Dr. Varaxy Yi Borromeo, associate professor of higher education administration and leadership, was named a 2026 Emerging Scholar by The EDU Ledger. The annual award celebrates educators under 40 making their mark in academia through their unique scholarship, commitment to teaching, community service, scholarly awards, honors and academic accomplishments. Borromeo is one of 14 recipients of this year’s award.

Dr. Annabella España-Nájera, department chair for the Chicano and Latin American Studies Department, received a $2,000 grant from the American Political Science Association for the project, “Political Bridges: Civic Engagement and Transnational Ties among Central American Immigrants.”

Dr. Charles Hillyer and Shawn Ashkan from the Center for Irrigation Technology received a $310,757 grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the project, “Promotional Training Resources to Enhance Irrigation Scheduling and Efficiency in Almonds and Pistachios.”

Shawn Ashkan (center), agricultural engineer at the Center for Irrigation Technology.

Dr. Nicole Smith, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology, recently co-authored "Seize the Moment: The Academy’s Opportunity to Shape Physical Education Policy in the Current Political Landscape" in Kinesiology Review. In the paper, Smith and her co-authors share how the National Association of Kinesiology is uniquely poised to play a greater role in shaping physical education policies in the U.S. through strategic research-based advocacy.