The first of three scheduled Provost Presents Faculty Research talks for the spring 2026 semester will take place on March 10 when Rosario de la Luz Rizzo Lara, assistant professor of sociology, will discuss her co-authored book, “Analyzing Motives in Semi-Structured Interview Data,” which advances emerging scholarship on how researchers can systematically interpret motives using qualitative interview data.

Rizzo Lara’s talk, “Repurposing Hope and Data: Why Central Americans Migrated to the U.S. in Caravans,” will explain the development of the 5Rs methodology, a novel framework that synthesizes insights from multiple academic literatures to analyze motives in semi-structured interview data.  She will demonstrate how the methodology can be applied through a case study of the 2018 migrant caravans to the United States, offering deeper insight into why Central Americans chose to migrate in highly visible and collective ways.

It also will be available on Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/HopeandData.

The presentation is part of the ongoing Provost Presents Faculty Research Series, presented by the Office of the Provost in collaboration with CSUSB Libraries and the Faculty Center for Excellence. The series this spring aims to highlight new scholarship on migration, environmental justice, and fiscal policy.

The Provost Presents Faculty Research Series showcases innovative research and creative activity by CSUSB faculty across disciplines. Designed to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and connect scholarship to pressing regional, national and global issues, the series invites the campus and broader community to engage directly with faculty experts and their latest work.

Rebecca Lubas, dean of CSUSB Libraries, emphasized the importance of the series in elevating faculty scholarship. “We are pleased to provide a platform for our innovative and inquisitive faculty,” she said. “The Provost Presents series is an excellent opportunity to learn what research is happening across CSUSB. This semester’s featured speakers are tackling topics especially relevant to the Inland Empire.”

All presentations will take place from noon to 1 p.m. in the Faculty Center for Excellence (PL-4005), include a question-and-answer session, and are free and open to the public. A Zoom option is also available.

Also scheduled this spring:

  • “Environmental Justice as a Path to Economic Prosperity”
    Elizabeth Castillo, assistant professor, sustainable management
    Wednesday, April 22
    Castillo will challenge the common framing of environmental justice as solely a moral imperative or a constraint on economic growth. Drawing on National Science Foundation-funded research grounded in complexity science and multi-capital accounting, she will outline the functional and strategic benefits of environmental justice for business and economic systems. Her presentation will demonstrate how integrating environmental justice principles into organizational decision-making can foster sustainable business models and serve as a pathway to long-term economic prosperity. 
    Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/Dashed-Dreams.
  • “Improving Equity through Fiscal Policy: Dashed Dreams”
    Marc Fudge, professor, public administration
    Thursday, April 23 
    Fudge will discuss his new book, “Improving Equity through Fiscal Policy: Dashed Dreams,” co-authored with Marc Holzer (Suffolk University, Boston, Mass.). He will examine how public budgeting and finance policies have shaped equity in the United States. Drawing on historical and contemporary examples, he will explore how taxation, public choice, and political economics have influenced resource allocation decisions – often to the detriment of Black Americans and other historically underserved communities. By tracing the development of U.S. fiscal policy through an equity-centered lens, Fudge will challenge participants to reconsider how modern public budgeting can either perpetuate disparities or serve as a powerful tool for advancing justice and opportunity. 
    Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/EnvironmentalJustice2026

The series underscores CSUSB’s commitment to advancing research that addresses pressing social, economic and environmental challenges and reflects the university’s mission as a regional public research institution.

For questions or more information about the series, contact Rob Madrigal, Pfau Library, at rmadriga@csusb.edu.