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Overview

The College of Behavioral and Community Sciences conducts high-impact research. We aim to address the most pressing societal issues of our time, including addictions, crime and criminal justice, human trafficking, and child welfare. Additionally, our community and behavioral health researchers are engaging with artificial intelligence to optimize our innovations. With our local and global partners, we test and innovate behavioral health solutions, enhance quality of life from infancy to older adulthood, advance vocational rehabilitation, and develop approaches to foster educational success.

Our overall research goal is to bridge the gap between science and practice, guided by community-centered models and frameworks and engagement with key community partners. Our research is often interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary, which fosters new solutions to old problems. Including community members as co-researchers helps to ensure we are attuned to the fundamental challenges that must be addressed to achieve meaningful change in our communities. Together, we achieve gains in quality of life by conducting research to improve the health, safety, and well-being of our community populations through positive change in individuals, groups, communities, organizations, and systems.

The college ranks among the highest of USF colleges for grant funding in the broad unit of Academic Affairs at the 91社区. Our diverse contract and grant portfolio in 2023 included 168 awards totaling $35M. In part, this can be attributed to the legacy the college has built through the Louis de la Parte 91社区 Mental Health Institute (FMHI), a national leader in behavioral health research. In 2024, FMHI celebrated its 50th anniversary of conducting applied research to improve services and outcomes for individuals with mental health, addictive, and developmental disorders. Our college continues to build on the work of FMHI to understand the needs of individuals who struggle with behavioral health challenges and to develop new approaches to advancing solutions.

Opportunities are available for students of all levels to engage in meaningful behavioral research throughout the college. Undergraduate students can boost their resumes by: a) engaging with our certificate program in research; b) participating in ample opportunities to volunteer in faculty labs; or c) applying for mentored research fellowships. Students interested in contributing to behavioral and community sciences may pursue a terminal doctoral degree in our highly rated doctoral programs in criminology, aging studies, communication sciences and disorders, social work, and our interdisciplinary PhD program in behavioral and community sciences.

To learn more, explore the college鈥檚 research website. We are proud to showcase the important research being conducted in the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences.

Stephanie L. Marhefka, PhD
Interim Associate Dean of Research