‘A great example of a win-win’: SDSU, San Diego Unified deepen ties with research showcase
There was palpable energy and hardly an empty seat in sight as San Diego State University researchers and San Diego Unified School District leaders gathered on Oct. 29 at the Extended Studies Center for the inaugural SDSU-SDUSD Research Showcase.
Hosted by the SDSU College of Education (COE), College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) and Division of Research and Innovation (DRI), the event was intended to strengthen and expand a mutually-beneficial relationship between California’s second-largest school district and investigators focused on improving outcomes for children and youth.
“You have to have one-on-one relationships to do community partnerships successfully, but they have to start somewhere,” said Rachel Haine Schlagel, COE associate dean for research and professor in the Department of Child and Family Development. “I really hope this provided an opportunity for those relationships to start or to flourish.”
SDUSD serves more than 121,000 students from pre-school through the 12th grade. SDSU researchers in COE conduct research on teaching, educational leadership and student wellness. Investigators in CHHS disciplines such as speech-language hearing sciences, social work, and nursing interface with school-age populations, as well.
“I think it’s through this type of discourse that we can really think about new possibilities for how things could be and really challenge our assumptions and get out of our silos,” said Roman del Rosario, SDUSD’s executive director for data insights and systems support. “It’s great to learn about strategies that research has shown are working while taking into account our context to better understand how to improve things for the students that we serve.”
Nearly 100 attendees packed the room, including more than 20 SDUSD staffers, 50 academics and even some doctoral students. They enjoyed a welcome from SDSU leaders and six “Ignite Talks” from faculty already conducting research in the district, tackling topics such as improving student wellbeing, protecting LGBTQIA+ youth, assessing bilingual learners, literacy and supporting students with autism and other disabilities.
The morning was closed with a chance for attendees — strategically seated by common interests — to meet one another and network.
“The lead of literacy from the district was there and so we connected her with four of our professors — two from College of Ed and two from HHS — who are interested in literacy,” said Giang Pham, associate dean for research in CHHS and professor of speech, language, and hearing sciences. “I heard that it was a great table. They made a lot of connections.”
Pham, Haine-Schlagel and Nadia Campbell, DRI's Director of Research Initiatives for Health Sciences, organized the event, which followed months of engagement with SDUSD leaders. The vision they pitched to the district was university research in the schools as a mutually-beneficial partnership, not an extractive process.
Del Rosario embodied the spirit of collaboration during his remarks when he read aloud his cell number for everyone in the room.
Buoyed by the turnout and energy, Haine-Schlagel and Pham both expressed hope to host future Research Showcases with the district. Pham added that the event was aligned with the CHHS strategic plan pillar of Community Impact in Research.
“It's a great example of a win-win and doing things better together,” she said.
