Making the invisible visible

April 16, 2025 - Deborah J. Johnson, Ph.D.

The Diversity Research Network aspires to make the invisible visible, especially where it comes to our talented and accomplished faculty and scholar members. We have recently surpassed over 100 Focal Points highlights in our DRN weekly notices. Each compiled faculty photo references a feature made in the DRN weekly notices.  We are excited to note that our feature faculty have been spotlighted for grants, new books, awards and prestigious recognitions. They come from every corner of the University and represent the richness of MSU's global contributions and innovations.

Now a professor, Dr. Jennifer Cobbina Dungy was highlighted when her book “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot: Why the Protests in Baltimore and Ferguson Matter and How They Changed America” emerged in print in 2019 and has now been cited 175 times. 

Dr. Vaughn Watson, was awarded $2.8 million from NSF in 2024 and published a book on African Immigrants and Education in the same year.

Xiaobo Tan, was awarded the prestigious recognition of the Richard M. Hong Endowed Chair in Electrical Engineering for their scientific innovations.

We are proud of Dr. Estrella Torres for her awards in community partnerships. Dr. Geri Zeldes, in communications, directed “Brenda’s Story,” which was nominated for an Emmy and won several other critical awards for this story of a farm worker family. 

This collage represents a compendium of stellar works here at MSU, lifting the book.