Center for Research + Evaluation

The Center for Research on the Regional Economy (CRRE) researchers have expertise in regional workforce trends, the impact of universities, research institutions and continuing education on regional economic growth. The following is a selection of the CRRE research reports:

• Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Carton, G., Emerging Careers for College Graduates (2017).
• Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Carton, G., Priming the Talent Pipeline (2017).
• Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Carton, G., Labor Market Analysis: Public Sector for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (2017).
• Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Carton, G., Emerging Careers for College Graduates (2016).
• Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Carton, G., San Diego County Labor Market Analysis: Specialty Foods and Brews, interviews for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (2016).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos G., San Diego County Labor Market Analysis: Aerospace Industry, report for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (2015).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos G., Carton G., Downtown San Diego: The Innovation Economy's Next Frontier, report for the Downtown San Diego Partnership (2015).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos G., Priority Sectors: Workforce Initiatives in San Diego County, report for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (2015).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Selfridge-Bustos G., Diamond Neighborhoods Collective Impact, dashboard for the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation (2015).
• Shapiro, J.D., Baru, S., Selfridge-Bustos, G., Hot Careers for College Graduates (2015).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Baru, S., San Diego County Labor Market: Advanced Manufacturing, report for the San Diego Workforce Partnership (2014).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., " Beyond Tech Transfer: A More Comprehensive Approach to Measuring the Entrepreneurial University" Journal of Management Studies (2014).
• Walshok, M.L. and West, Joel. " Serendipity and Symbiosis: UCSD and the Local Wireless Industry." In Public Universities and Regional Growth: Insights from the University of California. Kenney, Martin, and David Mowery. Forthcoming Stanford Press, (2014).
• DeVries, H., Baru, S., Shapiro, J.D., Hot Careers for College Graduates and Returning Students (2014).
• Walshok, M. L., Shragge, A., Invention and Reinvention: The Evolution of San Diego's Innovation Economy, Stanford University Press (2013).
• DeVries, H., Baru, S., Shapiro, J.D., DeVries, H., Baru, S., Shapiro, J.D.,  Hot Careers for College Graduates and Returning Students (2013).
• Walshok, M.L., Shapiro, J.D., Owens, N., " Unraveling the Cultural and Social Dynamics of Regional Innovation Systems", Report to the National Science Foundation (2013).
• Audretsch, D. B., & Walshok, M. L. Creating competitiveness: Entrepreneurship and innovation policies for growth. Elgar Publishing (2013).
• Walshok, M.L., The Strategic Management of Place, Evolution of San Diego Innovation Economy. Ed. David Audretsch. Elgar Publishing (January 2013).
• Walshok, Mary. " A Systemic Approach to Accelerating Entrepreneurship." innovations 8.3-4 (2013): 7-17.
• Walshok, Mary L., Josh D. Shapiro, and Nathan Owens. "Transitional Innovation Networks Aren't all Created Equal: Towards a Classification System". The Journal of Technology Transfer (1, 2012).
• Walshok, M.L., Owens, N., OrthoWorx Evaluation: Second Report January 2011-July 2012, report for BioCrossroads Indiana (2012).
• DeVries, H., Baru, S., Shapiro, J.D., Hot Careers for College Graduates and Returning Students (2012).
• Walshok, M. L., Munroe, T., DeVries, H., Closing America's Job Gap, New Win Publishing (2011).
• DeVries, H., Hot Careers for College Graduates (2011).
• DeVries, H., Hot Careers for College Graduates (2010).
• Walshok, M. L., Connecting Science and Business, Developing University-Industry Relations - Pathways to Innovation from the West Coast, Ed. Miller, R. C., LeBoef, B.J. Jossey-Bass Publishers (2009).
• Walshok, M.L., Owens, N., Horowitt G., Usry, S., Biotechnology Cluster Project: San Diego Analysis, report for the United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney (2010).
• Walshok, M.L., Horowitt, G., NISP CONNECT, assessment report for MATRIX, Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel (2009).
• Walshok, M.L., Evaluation of Generation I of the Workforce Investment Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative, report prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Policy Development, Evaluation and Research, Washington, DC (2009).
• Walshok, M. L., Lee, C.W.B., Road Map for Collaboration: Describing St. Louis, MO's Federally Funded Research and Innovation Assets through RaDiUS, report for Washington University's Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (2006).
• Morris, K., Owens, N., Walshok, M.L., Borderless Innovation: Catalyzing the Competitiveness of the San Diego - Baja California Region, report by San Diego Dialogue (2005).
• Walshok, M. L., Lee, C.W.B., Eizenberg, M., Lowenstein, A., Guttman, R., Building the Foundation for U.S. - Israel Initiatives in Biotechnology: Connecting Israel's Institute of Technology (Technion) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), report for the U.S. - Israel Science & Technology Foundation (USISTF) (2005).

CR+E partners with nonprofits, community and academic institutions to support projects centered around workforce development, education, youth services, health, arts and culture. Our expert team employs a wide range of research methodologies and statistical techniques to assist with every stage of research design from identifying funding opportunities and grant writing to program monitoring and evaluation reporting. The following is a list of services we provide:

NON-PROFITS & COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS 

Grant Writing Support & Proposal Development

• Identifying funding opportunities
• Literature review
• Grant writing
• Methodology support

Research Design

• Identifying research questions
• identifying appropriate research design
• Identifying outcome measures

Data Collection, Management & Analysis

• Data collection
• Data cleaning and organization
• Analysis

ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS

Grant Writing Support & Proposal Development

• Identifying funding opportunities
• Literatire reviews
• Grant writing
• Methodology support

Grant Evaluation

• Evaluation design and methodology
• Program monitoring and grant progress reports
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Evaluation reporting

The CRRE is an advocate for data-driven decisions. In addition, to helping organizations make decisions based on quantitative and qualitative data, the department also works on efforts to teach others how they can use data on their own to make programmatic and organizational decisions.

The following are some programs the organization spearheads:

Community Research Certificate

The specialized certificate in Community Research and Program Evaluation offers an overview of data sources and methods and fundamentals for evaluating programs and services in school, health, government, nonprofit agencies, social service agencies, state departments, consulting firms, and businesses. The program allows working professionals from a variety of disciplines to develop baseline training in program evaluation, data collection, and community research. Our course environment encourages inquiry-based learning as a central feature of the training approach. Students will link scholarship to practice through case studies, problem-solving exercises, as well as a capstone project. The Community Research and Program Evaluation Certificate will provide students with an expanded toolkit to assess various research methodologies, ask essential questions for program evaluation, access community data, and perform descriptive analyses to make a difference within their organization. Learn More.

Institutional Research Certificate

The online specialized certificate in Institutional Research trains professionals and individuals to learn the fundamental skills to analyze data, conduct routine monitoring, and ultimately conduct institutional research. The certificate offers an overview of the field of institutional research, teaching students to utilize quantitative and qualitative methodologies to create research instruments and evaluate university outcomes. Students will have the opportunity to participate in internships and gain real-world experience in each course. This program is ideal for post-baccalaureate students and career professionals new to the discipline of institutional research. Learn More.

Fellows Program

The CRRE department offers a unique opportunity for UC San Diego undergraduate and graduate students to be a research fellow for the department. Students work closely with the CRRE research team to learn research and analytics skill sets by working on research projects. Students are welcomed to apply for the program by emailing a statement of interest to Dr. Josh Shapiro at jshapiro@ucsd.edu.

Mary Walshok, Ph.D.
Dean of UC San Diego Extension, Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Programs and Dean of Extension at UC San Diego
Mary Walshok, Ph.D., is an author, educator, researcher, and Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Programs and Dean of Extension at UC San Diego. She has done extensive research and writing on women in the economy, including a seminal book, “Blue Collar Women” (1981). She authored more than 100 books, articles, and reports on aligning workforce development with regional economic growth. She is the co-founder of the internationally recognized CONNECT and currently serves on the boards of San Diego CONNECT, the United States- Mexico Foundation for Science, and the Institute of the Americas. 


Josh Shapiro, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean of Research Affairs
Josh Shapiro is the Assistant Dean of Research Affairs at UC San Diego Extension. He has worked on evaluation projects covering a wide range of topics including STEM education, health care, and the role of philanthropy in economic development. Dr. Shapiro was one of the core evaluators on the effectiveness of the Department of Labor’s $500 million WIRED initiative. He holds a Ph.D. in sociology, and worked as a public school teacher prior to pursuing his doctoral degree. 


Georgia Kovacs, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Research Affairs
Georgia Kovacs is the Associate Director of Research Affairs at UC San Diego Extension. She holds a doctoral degree in Educational Psychology & Methodology and has professional work experience in curriculum design, assessment, evaluation, and teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has a strong track record of leading successful research and evaluation efforts in the arenas of education and workforce development. 

Raphael E. Cuomo, Ph.D., MPH, CPH, FRSPH​
Assistant Professor and Research Scientist
Raphael Cuomo is a professor and scientist who has made various noteworthy contributions in the fields of epidemiology, economics, and policy.  He is known for his biostatistical and geospatial approaches to challenging public health and public policy issues. He has published numerous academic papers in leading biomedical journals, and he is the recipient of several awards for his scientific contributions.

Dr. Cuomo completed his undergraduate education with Lafayette College and continued his graduate education with Harvard University, San Diego State University, and the University of California-San Diego. He completed additional training with the World Health Organization and with Yale University.

Dr. Cuomo is board-certified in public health by the US-based National Board of Public Health Examiners, a Fellow of the UK-based Royal Society for Public Health, and a member of the Delta Omega honorary society. He has also been an active member of several professional public health organizations, including the American Public Health Association, the American College of Healthcare Executives, and AcademyHealth. He currently teaches classes to graduate students at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

Gladys Selfridge
Institutional Research Manager
Gladys Selfridge is the Institutional Research Manager of Research Affairs at UC San Diego Extension. She has led numerous outreach surveys, interviews, and focus group efforts and has experience working with workforce agencies, education systems, high school districts, community colleges and universities. She has spearheaded efforts to expose job seekers to careers in the manufacturing sector, collaborating with industry, workforce centers, educators, and other stakeholders. She made strong contributions to the South and East County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and has provided expertise to SANDAG for their 2012 Traded Industry Clusters in the San Diego Region report. She earned her bachelor’s degree at UC San Diego, graduating magna cum-laude.