Skip to main content

Committee on Academic Centers and Institutes

Academic Centers and Institutes (ACIs) draw on the strengths of multiple faculty members, academic departments, and/or colleges to provide an inclusive foundation for collective scholarly activity and foster the sharing of ideas through activities devoted to scholarship, education, training, and/or dissemination that promote the mission of the University. In contrast to ACIs, centers and institutes where research is the primary purpose are designated as Research Organizations (ROs) that are governed by separate MAPP guidelines and are administered by the Division of Research.

ACIs are distinguished by their reporting structure. A University-level Center or Institute must be interdisciplinary, involving multiple colleges, and/or departments. A University-level ACI reports directly to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost (SVPAA/P). ACIs may also have a reporting structure at the level of the College or Department and may or may not be interdisciplinary. A College-level ACI reports to the Dean of the College and typically (but not necessarily) involves multiple departments. A Department-level ACI reports to the Departmental Chair, and is usually centered on activities of faculty within that department. Both College-level and Department-level ACIs may expand to include other faculty and departments across colleges to reach a level where the ACI could apply for designation as a University-level ACI reporting to the SVPAA/P.

Members of the Committee on Academic Centers and Institutes are appointed by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost from a pool of nominees submitted by College Deans and the Faculty Senate.  Appointments are for two-year terms with the possibility of reappointment.

Committee Members

randall lee
T. Randall Lee
Committee Chair
Cullen Distinguished University Chair, NSM
Dusya Vera
Dusya Vera
Professor
Business
Barbara Evans
Barbara Evans
Professor
Law
cathy horn
Catherine Horn
Associate Professor
Education

Rex Koontz
Rex Koontz
Professor
Arts
ezemenari obasi
Ezemenari M. Obasi
Associate Professor
Education
Paul Ruchhoeft
Paul Ruchhoeft
Associate Professor
Engineering
Lynn Voskuil
Lynn Voskuil
Associate Professor
Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

 

Administrative Guidelines, Policies and Procedures

List of Academic Centers and Institutes

University-Level Centers and Institutes

Name of Center/Institute Activities Scope Director or Contact Email Phone
Advancing Community Engagement and Service Institute (ACES) Service Learning / Community Engagement University-wide Dr. Anne McClellan amcclellan@uh.edu (713)743-0750
Asian American Studies Center (AASC) Education/Research University-wide Dr. Yali Zou yzou@uh.edu (713)743-4982
Center for Information Security Research and Education (CISRE) Education/Research University-wide Dr. William Arthur Conklin waconkli@central.uh.edu (713)743-1556
Center for Mexican American and Latino Studies (CMALS) Education/Research University-wide Dr. Pamela Quiroz paquiroz@uh.edu (713)743-3134
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts (CWMCA) Arts University-wide Melissa Noble mlnoble@uh.edu (713) 743-9726
Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute (Humana Institute) Education/Research University-wide Dr. LeChauncy Woodard lwoodard@uh.edu (713) 743-6463
UH STEM Center Education/Research University-wide Dr. Heather Domjan (Interim) hdomjan@uh.edu (713)743-4799
Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship (WCE) Education University-wide Dr. Edward Blair blair@uh.edu (713)743-4565

College-Level Centers and Institutes

Name of Center/Institute Activities College Director or Contact Email  Phone
All Kids Alliance (AKA) Education/Research Education Bob Wimpelberg rwimpelberg@uh.edu (713)743-5008
Center For Economic Inclusion (CEI) Education/Research Business

Dr. Saleha Khumawala

Mr. Charles Becker

saleha@central.uh.edu

cdbecker@cougarnet.uh.edu

(713)743-4829

(832)842-2955

Center for International and Comparative Studies (CICS) Education/Scholarly CLASS Dr. Zachary Zwald  zjzwald@central.uh.edu (713)743-0409
Center for U.S. and Mexican Law (US MEX LAW) Research/Scholarly Law Dr. Alfonso Lopez de la Osa Escribao alopezde@central.uh.edu (713)743-6137
Environment, Energy & Natural Resource Center (EENR) Education/Scholarly Law Dr. Victor Flatt
Dr. Gina Warren
vflatt@uh.edu
gswarren2@uh.edu
(713)743-6437
(713) 743-8404
Ethics Center Education/Scholarly Hobby Dr. Daniel Engster daengste@central.uh.edu (713)743-7367
Gutierrez Energy Management Institute (GEMI) Education/Research Business Dr. Praveen Kumar pkumar@uh.edu (713)743-4770
Health Law & Policy Institute (HLPI) Research/Scholarly Law Dr. Jessica Roberts jroberts7@uh.edu (713)743-2105
Houston Area Teacher Center (HATC) Education Education Dr. Amber Thompson ammeuth@uh.edu (713)743-5024
Institute for Educational Policy, Research, and Evaluation (IEPRE) Education/Research Education Dr. Cathy Horn chorn@central.uh.edu (713)743-5032
Institute for Health Care Marketing (IHCM) Education/Research Business Dr. Partha Krishnamurthy partha@uh.edu (713)743-4576
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law (IPIL) Education/Scholarly Law Dr. Greg Vetter gvetter@uh.edu (713)743-3596
Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality (IRWGS) Education/Research CLASS Dr. Elizabeth Gregory egregory@uh.edu 713-743-0938
Sales Excellence Institute (SEI) Education/Research Business Dr. Ed Blair blair@uh.edu (713)743-4565
Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture (SICSA) Education/Research Engineering Dr. Olga Bannova obannova@central.uh.edu (713)743-2352
Stanford Alexander Center for Excellence in Real Estate (SACERE) Education/Scholarly Business Keith Richards krichards@bauer.uh.edu (713)743-2522
UH Coastal Center (UCC) Education/Research NSM Dr. Steven Pennings scpennin@central.uh.edu (713)743-2989

Department-Level Centers and Institutes

Name of Center/Institute Activities Department Director or Contact Email Phone
Center for Immigration Research (CIR) Scholarly Sociology Dr. Pamela Quiroz paquiroz@central.uh.edu (713)743-3134
Center for Innovative Grouting Materials and Technology (CIGMAT) Education/Research Civil Engineering Dr. C. Vipulanandan cvipulanandan@uh.edu (713)743-4278
Center for Public History (CPH) Education/Research History Dr. Monica Perales mperales3@uh.edu (713)743-3003
Center for the Study of African American Culture (CSAAC) Education/Research African American Studies Dr. Linda Reed (Interim) aasz@central.uh.edu (713)743-3092
Language and Culture Center (LCC) Education English Dr. Jodi Nelms jnelms3@central.uh.edu (713)743-0541