work examines how institutions of higher education assist immigrant students from different legal backgrounds. Her work has been published in journals such as Nations and Nationalism, Socius, and Publius: The Journal of Federalism. Previously, Karina worked as a Research Associate at the Pew Charitable Trusts, where she focused on the effects of immigration federalism on immigrant experiences in the United States. She holds an M.A. in International Migration from the University of Kent in Belgium.

Anthea Mitchell, M.S.
Data Scientist
Anthea Mitchell is a Data Scientists in the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. She holds a Master's degree in Computational Data Analytics from Georgia Technical Institute. Prior to joining CR+E, she was privileged to work in COVID survelliance and autoimmune research at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub and UC San Francisco. She has since been involved in projects addressing opportunity youth, safe school commuting, and labor market challenges, endeavors that reflect her continued interest in addressing societal challenges and leveraging data-informed insights for positive impact.

Christopher Valle, Ph.D.
Business Intelligence Specialist
Christopher Valle is a researcher, statistician, and software engineer specializing in applying computational statistics and algorithms to investigate complex phenomena in education and healthcare settings. Christopher was lead evaluator for grant funded programs at the Albany Institute of History and Art and the New York State Education Department, and served as a data scientist for Excelsior University, where he developed and productionized machine learning models that informed academic coaching services. In the healthcare industry, Christopher is a research and development software engineer for Solventum, formerly 3M Health Information Systems, where he develops inpatient measures that hospitals use to examine organization and patient level outcomes.

Eugene Yoo, J.D.
Proposal Development and Grant Writer
Eugene Yoo is a Proposal Development and Grant Writer at UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. He previously worked as a grant writer at Father Joe’s Villages, helping obtain funding for affordable housing and homelessness programs. Prior to working in grants, Eugene practiced law in the areas of special education and criminal defense. He received his B.A. in Business Management Economics from UC Santa Cruz and J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law.

Raphael E. Cuomo, Ph.D., MPH, CPH, FRSPH
Assistant Professor and Research Scientist
Raphael Cuomo is a professor and scientist who has made various noteworthy contributions in the fields of epidemiology, economics, and policy. He is known for his biostatistical and geospatial approaches to challenging public health and public policy issues. He has published numerous academic papers in leading biomedical journals, and he is the recipient of several awards for his scientific contributions.

Dr. Cuomo completed his undergraduate education with Lafayette College and continued his graduate education with Harvard University, San Diego State University, and UC San Diego. He completed additional training with the World Health Organization and Yale University.

Dr. Cuomo is board-certified in public health by the US-based National Board of Public Health Examiners, a Fellow of the UK-based Royal Society for Public Health, and a member of the Delta Omega honorary society. He has also been an active member of several professional public health organizations, including the American Public Health Association, the American College of Healthcare Executives, and AcademyHealth. He currently teaches classes to graduate students at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.