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Graduate Group Faculty

The Community Development Graduate Group Faculty includes members from a multitude of campus departments, including Human & Community Development, Landscape Architecture, Environmental Design, Statistics, Sociology, and various Ethnic Studies programs. Such a diverse collection of faculty allows students a great degree of flexibility in designing a program of study related to their particular interests.

Faculty Contact Information

Click on any faculty member to go to a related web site.

Faculty

Name Department Areas of Interest
Chris Benner Human and Community Development Social implications of information technology, urban labor markets and restructuring of work, regional development and social equity, social movements and innovative community/labor organizing.
Marc Blanchard Comparative Literature Research interests are in Comparative Literature, Theory, Semiotics and the Critique of Culture.
Stephen Brush Human and Community Development Agricultural ecology and the conservation of crop genetic resources.
David Campbell Human and Community Development Public policy and community governance; citizenship and civic engagement; non-profit and faith-related organizations; program evaluation.
Adela De La Torre Chicana/o Studies Health care access and finance issues that affect the Latino community as well as Border health issues, education and occupational location of Hispanics
Deborah Elliot-Fisk Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology Biogeography; ecosystem analysis and management; soils and geomorphology; viticultural geography; mountain and coastal systems; Environmental and Natural Resources.
Patsy Eubanks Owens Environmental Design Environments of children and adolescents, community participation.
Gail Feenstra (SAREP) Conducting applied and evaluative research that strengthens community development efforts and coordinating education and outreach to community-based groups to build their capacity and leadership skills.
Yvette Flores Chicana/o Studies Intimate partner violence among Mexicans on both sides of the border.
Mark Francis Environmental Design Theory and design of urban and community landscapes.
Isao Fujimoto Human and Community Development Strategies for community empowerment, rural revitalization, celebrations and symbols for building community solidarity, sustainable agriculture and appropriate technology, San Joaquin Valley, Third World, Pacific Rim, Japan, and Micronesia.
Ryan E. Galt Human and Community Development People-environment geography, cultural and political ecology, agricultural and environmental governance, political economy of sustainable agriculture, cartographic design.
James Grieshop Human and Community Development Community based education, Latino and immigrant communities, leadership, transnational communication.
Luis E. Guarnizo Human and Community Development Economic Sociology, transnational migration, immigrant entrepreneurs, comparative international development, citizenship.
Joyce Gutstein Public Service Research Program Research and education on issues of public concern with particular emphasis on collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to resource management and environmental policy and education.
Susan Handy Environmental Science and Policy Relationships between transportation and land use, including the impact of land use on travel behavior and the impact of transportation investments on land development patterns. In addition, my work is directed towards strategies for enhancing accessibility and reducing automobile dependence, including land use policies and telecommunications services.
Paul Heckman School of Education Curriculum theory and change, Educational Ecology of communities, Educational Leadership, School, curriculum and community change, School culture: change and cognition.
Robin Hill Art, Art History Public art, She believes art is about tuning in to the frequency of daily life and seeing things as they truly are. "Ideas are encountered, rather than gotten.
Frank Hirtz Human and Community Development Sociology of development; anthropology and sociology of law; comparative social policy and social welfare; charity, solidarity and reciprocity; third sector and communities; rural development; social theory; Southern Africa, Haiti, Southeast Asia, Western Europe and California.
Carlos Jackson Chicana/o Studies A visual artist and writer, and Director of Taller Arte del Nuevo Amanecer, a community art center in Woodland, Ca. He is currently working on a book surveying the history of the Chicana/o Art Movement.
Susan Kaiser Textiles and Clothing Fashion theory and feminist epistemologies, Youth style and cultural anxiety, Cultural studies approach to appearance style and identity, focusing on intersections among gender, race and ethnicity.
Martin Kenney Human and Community Development Globalization, venture capital, development of innovative clusters, evolution of high-technology industries, the relocation of services to developing nations.
David Kyle Sociology International migration, development and globalization.
William B. Lacy Human and Community Development Sociology of science, organization and structure of agricultural research and extension (U.S. and international), social psychology of education and outreach, international research and higher education policy and practices.
Michael Lawler UC Davis Extension Focus on at-risk families and on how parents perceive the development of their children. Hopefully, my current research will develop into a life-long research agenda.
Jonathan London Human and Community Development Environmental justice, Environmental/ natural resource policy, Community and youth participation, Political ecology, Rural development, Social movements.
Jeff Loux Land Use and Natural Resources/ UC Davis Extension Water resources policy and management, sustainable communities and the various interests and stakeholders who care about natural resource and land use policy.
Mark Lubell Environmental Science and Policy Watershed management, environmental activism, and agricultural best management practices.
Deb Niemeier Civil and Environmental Engineering sustainable development; GHG emissions in complex systems; air quality-transportation; environmental justice; governance structures and environmentalism; prioritization of transportation infrastructure; relationship between land use and travel
Ben Orlove Environmental Science and Policy Human dimensions of inter-annual climate variability," especially the ways how people cope with El Niño events. I study such topics as traditional forms of forecasting among peasant and indigenous people; the use of forecasts in modern societies; and the influence of globalization on current responses to climate variability.
Richard Pan Medicine, General Pediatrics Teach physicians to partner with community organizations to build healthier communities. I am interested in the relationship between social capital and child health and development.
Debra Paterniti UCDHS: Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care Physician-patient interaction, patient decision-making, quality of life and aging, and informed consent. She focuses on the application of qualitative research methods in health services research.Assistant adjunct professor of medicine and sociologist at the Center for Heath Services Research in Primary Care. Award for Excellence in Service to Grad STudents - UCD Health System.
Dennis Pendleton UC Davis Extension Natural resources policy, planning and administration; environmental assessment; simulation/optimization modeling of ecological systems.
Carolyn Penny Common Ground, UC Davis Extension Conflict resolution, issue-framing, meeting design, facilitation of multi-stakeholder decision making, organizational planning, mediation, facilitation of public engagement processes, training, and analysis and writing.
Michael Rios Environmental Design Research interests center on the assessment of public policy, professional practice, and citizen participation in the planning and design of the built environment. The aim of this collective work is to understand how institutions, practitioners, and citizens develop capacities for collective action, praxis, and meaningful participation as members of political communities.
Michael Peter Smith Human and Community Development Transnationalism and citizenship, globalization, urban social theory, urban political economy and culture, racial and ethnic formation.
Julie Sze American Studies Her research is at the intersection of interdisciplinary fields: American studies, environmental, urban and ethnic studies. She focuses on race, class, gender and environment, environmental justice movement, urban environmentalism and environmental health.
Bernadette Tarallo Human and Community Development Economic development; transnational immigration; labor process studies; and, social inequities in the community.
Tom Tomich Human and Community Development Agricultural sustainability, sustainable food systems, sustainability metrics and indicators, sustainability science.
Mark Van Horn PSTC/SF Organic soil management, particularly cover cropping, compost use and composting: and, organic education, including experiential field-based learning.
Karen Watson-Gegeo School of Education Classroom discourse; Education in Developing Countries; Ethnography and Ethnographic research; Language Acquisition; Language development and socialization; Literacy and Language policy; Organizational structure/effectiveness; Pidgin/creole languages; Sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics.
Miriam Wells Human and Community Development Political and economic anthropology, ethnicity, economic development, unionization/social movements, immigration and immigration policy, the social organization of agriculture.
Steve Wheeler Environmental Design Sustainable development; urban design; city and regional planning; land use; climate change.
Diane Wolf Sociology Gender and development, family/households, fieldwork, Southeast Asia, immigration.

Name	Department	Areas of Interest
Chris Benner	Human and Community Development	Social implications of information technology, urban labor markets and restructuring of work, regional development and social equity, social movements and innovative community/labor organizing.
Marc Blanchard	Comparative Literature	Research interests are in Comparative Literature, Theory, Semiotics and the Critique of Culture.
Stephen Brush	Human and Community Development	Agricultural ecology and the conservation of crop genetic resources.
David Campbell	Human and Community Development	Public policy and community governance; citizenship and civic engagement; non-profit and faith-related organizations; program evaluation.
Adela De La Torre	Chicana/o Studies	Health care access and finance issues that affect the Latino community as well as Border health issues, education and occupational location of Hispanics
Deborah Elliot-Fisk	Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology	Biogeography; ecosystem analysis and management; soils and geomorphology; viticultural geography; mountain and coastal systems; Environmental and Natural Resources.
Patsy Eubanks Owens	Environmental Design	Environments of children and adolescents, community participation.
Gail Feenstra	(SAREP)	Conducting applied and evaluative research that strengthens community development efforts and coordinating education and outreach to community-based groups to build their capacity and leadership skills.
Yvette Flores	Chicana/o Studies	Intimate partner violence among Mexicans on both sides of the border.
Mark Francis	Environmental Design	Theory and design of urban and community landscapes.
Isao Fujimoto	Human and Community Development	Strategies for community empowerment, rural revitalization, celebrations and symbols for building community solidarity, sustainable agriculture and appropriate technology, San Joaquin Valley, Third World, Pacific Rim, Japan, and Micronesia.
Ryan E. Galt	Human and Community Development	People-environment geography, cultural and political ecology, agricultural and environmental governance, political economy of sustainable agriculture, cartographic design.
James Grieshop	Human and Community Development	Community based education, Latino and immigrant communities, leadership, transnational communication.
Luis E. Guarnizo	Human and Community Development	Economic Sociology, transnational migration, immigrant entrepreneurs, comparative international development, citizenship.
Joyce Gutstein	Public Service Research Program	Research and education on issues of public concern with particular emphasis on collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to resource management and environmental policy and education.
Susan Handy	Environmental Science and Policy	Relationships between transportation and land use, including the impact of land use on travel behavior and the impact of transportation investments on land development patterns. In addition, my work is directed towards strategies for enhancing accessibility and reducing automobile dependence, including land use policies and telecommunications services.
Paul Heckman	School of Education	Curriculum theory and change, Educational Ecology of communities, Educational Leadership, School, curriculum and community change, School culture: change and cognition.
Robin Hill	Art, Art History	Public art, She believes art is about tuning in to the frequency of daily life and seeing things as they truly are. "Ideas are encountered, rather than gotten.
Frank Hirtz	Human and Community Development	Sociology of development; anthropology and sociology of law; comparative social policy and social welfare; charity, solidarity and reciprocity; third sector and communities; rural development; social theory; Southern Africa, Haiti, Southeast Asia, Western Europe and California.
Carlos Jackson	Chicana/o Studies	A visual artist and writer, and Director of Taller Arte del Nuevo Amanecer, a community art center in Woodland, Ca. He is currently working on a book surveying the history of the Chicana/o Art Movement.
Susan Kaiser	Textiles and Clothing	Fashion theory and feminist epistemologies, Youth style and cultural anxiety, Cultural studies approach to appearance style and identity, focusing on intersections among gender, race and ethnicity.
Martin Kenney	Human and Community Development	Globalization, venture capital, development of innovative clusters, evolution of high-technology industries, the relocation of services to developing nations.
David Kyle	Sociology	International migration, development and globalization.
William B. Lacy	Human and Community Development	Sociology of science, organization and structure of agricultural research and extension (U.S. and international), social psychology of education and outreach, international research and higher education policy and practices.
Michael Lawler	UC Davis Extension	Focus on at-risk families and on how parents perceive the development of their children. Hopefully, my current research will develop into a life-long research agenda.
Jonathan London	Human and Community Development	Environmental justice, Environmental/ natural resource policy, Community and youth participation, Political ecology, Rural development, Social movements.
Jeff Loux	Land Use and Natural Resources/ UC Davis Extension	Water resources policy and management, sustainable communities and the various interests and stakeholders who care about natural resource and land use policy.
Mark Lubell	Environmental Science and Policy	Watershed management, environmental activism, and agricultural best management practices.
Deb Niemeier	Civil and Environmental Engineering	sustainable development; GHG emissions in complex systems; air quality-transportation; environmental justice; governance structures and environmentalism; prioritization of transportation infrastructure; relationship between land use and travel
Ben Orlove	Environmental Science and Policy	Human dimensions of inter-annual climate variability," especially the ways how people cope with El Niño events. I study such topics as traditional forms of forecasting among peasant and indigenous people; the use of forecasts in modern societies; and the influence of globalization on current responses to climate variability.
Richard Pan	Medicine, General Pediatrics	Teach physicians to partner with community organizations to build healthier communities. I am interested in the relationship between social capital and child health and development.
Debra Paterniti	UCDHS: Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care	Physician-patient interaction, patient decision-making, quality of life and aging, and informed consent. She focuses on the application of qualitative research methods in health services research.Assistant adjunct professor of medicine and sociologist at the Center for Heath Services Research in Primary Care. Award for Excellence in Service to Grad STudents - UCD Health System.
Dennis Pendleton	UC Davis Extension	Natural resources policy, planning and administration; environmental assessment; simulation/optimization modeling of ecological systems.
Carolyn Penny	Common Ground, UC Davis Extension	Conflict resolution, issue-framing, meeting design, facilitation of multi-stakeholder decision making, organizational planning, mediation, facilitation of public engagement processes, training, and analysis and writing.
Michael Rios	Environmental Design	Research interests center on the assessment of public policy, professional practice, and citizen participation in the planning and design of the built environment. The aim of this collective work is to understand how institutions, practitioners, and citizens develop capacities for collective action, praxis, and meaningful participation as members of political communities.
Michael Peter Smith	Human and Community Development	Transnationalism and citizenship, globalization, urban social theory, urban political economy and culture, racial and ethnic formation.
Julie Sze	American Studies	Her research is at the intersection of interdisciplinary fields: American studies, environmental, urban and ethnic studies. She focuses on race, class, gender and environment, environmental justice movement, urban environmentalism and environmental health.
Bernadette Tarallo	Human and Community Development	Economic development; transnational immigration; labor process studies; and, social inequities in the community.
Tom Tomich	Human and Community Development	Agricultural sustainability, sustainable food systems, sustainability metrics and indicators, sustainability science.
Mark Van Horn	PSTC/SF	Organic soil management, particularly cover cropping, compost use and composting: and, organic education, including experiential field-based learning.
Karen Watson-Gegeo	School of Education	Classroom discourse; Education in Developing Countries; Ethnography and Ethnographic research; Language Acquisition; Language development and socialization; Literacy and Language policy; Organizational structure/effectiveness; Pidgin/creole languages; Sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics.
Miriam Wells	Human and Community Development	Political and economic anthropology, ethnicity, economic development, unionization/social movements, immigration and immigration policy, the social organization of agriculture.
Steve Wheeler	Environmental Design	Sustainable development; urban design; city and regional planning; land use; climate change.
Diane Wolf	Sociology	Gender and development, family/households, fieldwork, Southeast Asia, immigration.