In an effort to encourage UC graduate students to study policy-relevant research topics, from 2021 through mid 2024, CPL provided fellowship grants for research projects using California administrative data or other CPL datasets as part of a grant by UCOP’s Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives. Though CPL’s initial funding for Graduate Fellowships and Seed Grants has ended, if you are interested in providing support for student-led policy-research, please reach out to development@capolicylab.org.
Graduate Fellowships Awarded for 2024
Gaby Lohner, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Broadening the Safety Net: The Impact of Increased CalFresh Access for California College Students.” Gaby will be using data from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO).
Davis Vo, UCLA, for a project entitled “The CalFresh Trajectories of California Adults Who (Re)Enroll in Community College.” Davis will be using data from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO).
Max Snyder, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Can Public Policy Improve Climate Adaptation? The Case of Workplace Heat Standards.” Max will be using data from the CA Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).
Letian Yin, UCSD, for a project entitled “Tax Credits and Financial Well-Being of Families.” Letian will be using data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and University of California Consumer Credit Panel (UC-CCP).
Bryant Jackson-Green, UC Irvine, for a project entitled “Are Prison-Healthcare Consent Decrees Implemented? A Difference-in-Differences Study of Their Effect on Budget Changes.” Bryant will be using data from the California Department of Finance.
Aldazia Green, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Impact of Criminal Justice Fees–and Fee Repeal–on Probationers’ Financial Health.” Aldazia will be using data from the Alameda County Probation Department, Alameda County Central Collections, the California Department of Justice, and the University of California Consumer Credit Panel (UC-CCP).
Raheem Chaudhry, Gaby Lohner, and Justine Weng, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “The Effects of Course Sequences on Educational Achievement.” Raheem, Gaby, and Justine will be using California school district data available through the DataZone.
Noah Nouchekinia, UC Irvine, for a project entitled “Effects of Inclusionary Zoning and Housing Supply: Novel Evidence from California Housing Elements.” Noah will be using data from the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Anthony Gómez, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Bringing development to the forefront: An investigation of foster care trajectories in a sample of California adolescents.” Anthony will be using data from California’s Child Welfare Services Case Management System (CWS/CMS).
Steve Ramos, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “The impacts of Parent PLUS access on postsecondary enrollment.” Steve will be using data from the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) and the University of California Consumer Credit Panel (UC-CCP).
Daniela Kaiser, UC Irvine, for a project entitled “School Instruction Modalities and Child Maltreatment Reporting in California During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Daniela will be using California child welfare data accessed via the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect.
Donovan Rasamoelison, UC Santa Barbara, for a project entitled “Buy now, forgiven later? Policy adoption uncertainty and personal finance: Evidence from the student loan forgiveness program.” Donovan will be using data from the University of California Consumer Credit Panel (UC-CCP).
Graduate Fellowships Awarded for 2023
Teresita Cruz Vital, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “CADAA Estudiante Cuenta: The Effects Of The California DREAM Act Application On Undocumented Student Success.” Teresita will be using data from the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).
Kassandra Hernandez, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “CADAA Estudiante Cuenta: The Effects Of The California DREAM Act Application On Undocumented Student Success.” Kassandra will be using data from the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).
Meghan Ballard (Co-PI) and Dr. Bryan Sykes (Principal Supervisor and Co-PI), UC Irvine, for a project entitled “California Racial Justice Act (CRJA) of 2020: Assessing Disparate Impact and Intent in Criminal Sex-Crime Related Cases in Los Angeles County.” Meghan and Bryan will be using data obtained from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office via a California Public Records Act (CPRA) request made by the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office
Simon Greenhill (UC Berkeley), for a project entitled “What are the health costs of noise pollution?” Simon will be using data from the California Department of Public Health and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Amalia Mejia (UC Irvine), for a project entitled “Racial Disparities of Latinos/as in Community Supervision.” Amalia will be using data from a County Probation Department.
Rucker Johnson and Joaquin Fuenzalida (UC Berkeley), for a project entitled “Synergistic Impacts of Expansions in PreK Access & School Funding on Student Success.” Rucker & Joaquin will be using data from the California Department of Education, Department of Social Services, First 5 CA, and the Office of Civil Rights.
Tiffany Taylor (UC Berkeley), for a project entitled “An Economic Analysis of Medical Consumer Credit Trends in California.”
Alexander Adia, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Chronic Care Management at Federally Qualified Health Centers and Potentially Preventable Utilization among Adult Medicaid Beneficiaries: A National Study.” Alexander will be using data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Meghan Ballard (Co-PI) and Dr. Bryan Sykes (Principal Supervisor and Co-PI), UC Irvine, for a project entitled “California Racial Justice Act (CRJA) of 2020: Assessing Disparate Impact and Intent in Criminal Sex-Crime Related Cases in Los Angeles County.” Meghan and Bryan will be using data obtained from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office via a California Public Records Act (CPRA) request made by the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office.
Daniela Kaiser, UC Irvine, for a project entitled “From Rights to Votes: Understanding political knowledge and mobilization via text messaging among individuals impacted by the criminal justice system.” Daniela will be using voter file data from the California Secretary of State.
Shreya Chandra, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Percolation of natural disaster related credit shocks through networks” co-authored with Palaash Bhargava. Shreya will be using household credit data from the University of California Consumer Credit Panel.
Steve Ramos, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Honey, I’m in Debt with the Kids: Examining the Effects of Parent PLUS Eligibility.” Steve will be using data from the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) and the University of California Consumer Credit Panel (UC-CCP).
Nick Gebbia, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Family Responses to College Financial Aid Incentives.” Nick will be using data from the California Student Aid Commission and the University of California Consumer Credit Panel.
Graduate Fellowships Awarded for 2022
Angela Gu, UC San Diego, for a project entitled “The Effect of Workers’ Compensation on Injured Workers’ Financial Well-being.” Angela will be using data from the Workers’ Compensation Information System (WCIS), the Electronic Adjudication Management System (EAMS), and the University of California Consumer Credit Panel (UC-CCP).
Shaina Sta. Cruz, PhD candidate at UC Merced, for a project entitled “Health and Human Services Utilization Among Women Victimized by Violence.” Shaina will be using data from the Life Course Dataset.
Sreeraahul Kancherla, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Revisiting Liquidity Provision: Unemployment Insurance Benefit Timing and Job Search.” Sreeraahul will be using data from the California Employment Development Department (EDD).
Valerie Boctor, UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Between Recessions: Household Financial Stability and the Role of Monetary Policy.” Valerie will be using data from the University of California Consumer Credit Panel (UC-CCP).
Sarah Papich, UC Santa Barbara, for a project entitled “Effects of Buy Now, Pay Later on Financial Well-Being.” Sarah will be using data from University of California Consumer Credit Panel (UC-CCP).
Igor Geyn, UCLA, for a project entitled “Do college subsidies make California students more active citizens?” co-authored with Daniel Firoozi. Igor and Daniel will be using data from the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).
TJ Hedin, UCLA, for a project entitled “The Effect of Unconditional Cash Transfers to Displaced Workers on Labor Market Outcomes: An Analysis of the Lost Wages Assistance Program.” TJ will be using data from California’s Employment Development Department (EDD).
Graduate Fellowships Awarded for 2021
Christopher Giamarino, a PhD student at UCLA, for a project entitled “A services not sweeps approach: A spatial ethnography of homelessness and policing in Los Angeles.” Christopher will be using data from LA’s homelessness management information system (HMIS) available under the Homelessness Research Accelerator Data Hub.
Eva Lyubich, UC Berkeley, for her project entitled “The Relationship Between Energy Burden, Economic Insecurity, and Race” (also awarded a Seed Grant). Eva will be using data from the California Public Utility Commission, California Department of Social Services, and the UC Consumer Credit Panel.
Zachary Sauers, UCLA, for his project entitled “The Relationship Between Student Debt and Urban Relocation.” Zachary will be using data from the California Department of Education and UC Consumer Credit Panel.
Nicole Perales, PhD candidate at UC Berkeley, for a project entitled “Program Effectiveness in California’s Child Welfare System.”
Woongchan Jeon, PhD Candidate at UC Santa Barbara, for a project entitled “The distributional impacts of wildfires on household balance sheets in the Western United States.’ Woongchan also received a CPL Seed Grant.
Sandy Sum, PhD student at UC Santa Barbara, for a project entitled “Groundwater contamination and adverse health outcomes in California.”
Aria Golestani, PhD student at UC Irvine, for a project entitled “Silenced: Consequences of the Nuisance Property Ordinances.”
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Questions?
Reach out to gradfellowships@capolicylab.org.