Dr. John Wallace, Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity and Development and David E. Epperson Chair and Professor, has agreed to step in to be the Interim Director of the Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP). In addition, a new initiative within CRSP of a Visiting Scholar position has been created, and the first Visiting Scholar will be Dr. Waverly Duck, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh.
CRSP has been led by Interim Director Dr. James Huguley since 2019. “I thank Jay very much for his excellent leadership of CRSP for the past two years!” said School of Social Work Dean Betsy Farmer. “And welcome and thank John and Waverly for their willingness to bring their talents, expertise, and vision to CRSP for the coming year.”
In 2002, the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh established the Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP) to help lead America further along the path to social justice by conducting race-related research, mentoring emerging scholars, and disseminating race-related research findings and scholarship. Today, CRSP encompasses a range of activities and initiatives that support research, bring together scholars, disseminate findings to key academic and policy-relevant stakeholders, and advance knowledge and understanding around race. In 2010, it hosted the largest conference on race ever held in America. In addition, the center offers a speaker series, summer institutes, demographics and other topical reports, pilot grant awards, and the interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal Race and Social Problems.
“First, I am honored that Dean Farmer chose me serve as the interim director of the Center on Race and Social Problems.” said Dr. Wallace. “The Center is a national treasure and it has served as a critically important voice around race for Pitt and the Pittsburgh region for nearly twenty years. I have two priorities as interim director. The first is to honor the legacy of our founder, Dean Larry Davis, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Center on Race and Social Problems next year. My second priority to lead a successful search for our next director. If I am able to accomplish those two goals my work will be complete.”
Read more about the Center on Race and Social Problems on their website.