Dr. Jason Douglas

Chapman’s Office of Research and Creativity received 25 proposals from faculty seeking funding for research projects that explore diversity and inclusion. Only seven projects received funding with two going to Crean College faculty members Jennifer Robinette, Ph.D., and Jason Douglas, Ph.D. The project titles are as follows:

Speaking on behalf of both awardees, Dr. Robinette had this to say:

“It is an extreme honor to be among the first recipients of Chapman University’s Innovation in Diversity and Inclusion Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Award which aims to further understanding of issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

Dr. Jennifer Robinette

Both projects have two primary goals, both having do to with racial/ethnic disparities that exist regarding exposure to undesirable neighborhood conditions such as concentrated disadvantage, crime, and disorder. First, the researchers plan to investigate whether established links between adverse neighborhood conditions and perceptions of neighborhood safety differ across members of various racial/ethnic groups. Second, they plan to examine whether exposure to adverse neighborhood conditions modifies genetic influences on the chronic health conditions that are observed at greater prevalence in adverse neighborhoods. Findings have the potential to inform both environmental sources of health disparities and issues of race/ethnicity in the growing field of social genomics. Research results are expected to be shared in the 2021-22 academic year.

Both faculty members direct their own labs at the Orange campus with the help of undergraduate student research assistants. Dr. Douglas directs The Community Health Equity Lab (CHE) while Dr. Robinette directs The Context and Again Research Lab (CARE). Students can get more information about these and other CHBS labs by clicking here.

Congratulations to Drs. Douglas and Robinette!