From the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation—Three CSWS faculty affiliates have received the University of Oregon Foundation’s Trustee Excellence Fund awards that support high-impact research, scholarship, and creative activity by UO faculty. The awards were selected for their potential to generate meaningful societal outcomes and their commitment to student engagement.

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, associate 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, associate 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.

The Trustee Excellence Fund was established in 2015 to support emerging and impactful opportunities at the University of Oregon. You can read the full story here.