About
The Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Discrimination (AVCR-IDEA) aims to engage the research community within UCSF and to promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-discrimination among UCSF researchers to ensure that the UCSF research enterprise carries out the university's mission and values.
Located in the UCSF Office of Research, with additional support from the UCSF Office of Diversity and Outreach, the AVCR-IDEA Office focuses on four areas:
• Increasing accountability
• Promoting UCSF scholarship on anti-discrimination research
• Supporting and developing the UCSF research workforce
• Promoting and supporting community-engaged research
We implement this work using the "AEIOU” principles of Accountability, Engagement, Individual-centered institutional change, Opportunities, and Unity. Our Approach is to:
- Synergize: Connecting effective projects that have an overlap.
- Amplify: Identifying effective activities and scaling them.
- Build collaboration across siloes: Working with different parts of the UCSF campus and schools, UCSF Health, and communities to solve complex problems.
- Sustain: Helping to identify resources to maintain effective projects.
- Initiate: Creating new pilot projects to address gaps in research workforce development and community-engaged research
We measure the progress of our work by assessing our effectiveness in catalyzing structural changes, developing partnerships to develop strategies and projects for change, and implementing programs and services to address specific barriers and promote specific strengths.
Latest Updates
Call for Applications: UCSF Research IDEA Oversight Committee
The AVCR-IDEA Office is now accepting applications for its Research IDEA Oversight Committee (OC). This cross-campus committee will bring together research faculty, staff, trainees, and community leaders to do the following:
- Work with the AVCR-IDEA on the strategic implementation of office priorities
- Align the Office of Research IDEA activities with other related work at UCSF
- Champion the work of the AVCR-IDEA Office and OC with relevant units, initiatives and projects
Commitment: Members serve a 12-month term with quarterly 90-minute meetings. Optional participation in working groups is available for those interested in deeper engagement between meetings.
Applications are due by Friday, August 15, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. The first committee meeting will be held on September 22, 2025.
Those with experience or interest in equity research, health disparities, workforce development, anti-discrimination scholarship, or organizational change are encouraged to apply. A 12-month commitment is required. Learn more and apply, and contact the AVCR-IDEA with questions.
Workforce Development Office Hours
The AVCR-IDEA Associate Director for Workforce Development, Alexandra Velasquez, is hosting open office hours for research staff affected by layoffs and budget reductions. Join the upcoming sessions to share your experience, access helpful resources, and receive referrals when possible.
Drop-in hours are held every Tuesday from July 15 to August 19, 6:00-7:30 p.m. PT (Join via Zoom). Additional appointments are available by request. Contact Alexandra Velasquez with questions.
Initiatives
Consultation Service
Get free support for theory, methodologies, and methods to advance your anti-discrimination research by contacting Dr. Jennifer James ([email protected]).
Institutional Partners: UCSF Office of Diversity and Outreach and the UCSF Clinical & Translational Science Institute.
Resource Allocation Program (RAP) Research Funding
The AVCR-IDEA coordinates an internal pilot grant mechanism to fund partnership building and pilot projects on anti-discrimination research. More information about the application can be found here.
Institutional Partners: UCSF Clinical and Translational Science Institute Community Engagement Program, UCSF Research Development Office, UCSF Academic Senate, School of Medicine’s Research Evaluation and Allocation Committee (REAC), and Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI).
Developing Research Training and Employment Pathways
Our office is committed to developing the research workforce by partnering with various programs to provide training pathways for aspiring researchers. These specialized programs are designed to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue careers in research. Our SF BUILD partnership with San Francisco State University is one example of this work.
Institutional partners: UCSF Center for Science, Education, and Outreach, UCSF Bay Area Youth Science Program, UCSF Anchor Institution Mission
Clinical Research Coordinators: Learners for Engagement (CIRCLE)
The goal of CIRCLE is to advance research by preparing individuals to become Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs) and to increase the participation of all in research studies. CIRCLE has two components: a two-week training course and a 20-hour shadowing experience.
Community-Engaged Research
Our office collaborates with the UCSF Center for Community Engagement, the CTSI Community Engagement program, and community-engaged researchers throughout UCSF to promote more community engagement in UCSF research projects.
Team
Contact Us and Get Involved
We welcome your engagement in the endeavor to increase community engagement in the UCSF research enterprise and engage our research workforce. Send an email to [email protected] to sign up for our listserv and send us feedback.