Cal State Fullerton staff members tour Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo by Kelly Lacefield

Center Central

March 31, 2009

Cal State Fullerton offers a number of centers that serve myriad purposes. Here are some:

African American Resource Center

Coordinator: Tiana Coleman

This center provides resources, services, programs and events that focus on the total integration and success of African American students. Information: 657-278-3230. http://hss.fullerton.edu/aarc

California Desert Studies Center

Director: William Presch

Located in the Mojave National Preserve at Zzyzx, 11 miles southwest of Baker, this center is a field station operated by the California State University system. It manages 1,280 acres that include fossil sites, remains of Indian villages, historical wagon trails, old army forts, mining sites and the salt flats of Silurian and Soda Dry Lakes under a cooperative management agreement with the with the Bureau of Land Management. It is operated by the California Desert Studies Consortium, made up of Cal State Fullerton and six other CSU campuses. Information: 657-278-2428, http://biology.fullerton.edu/dsc/

Career Center

Director: Jim Case

This center offers information on job fairs, internships and other services for those seeking jobs and for employers. Information: 657-278-3121

Center for the Advancement of Responsible Youth Sports

Directors: Lenny Wiersma, Clay Sherman and Cheryl Cooky

This center promotes positive and developmentally appropriate sport and physical activity programs for youngsters. Its goals are based on the understanding that parents, leaders, coaches and professionals have a responsibility to provide a safe, enjoyable and developmentally appropriate experiences for children and adolescents involved in organized youth sports. Information: 657-278-3806, 657-278-4386, http://hdcs.fullerton.edu/knes/carys/home.htm

Center for Applied Biotechnology Studies

Director: Marcelo E. Tolmasky

This center is an interdisciplinary organization that provides research and consulting services to the local and state biotechnology/biomedical communities through its applied research activities and workforce-oriented educational program. The center's goals are: to contribute to educational programs that will support workforce development in biotechnology with emphasis on such areas as biocomputing, biodevices, bioengineering and biopharmaceutics; to create an environment where applied research by faculty and students is a primary objective; and to foster interactions with biotechnology-biomedical industry locally, regionally and statewide. It is located in Room 282 of McCarthy Hall. Information: 657-278-5263

Center for Cancer Disparities Research

Director: Sora Park Tanjasiri

This Center for Cancer Disparities Research was established in 2006 to address the increasing burden of cancer health disparities in the U.S. Cancer is the second most common cause of death, with ethnic minority and other medically underserved populations disproportionately affected due to factors such as lack of access to care, unavailability of quality care and treatment, language barriers and poverty. The mission of the center is to promote scholarship and creative activities to improve the cancer-related health of underserved populations in Orange County. The center is located in Room 129 of the Kinesiology and Health Science Building. Information: 657-278-4592, http://disparities.fullerton.edu

Center for Careers in Teaching

Director: Chris Renne

This center provides academic advisement for undergraduates planning careers in teaching elementary, middle or high school or special education and counseling to local community college students who plan to transfer to Cal State Fullerton and become teachers, as well as other information for those pursuing teaching credentials. Information: 657-278-7130, 949-936-1780

Center for Children Who Stutter

Director: Sherri Wolff

Using the latest research findings available, this center provides expertise in stuttering diagnosis, prevention, treatment and community education. Information: 657-278-4570

Center for Community Collaboration

Director: Michelle Berelowitz

This Center for Community Collaboration seeks to strengthen children, youth and families in collaboration with public agencies and community-based organizations. It provides learning opportunities through partnerships with other agencies or organizations to offer interdisciplinary training workshops and certificate programs for human services, community health and education professionals and as an information resource on policy issues for organizations serving children and families. The center is located in Room 207B of the Education-Classroom Building. Information: 657-278-5681

Center for Corporate Reporting and Governance

Director: Vivek Mande

Established in 2003, the Center for Corporate Reporting and Governance addresses corporate reporting and governance issues facing companies and their auditors. It trains and educates corporate boards, accounting professionals and investors on topics related to ethics, accountability, financial reporting and governance, and is accredited by Institutional Shareholder Services, a provider of proxy voting and corporate governance services. It is located in Room 4357A of Mihaylo Hall. Information: 657-278-7659

Center for Demographic Research

Director: Deborah Stickley Diep

This center was established in 1996 to ensure Orange County continues its presence in the development and support of demographic information. The center is sponsored by the County of Orange, Orange County Sanitation District, Orange County Transportation Authority, Transportation Corridor Agencies, Municipal Water District of Orange County, Orange County Water District, County of Orange Clerk-Recorder Department, Orange County Council of Governments and Cal State Fullerton. It makes its data readily available to faculty and student researchers, assists the faculty in designing instructional activities in the field of demography and draws upon faculty research and expertise in its project activities. The primary function of the center is to produce estimates and projections for housing, population and employment for a variety of geographic areas within Orange County. Information: 657-278-3009

Center for Economic Education

Director: Chaira Gratton-Lavoie

The promotion of economic understanding, on both a practical and applied level is at the heart of the Center for Economic Education. It is part of the network of California Centers affiliated with the California Council on Economic Education and the National Council on Economic Education. Its objective is to promote and foster economic literacy in the schools (K-12), institutions of higher learning and in the community at large through curriculum development and consultation, workshops and courses, materials dissemination and education research. It is located in Room 3357A of Mihaylo Hall. Information: 657-278-2248

Center for Entertainment and Tourism

Director: Cynthia King

This center serves as a coordinating unit to assist Cal State Fullerton in developing and implementing academic programs enriched by partnerships with off-campus representatives of the entertainment and tourism industries, including organizations that produce and market goods and services intended for amusement, diversion and leisure. The center's goals: increase student awareness of careers and job opportunities in the entertainment and tourism industries in Southern to California; encourage faculty who have expertise and professional contacts in the entertainment and tourism field to educate and mentor students interested in the field; and position Cal State Fullerton as an important player in Southern California's entertainment and tourism industry. Information: 657-278-4092

Center for Entrepreneurship

Director: John B. Jackson

Established in 2001, this center works to develop entrepreneurial leaders to compete in the changing business environment. Located in Room 4210 of Mihaylo Hall, it supports entrepreneurial education and research by bringing together faculty, students, alumni entrepreneurs, and friends of the university to build and advance an entrepreneurial culture. Information: 657-278-3464

Center for Ethnographic Cultural Analysis

Director: Vacant

This center combines training in ethnography (as a technique of observing, recording and writing about other cultures) with various forms of cultural analysis. It promotes innovative educational projects, conferences, seminars and workshops. The center also serves as a resource for schools and businesses within the community that may wish to draw upon the expertise of anthropology students and faculty who are trained to observe, record and analyze the qualitative complexity of human behavior. Information: 657-278-3564

Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education

(Soon to be renamed the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning in Math and Science Education)

Director: Victoria Costa

This center functions are to: coordinate K-12 science and math education activities on campus; support efforts for obtaining external funds for the improvement of science and math education; enhance outreach activities with area schools and educators; publicize existing science and math education programs at CSUF; promote increased access to science and mathematics to all students, especially underrepresented minorities, women and bilingual speakers; foster discussion and develop innovative ideas regarding current issues and methods in mathematics and science education; sponsor and schedule seminars featuring prominent educators; and promote collaboration between faculty from the colleges of Education and Natural Sciences and Mathematics to improve science and math education classroom teaching. Information: 657-278-2307

Center for Insurance Studies

Director: Weili Lu

Since its establishment in 1998, the Center for Insurance Studies has strived to educate individuals committed to professional careers in the insurance and financial services industry, including property, life, benefits, risk management and health care components. The emphasis is on careers in actuarial analysis, claims, financial planning, marketing, risk management, portfolio management, sales, technology and underwriting. Operating strategies for the center are constantly updated with the help of industry professionals that has resulted in a number of new and developing programs, such as the insurance and financial services program, one of six tracks in the finance concentration within the business administration major. Information: 657-278-3679

Center for Internships and Community Engagement

Director: Jeannie Kim-Han

This center promotes and facilitates experiential learning. Through local, national and international academic internships and service-learning experiences, it supports student learning. It also supports faculty and departments by providing technical assistance to those with internship and service-learning courses. Information: 657-278-3746

Center for International Business

Director: Katrin Harich

The need for global business education within the domestic market is the focus of this center. It develops various international business programs to enhance the educational opportunities for students, such as the Business Europe Study Tour, or BEST program offered during the summer. Information: 657-278-4674, http://business.fullerton.edu/centers/cib

Center for Oral and Public History

Director: Natalie Fousekis

This center was established in 2002, replacing the Oral History Program, which originated in 1968. It houses thousands of diverse audio and video interviews relating largely to Orange County, Southern California, and the western United States. Tapes and/or transcriptions of the interviews are available for student or community use through the center’s office in Room 363 of the Pollak Library. Information: 657-278-3580

Center for Public Policy

Director: Phillip L. Gianos

This center seeks to enhance public policy dialogues in the Orange County community by encouraging faculty research on current local issues. Analysis of county infrastructure is a continuing interest, with focuses such as coastal water cleanliness, transportation, schools, sanitation and housing. Key programs include modest support for research, with an annual request for proposals from CSUF full-time faculty. The center also undertakes quarterly Orange County public opinion surveys. Information: 657-278-3602

Center for the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles and Obesity Prevention

Director: Shari McMahan

This center, housed in the College of Health and Human Development, promotes interdisciplinary research and community outreach in areas related to children’s health and weight management. The center facilitates interaction among multiple entities concerned with the rise in childhood obesity including university faculty, schools, community agencies and policy-makers. The center’s mission: to work with schools and other community agencies to develop and test model health promotion programs and interventions; to assess and evaluate existing programs and policies; and to identify theoretical models and environments that can explain and influence behavior patterns across different high-risk groups. Information: 657-278-7000

Center for Research on Educational Access and Leadership

Director: Dawn Person

This center aims to identify and respond to problems, issues and challenges facing local schools. Doctoral candidates in the educational leadership program, the College of Education's master’s students, as well as faculty members, are involved in research projects through the center. Information: 657-278-4023

Center for the Study of Emerging Markets

Directors: Joseph Greco and Betty Chavis

The Center for the Study of Emerging Markets was established to promote the flow of global information and technology between the academic and business communities. It serves as a conduit to facilitate the interchange of ideas and inquiries among students, academics and businesses, especially for the high-tech sector of Orange County in the bio-technical, telecommunications, information technology and electronic areas. The center maintains a database of high-tech firms involved in or capable of trading internationally, qualified foreign buyers and sellers, and foreign and local funding sources for investment. Information: 657-278-4125, http://www.thecsem.org

Center for Successful Aging

Director: Debra J. Rose

This center, through its educational, research and service activities, promotes health, vitality and well-being in later years. Housed in the College of Human Health and Development, the center uses an integrated approach to address the health concerns of an aging society. Located in Room 11 of the Kinesiology and Health Science Building, the center's goals are to: conduct interdisciplinary research on issues related to healthy aging; provide student and in-service training to prepare healthcare practitioners, rehabilitative specialists and fitness leaders to work with older adults; offer a variety of health, physical, psychological and functional assessments; conduct health, fitness and rehabilitation programs; collaborate and partner with community agencies and facilities to provide services to improve the quality of life in later years; and serve as an advocate for affecting public policy relative to healthy aging. Information: 657-278-7317, http://hdcs.fullerton.edu/csa/

Chicano Resource Center

Coordinator: Daniel Vidrio

This center helps identify and locate resources available in the Pollak Library and on the web related to Chicanos and Latinos, their history, culture and politics. Information: 657-278-2537

Community Learning and Literacy Center

Director: JoAnn Carter-Wells

Housed in the College of Education, this center provides: K-12, postsecondary and adult/workplace assessment and tutoring in reading and learning linked to 21st century skills; special literacy projects for children in foster care and other nonprofit organizations; workshops for parents and children during the year; and a Summer Literacy and Math camp. Information: 949-936-1694

Credential Preparation Center

Director: Joan Monteverde

This center acts as the liaison between the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the credential applicant. 657-278-3205

CSUF Archaeological Research Facility

Director: Steven R. James

This facility houses archeological material (much of it from Orange County) and sponsors a variety of activities for students and the community. Through field work, donations and permanent curation agreements, the center has accumulated an extensive collection. With its laboratory equipment, computer facilities, comparative collections and research library, the center serves as a source for other colleges and universities, as well as professional archeologists in public agencies and private organizations. Students, alumni and other qualified community members may borrow these materials for presentations in elementary and secondary schools, and CSUF students may earn their master's degrees by analyzing these materials. Information: 657-278-2765

Decision Research Center

Director: Michael H. Birnbaum

This center, established in 1986, supports research and instructional activities of faculty and students in the study of behavioral decision-making. Research conducted in the center includes experimental and theoretical studies of: basic psychological laws of judgment and decision-making under conditions of risk, uncertainty and ambiguity; effects of sudden changes in wealth on a person's attitude toward risk (such as the effects of winning the lottery on financial decisions); effects of the judge's point of view on judgments and decisions and a combination of information from sources of varied expertise and bias to form judgments and decisions. 657-278-2102

Development Research Center

Director: Allen W. Gottfried

This center, in the Psychology Department, supports the Fullerton Longitudinal Study, a comprehensive and systematic investigation of children’s development. Data has been collected from more than 100 children and their families for 29 years. Topics of interest include the longitudinal assessment of the relation between home environment and cognitive development; school readiness; giftedness; learning disabilities; academic intrinsic motivation; family and peer relationships; temperament and personality; social and behavioral development; parental involvement, family structure, demographics and change; and hemispheric and manual laterality. Information: 657-278-2147

Family Business Council

Director: Mike Trueblood

The Family Business Council is a partnership between the business community and the university. Its mission is to enhance the well-being and survivability of family businesses by providing opportunities for education, interaction and information, tailored to business needs and concerns. Information: 657-278-4182

Fibromyalgia Research and Education Center

Director: C. Jessie Jones

This center was created in 2007 with this mission: to advance research, education and professional practice related to fibromyalgia. The center’s philosophy is based on an integrated approach to symptom management, including psychosocial and cognitive-behavioral strategies, stress management, physical activity interventions, balance and mobility training, nutrition and weight management, acupuncture and manual therapies and pharmacological therapies. Information: 657-278-2620

Forum for Advanced Security Technologies

Director: Rahul Bhaskar

Established to research security related technologies and map them to relevant business domains,FAST also provides a forum for the exchange of ideas related to the advancement of security systems and technologies. The center functions as a contact point for organizations seeking faculty, researchers and students interested in security technologies, offering support to local, national, and international law enforcement and security firms. Information: 657-278-3328

Gianneschi Center for Nonprofit Research

Director: Kathleen Costello

This center supports and encourages the work of Orange County's charitable organizations as the repository for data about the nonprofit sector. Ongoing activities include: maintaining the Orange County nonprofit database; encouraging scholarly research of the sector; involving practitioners in designing future research projects; and facilitating meaningful discussion of issues affecting the nonprofit sector. Information: 657-278-5376

Health Promotion Research Institute

Acting Director: Shari McMahan

This institute was created as a result of a $224,097 grant. Its mission is to enable public health research, promotion, education, policy and advocacy in the community, to engage community partners and to facilitate research-based public health services. It serves as the umbrella organization for the College of Health and Human Development’s Center for Cancer Disparities Research, Fibromyalgia Research and Education Center, Center for the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles and Obesity Prevention and the Center for Successful Aging. Information: 657-278-7000

Institute for Economic and Environmental Studies

Directors: Jane V. Hall and Anil K. Puri

The Institute for Economic and Environmental Studies issues regular economic forecasts, provides policy advice on economic and environmental issues and conducts independent and sponsored regional economic analyses. The Institute undertakes independent studies, and engages in sponsored research with private and public entities in the areas of its focus. It seeks funding for research and training; sponsors conferences and workshops; presents studies and reports of interest to business, government, academic and general communities. Information: 657-278-2236

Institute of Gerontology

Director: Pauline Abbott

This institute advances successful aging practices through education, research and community service. It disseminates information pertaining to gerontology, generates interdisciplinary research and projects, and promotes successful aging within the broad parameters of wellness of mind and body. Information: 657-278-4686

International Center for the Economics of Pharmaceuticals, Aging and Health

Director: Davina C. Ling

Established only seven years ago, the International Center for the Economics of Pharmaceuticals, Aging and Health serves as a focal point for faculty, administrators, alumni, students and friends of the university to cooperate and promote the study of the economics of aging. Housed in Room 3389 of Mihaylo Hall, ICEPAH also aims to foster cross-disciplinary links with other colleges, the university's Institute of Gerontology and with other institutions, such as the School of Public Health at Chinese University of Hong Kong and St. Jude Medical Center. Information: 657-278-8216

National Center for Water Hazard Mitigation

Director: Prasada Rao

The mission of this center is to formulate new technologies, new strategies and new training mechanisms aimed at strengthening the water resources in a given region and in formulating remedial solutions should these resources be intentionally targeted by contamination. The center is expected to be a national resource for help, guidance, training and material in mitigating hazards to water systems. For more information, contact at 657-278-3525.

Professional Teaching Development Center

Directors: Mark W. Ellis and Tara Barnhart

This center serves as a regional focal point and resource provider for accomplished teaching in California and provides extensive support to teachers in their pursuit of National Board Certification. 657-278-2745, http://ed.fullerton.edu/PTDC/index.html

Reading Institute for Academic Preparation

Director: Maria Grant

This center, housed in the College of Education, helps improve reading instruction to better prepare their students for the academic rigors of higher education. It provides professional development for teachers across all academic content areas. Information: 657-278-3411, http://ed.fullerton.edu/

Real Estate and Land Use Institute

Directors: Donald Valachi and Michael LaCour-Little

Established in 1996 to provide a neutral forum to address key issues, this institute is part of the 23-campus California State University System's applied research and professional education center for real estate and urban land use. Its goals are to promote and advance knowledge, objective research and education in the area of real estate and land use economics in Orange County. It is located in Room 5163 of Mihaylo Hall. Information: 657-278-4014

Sales Leadership Center

Director: Christopher Kondo

This center, established in 2008, promotes leadership and professionalism in the sales field. For students, the center offers opportunities for research, hands-on training and internships, as well as a sales training program leading to a certificate of professional sales for professionals and students. The center is housed in Room 5357B of Mihaylo Hall. Information: 657-278-2527 or http://www.fullerton.edu/sales

SchoolsFirst Center for Creativity and Critical Thinking in Schools

Director: Teresa Crawford

Housed in the College of Education, this center was established to better prepare K-12 students for a changing world and 21st-century workplace. It promotes educational approaches and methods that infuse the arts, science and technology as central components in school curriculum. Information: 657-278-8668

Small Business Institute

Director: Jesse A. Torres

The Small Business Institute has a long history of guiding and assisting small businesses. The principal way it does this is by offering student consulting for such businesses in Orange County. The students work like apprentices, closely supervised by a select group of experienced faculty experts and are graded on the practical results they achieve for the client. Such consulting has won national honors consistently throughout the last two decades. More than 1,300 Orange County firms have received this award-winning service. Information: 657-278-3464

Social Science Research Center

Acting Director: Laura Gil-Trejo

This center provides research services to community organizations and research support to faculty members. The center conducts surveys, evaluation research and other applied research activities to meet its clients’ information needs. It conducts multilingual telephone surveys, as well as web-based, mailed and face-to-face surveys. Information: 657-278-3185

South Central Coastal Information Center

Coordinator: Stacy St. James

This center is one of 12 in California that comprise the California Historical Resources Information System. CHRIS works under the direction of the California Office of Historic Preservation and the State Historic Commission. The information centers provide historical resource information to local governments and individuals with responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act and California Environmental Quality Act. Information: 657-278-5395, http://anthro.fullerton.edu/sccic/

Sport and Movement Institute

Director: Bill Beam

This center promotes research, creative activity and services related to sport, physical activity and fitness. Activities include evaluation and consultation services, outreach programs and communication and dissemination of scholarly information through workshops, clinics and seminars. Information: 657-278-3316

Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary

Director: Karon Cornell

Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary is a 12-acre non-profit nature preserve located in the heart of Modjeska Canyon, adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest. It is owned and operated by Cal State Fullerton, and its College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and has a dual mission: to support science and environmental education; and to act as a sanctuary for the preservation of local native habitat and wildlife. Tucker's facilities include a natural history museum/interpretive center, two ponds, a bird observation porch and feeders, a relaxing patio and picnic areas, a small amphitheater, hiking trails, a gift shop, restrooms and a visitor parking lot. Information: 714-649-2760 or 657-278-2638

Twin Studies Center

Director: Nancy L. Segal

This center of the Psychology Department is designed to serve two purposes: conduct research projects on twins that will contribute to knowledge concerning the rearing and educating of twins and enhance understanding of human development; and provide information to the public concerning psychological and biological aspects of twinship. Information: 657-278-2568

W.M. Keck Foundation Center for Molecular Structure

Director: Katherine Kantardjieff

This center is a comprehensive X-ray diffraction and computational facility. It is a core research and education facility that provides students and faculty throughout the 23-campus California State University the opportunity for joint research and education activities directed at the determination and critical analysis for molecular structures. Information: 657-278-3752, 657-278-3280