Key research themes
1. How can campus threat assessment and pre-incident behavior reporting improve prevention of diverse forms of campus violence?
This research area focuses on expanding campus threat assessment methodologies by applying general criminological and crime prevention findings to identify and intervene on pre-incident behaviors across multiple forms of campus violence, beyond just mass shootings. Improving the predictiveness and reporting of these behaviors is critical to enhancing violence prevention effectiveness and resource allocation on college campuses.
2. What are the patterns, experiences, and effects of gender- and race-based violence in higher education settings?
This theme investigates gender- and race-based violence manifestations on campuses from psychological, institutional, and social perspectives. It covers experiences of sexual violence, hazing practices, racial aggression in physical and virtual spaces, faculty roles in combating gender violence, and the intersecting vulnerabilities affecting marginalized student populations. Understanding these patterns informs targeted prevention and supportive interventions.
3. How do campus climate, institutional communication, and policy responses influence experiences and prevention of sexual violence and related campus violence?
Research here interrogates the roles of campus climate, institutional discourse, and policy in shaping student experiences of sexual violence and broader campus violence. It spans university communication strategies, campus climate survey methodologies, institutional responses, and cultural factors such as 'lad culture' and symbolic violence, emphasizing the complexity of creating safe, supportive academic environments.
