HSI Research Collaboration Conference

“Cultivating Comunidad: Strengthening Ties Through Research, Innovation, and Funding”

September 2 – 4, 2025
J.W. Marriott Hotel
Anaheim, CA

Cultivating Comunidad is a 2-day convening for HSIs from the US west coast to identify synergies and forge research partnerships and collaborations across our landscape of public and private, 2- and 4-year institutions. All HSIs and emerging HSIs from California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and Alaska are welcome!

Join your colleagues to:

  • Collectively define how we SERVE students, faculty, our local communities, and the nation’s workforce through the research enterprise.
  • Learn about funding opportunities from federal and private agency program directors
  • Share best practices for undergraduate research, industry partnerships, and inclusive collaboration at HSIs
  • Meet potential collaborators in your region 
Agenda at a Glance

Registration

Registration is $125 and includes: 

  • access to all presentations
  • an evening reception on 9/2
  • breakfast and lunch on 9/3 and 9/4
  • opportunities to have individual meetings with funding agency program directors
REGISTER HERE

Hotel Reservation

The J.W. Marriott hotel block is from September 2 to September 4 for $229-$279 per night. The discounted room rate is available 3 days pre and post-event dates (subject to hotel availability). A link to the hotel reservation page will be included in your registration confirmation email.

Featured Presenters and Funding Agency Representatives

Opening Plenary Session: “Serving and Striving: Research and Rankings at HSIs”

  • Mushtaq Gunja, Executive Director of the Carnegie Classification Systems and Senior Vice President at ACE
  • Leslie Gonzalez, Professor of Higher Education, University of Arizona
  • Pablo Reguerín, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, UC Davis

Evaluating the Success of HSI Funding and Programs

  • Anne Marie Nuñez, Inaugural Executive Director of the Diana Natalicio Institute for Hispanic Student Success, Distinguished Centennial Professor in Educational Leadership and Foundations, The University of Texas at El Paso

The Future of HSIs

  • Luis Maldonado, Vice President of Government Relations and Policy Analysis, AASCU

State and Federal Strategies to Strengthen HSIs and Latinx Student Success

  • Enrique Murrillo, Professor of Education, California State University, San Bernardino; Member, President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics

Designing and Implementing a Successful Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Program

  • Holly Unruh, Executive Director of the Arts Research Institute, UC Santa Cruz
  • Heather Haeger, Assistant Professor, Educational Policy Studies and Practice, University of Arizona
    • Co-authors of Designing and Implementing a Successful Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Program (Routledge, 2025)

Visioning, Organizing, Leading, and Advancing the Research Enterprise at HSIs

  • Oralia de los Reyes, Assistant Vice President of Programs and Services, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
  • Briana Jackson, Program Manager, VOLARE, HACU

Developing and Implementing a Successful Collaborative S-STEM Grant  

  • Regis Komperda, Associate Professor of Chemical Education, San Diego State University

Funding Agencies Representatives from

  • American Cancer Society
  • Dana Foundation
  • DOD HBCU/MSI Program
  • Luce Foundation
  • NSF GRANTED Program
  • Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  • Spencer Foundation
  • W.T. Grant Foundation

The HSI Research Collaboration Conference is hosted by a committee from the University of California Santa Barbara, California State University Northridge, Contra Costa Community College District, and San Diego State University. For more information, contact: Anissa Stewart, (805) 893-4434, anissa.stewart@ucsb.edu