About Research at the Center for Resiliency
We support research that bridges theory with practice and that directly impacts solving our most pressing problems influencing Southeast Texas’ readiness to deal with crises.
Resiliency Topics and Methods
Center for Resiliency approaches research from an interdisciplinary perspective. We employ high-quality and high-impact research standards in every step: from the selection of project proposals and multiple in-process reviews to final research reports and product deliveries. External reviewers, academics and practitioners, participate in making decisions, as needed and based on their subject expertise and national disciplinary standing.
Faculty Research Fellows is the signature research program at the Center for Resiliency designed to support excellence in research for the faculty and staff researchers at LU. The fellowship is awarded through an open competition on a yearly basis. Fellows conduct community-based research and work simultaneously on individual projects and collaborate in interdisciplinary research teams.
Thesis & Dissertation Graduate Fellows program offers an opportunity for graduate students to conduct short-term independent research and collaborate with Faculty Research Fellows within their area of focus. Graduate Fellows gain practical research experience and enhance their impact research skills
Resiliency Lecture Series brings to LU the best expert researchers from industry and academia to deliver lectures on the most pressing topics of our time. These events are open to the university, stakeholders, and community organizations.
Methods for Impact Workshop is open to researchers, faculty, practitioners, and graduate students. These workshops offer advanced research methods instructions to design and conduct research for impact and applied research.
4th International Conference: Justice, Resilience & the Rule of Law
The Fourth International Conference on Justice, Resilience, and the Rule of Law, organized by Dr. Sanaz Alasti, Director of the Center for Death Penalty Studies at ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University, in collaboration with the Center for Resiliency, brought together scholars, criminal justice professionals, and policymakers from the United States, Europe, and the Middle East to examine some of today's most pressing justice and security challenges. The conference featured approximately 20 speakers, including the Director of Human Rights at the Council of Europe, internationally recognized legal scholars from France, Portugal, and experts from across the United States. Presentations explored topics such as political violence and extremist organizations, the rule of law and the future of conflict in the Middle East, emerging technologies, and new perspectives on the Russia–Ukraine war, demonstrating how global events shape justice systems and communities worldwide.
The conference's resiliency focus enriched every discussion by emphasizing that resilient communities depend on fair and effective justice systems, strong institutions, and the ability to recover from conflict, violence, trauma, and social disruption. Rather than viewing resilience solely as disaster recovery, speakers highlighted resilience as a long-term process of strengthening the rule of law, protecting human rights, rebuilding public trust, and fostering social stability. The keynote presentation by Dr. Felipe Pathé Duarte on extremist and terrorist organizations illustrated how resilient societies can respond to evolving security threats while preserving democratic values and the rule of law.
By bringing internationally recognized experts to Southeast Texas, the conference advanced the mission of the Center for Resiliency by connecting global research with local challenges and opportunities. Participants exchanged ideas on evidence-based approaches to justice, public safety, and community resilience while strengthening interdisciplinary and international collaboration. The conference demonstrated that resilience is built through partnerships, research, education, and the continuous exchange of knowledge across disciplines and national borders, providing valuable insights for scholars, practitioners, and the broader community.
BEST Practices of Grant Writing
Guest Speaker
Earnest Clayton, MPH, MHE, CHES, CCRA, an Epidemiologist and Senior Clinical Research Grant Director at Baylor College of Medicine
Date
Thursday, June 11th, 2026
Who
35+ Faculty members and administration across various colleges attended the lecture with insights on developing competitive grant proposals, identifying funding opportunities, and navigating pre- and post-award processes.
Special Recognition
Thank you to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Administration for providing lunch.
About Earnest Clayton, MPH, MHE, CHES, CCRA, is an Epidemiologist and Senior Clinical Research Grant Director at Baylor College of Medicine with more than 20 years of experience in public health, research administration, grants management, program leadership, and workforce development. In his current role, he supports investigators with proposal development, pre-award and post-award grant administration, budget preparation, compliance, and sponsored project management across a diverse portfolio of federally and privately funded research programs.
Clayton holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Master of Public Health, and a Master ofHealth Education. He is a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Candidate (ABD) at The University ofTexas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, where his research focuses onmental health among Black and African American men.
Throughout his career, Clayton has led and supported public health initiatives, epidemiologic investigations, research studies, and grant-funded programs in academic, healthcare, government, and community settings. He has managed and supported grants funded by agencies including the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Defense, and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. His professional interests include grant development, research administration, epidemiology, health equity, program evaluation, and community engagement. He is passionate about helping organizations identify funding opportunities, develop competitive proposals, and build sustainable programs that create meaningful impact in the communities they serve.
The Center for Resiliency in collaboration with Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Administration organized the Grant Writing workshop with Earnest Clayton.
Earnest Clayton explained the Best Practices of Grant Writing to faculty and research staff at ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University. Clayton provided criteria to follow when writing funding proposals when applying to federal, state, private, and local research funding. Detailed guidelines on grant submissions, budget planning, and what to avoid when submitting grants were covered to an interdisciplinary team from health, education, business, engineering, and arts and sciences faculty.