The University of Oregon Foundation’s Trustee Excellence Fund continues to support high-impact research, scholarship, and creative activity by UO faculty. In 2025, four new projects were awarded approximately $50,000 each, selected for their potential to generate meaningful societal outcomes and their commitment to student engagement.

“These awards represent our confidence in a high potential for scholarly and social impact,” said Anshuman “AR” Razdan, vice president for research and innovation. “These projects will involve both undergraduate and graduate students, fulfilling an important objective of the UO Foundation’s program. I want to thank the UO Foundation trustees for continued support of our faculty.”

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation administers this grant program in collaboration with the UO Foundation.

“The Trustee Excellence Fund was established in 2015 to support emerging and impactful opportunities at the University of Oregon,” said Paul Weinhold, UO Foundation president and CEO. “We had originally planned to support two awards this year but were so impressed with the quality of the proposed projects, that we are funding four. We are confident selected faculty and their student’s will engage in work that will have positive impact, not only at the UO, but throughout the broader societal, academic, and creative landscapes.”

Supporting Groundbreaking Work on Justice and Belonging

Masami Kawai, assistant professor in the Department of Cinema Studies, received funding for the post-production of her narrative feature film, Valley of the Tall Grass. The film explores contemporary Indigenous identities, including Indigenous immigrants to the United States and their relationships with Native American communities. It is among the few feature films made by a woman of color in Oregon and is the first narrative feature film from a member of the Cinema Studies department. The project includes community screenings and collaborations with organizations that support Native American and immigrant/diasporic Indigenous communities. Undergraduate students will participate in the film’s post-production through internships and apprenticeships, and a workshop series in fall 2026 will introduce students to key aspects of post-production. Additional workshops will focus on marketing and independent film promotion.

Claire Herbert, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, was awarded a grant to support the completion of her manuscript, When Home is Illegal: Unsheltered Homelessness in America. The book examines unsheltered homelessness in Eugene, Oregon, and explores how laws and policies shape the experiences of people experiencing homelessness. It centers the voices of unhoused individuals, housed residents, and local authorities, and considers how public property can be a site for policy change. The project highlights how unsheltered homelessness reshapes public life and urban space, demonstrating the need for new regulations and community actions to address this entrenched social problem. Two undergraduate research assistants will support the project through data collection and analysis and will have opportunities to contribute to public presentations and academic outputs.

Julie Weise, professor in the Department of History, was awarded a grant to support the completion of her book, Guest Worker: Lives across Borders in an Age of Prosperity, 1919–75. The book uses case histories—migration from Mexico to the United States, Spain to France, and Malawi to South Africa— to challenge conventional views of temporary migrant labor, showing how migrants exchanged rural inequalities for new forms of capitalist inequality abroad. It also highlights the role of international labor advocates and home country policymakers in shaping labor programs. The project emphasizes the personal narratives of migrants and aims to inform current debates on temporary worker policies. Two undergraduate research assistants will contribute to the project and receive hands-on research experience and mentorship.

Yizhao Yang, associate professor in the School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management, received funding for a study focused on food insecurity in Lane County. The project, conducted in partnership with Food for Lane County and its affiliated food pantries, will investigate barriers to food assistance and propose data-driven solutions to improve the efficiency and equity of food distribution. The project will also develop an online mapping system and analytical dashboard to visualize food distribution patterns and assess performance. By creating tangible tools and a scalable data-technology integration model, the project aims to provide practical support for food banks and develop strategies that can be adapted nationally to reduce food insecurity. The study will involve nearly 70 undergraduate students through coursework and research, with five to seven students serving as research assistants.

Projects supported by the Trustee Excellence Fund are completed over a two-year period. A new grant cycle is expected in 2026.