The School of Social Sciences will host the first Research Relay of the year on February 4, 2026. Rice scholars across disciplines are invited to attend four-minute lightning talks from social scientists in various fields as they present their research supported by the Social Sciences Research Institute (SSRI).
Founded in 2007 by the School of Social Sciences, the SSRI offers numerous grants and awards for faculty and graduate student research.
“The Social Sciences Research Institute provides opportunities to our faculty and graduate students to receive additional support for their innovative research,” said Rachel Kimbro, dean of the School of Social Sciences. She added, “This funding arm is a vehicle that fosters premier research in the School of Social Sciences.”
The February Research Relay will provide SSRI awardees a platform to present their research and the time to connect with attendees and potential collaborators over lunch. An academically diverse group of five experts will present their research:
Maura Coughlin
Assistant Professor, Economics
Award: SSRI Seed Money Grant for Decomposing the Impacts of Prices, Social Norms, and Beliefs on Menstrual Product Demand in India
Luz Garcini
Associate Professor, Psychological Sciences
Director, Center for Community and Public Health, Kinder Institute
Faculty Scholar, The Baker Institute Center for the U.S. And Mexico
Award: SSRI Collaborative Research Grant for A Biobehavioral Approach to the Study of Trauma, Health Risk and Cognitive Functioning Among Latino Immigrants
Award: Faculty training award to attend the Stanford Mixed Methods Research Workshop
Katy Robinson
Assistant Professor, Political Science
Award: Bridge funding for The Mapping Militants Project
Vivian Lu
Assistant Professor, Anthropology
Award: SSRI Book Manuscript Workshop Grant to support the development of the manuscript Marketcraft: Profit politics and Nigeria's Global South shift
Kayla Clark
PhD student, Psychological Sciences
Award: SSRI Dissertation Research Improvement Grant for Evaluating the Specificity of Personalized Music Intervention on Memory and Underlying Neurobiological Profiles
“The presenters of the February Research Relay will showcase a breadth of research stemming from various social sciences disciplines” said Pat DeLucia, associate dean for research for the School of Social Sciences. She added, “It is a privilege to be able to support them through the Social Sciences Research Institute and to learn more about their work in this collaborative setting.”
Research Relays: Social Sciences Research Institute Awardees will be held on February 4, 2026 from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm in Kraft Hall 130. Lunch will be served. Attendees are kindly asked to RSVP. For questions, please contact Pat DeLucia.
Main article photo: The October 2025 Research Relay. Photo by Jeff Fitlow.