Two UCR staff members were selected in the final round of the Summer 2025 Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU) Seed Grants, a competitive program funded by the Henry Luce Foundation and managed by UC Santa Cruz.

The HSRU brings together 27 research-intensive institutions designated as Hispanic-Serving Institutions that are united by a commitment to expanding educational pathways and advancing research excellence. Its seed grants are designed to support scholars in engineering and the physical sciences across these institutions. 

Laura McGeehan, director of academic preparation, recruitment and outreach in the Graduate Division, was one of six awardees selected to receive up to $5,000 in direct support for her project titled “Preparing the Next Generation of Scholars: Academic Job Search Series for Postdoctoral Fellows in Engineering and Physical Sciences.” Her project proposes a five-session professional development series to support postdoctoral scholars in engineering and physical sciences as they prepare for the academic job market, culminating in a “Postdoc Slam” presentation event.

“I am thrilled that UCR’s Graduate Division has been selected by the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities for this prestigious award, underscoring UCR’s commitment to advancing Hispanic-serving research excellence and expanding opportunities for the next generation of scholars,” McGeehan said. “This award will empower UCR post-docs in engineering and the physical sciences as they take the crucial next steps toward academic careers.” 

Beginning in Fall 2025, the Graduate Division will provide a series of dynamic, in-person workshops aimed at providing faculty- and peer-led professional development. According to McGeehan, these resources are designed to help post-docs shine in the competitive hiring process — strengthening their job materials, refining their research and teaching visions, and demystifying the unspoken expectations of faculty recruitment. 

“Associate Dean Emma Wilson and I look forward to working with our postdocs on this initiative,” McGeehan said. 

McGeehan’s project will begin in fall 2025 with a five-session, in-person workshop series offering faculty and peer-led professional development.

Constanze Ditterich, senior grant facilitator in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, was one of four awardees to receive an honorable mention for her project titled “From Surviving to Thriving: A Three-Part Grantsmanship Workshop Series for Early-Career Academics.” The project proposes a three-part workshop series to train early-career faculty in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at UCR in competitive grant writing.

"I look forward to future HSRU grant opportunities that help our faculty become more competitive and successful grant writers,” Ditterich said.