Institute for Intercultural Research
The Institute for Intercultural Research (IIR) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee addresses the needs and responds to the concerns of communities of color through research, public service and information resource sharing.
In partnership with faculty, staff and community members, the Institute conducts scholarly research and sponsors public forums to address a variety of intercultural issues.
In addition, the Institute serves as a clearinghouse of information, distributing and publishing reports, studies and papers in a broad range of intercultural areas.
The director of the Institute is Gary L. Williams, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor, UWM Department of Educational Policy and Community Studies. He teaches courses in teaching techniques for community organizers and community educators, the theory and practice of educating black males, and the Milwaukee community. Williams has actively served for years on community-based organization boards including in the African-American and Latino communities.
Institute for Intercultural Research In The News
Mission and Goals
Mission
To utilize a culturally sensitive racial and ethnic lens to create, organize,
assess, and disseminate scholarly knowledge designed to impact policy
and quality of life issues in the greater Milwaukee area.
Institute Goals
• Enhance the culture of applied funded research conducted by faculty,
especially faculty of color
• Establish partnerships between Institute Scholars and Milwaukee's
communities of color to effectively identify and address issues and
concerns having policy implications
• Facilitate the provision of technical assistance and expertise of Institute
Scholars to communities of color based on needs emanating from urban
areas
• Assess the Institute goals and action steps; and promote and support
UWM's Milwaukee Commitment, Phase II
Research
The Institute for Intercultural Research conducts multi-ethnic and multi-disciplinary scholarly research, in partnership with faculty and community members, on issues affecting intercultural communities. A group of 30 UWM senior faculty members comprise the Institute Scholars, representing diverse racial and ethnic groups and a wide range of academic disciplines. They provide guidance and expertise to the implementation and research of the Institute. Current research by Institute Scholars includes:
• The major role families play in influencing outcomes for their children
• The state of children in Milwaukee
• The Black professional
• The Black elders quality of life
• Health care in under served populations
• Poverty and the racial divide
In addition, a series of Scholars in the Round seminars through out the year highlight research by Institute Scholars. Past topics have included how to retain minority college students, Hmong American identities and hot spots in South Asia. The Institute also provides technical assistance to the campus and community in researching diversity issues and facilitates scholarly discussion on intercultural issues and concerns.
Public Service
Throughout the year, the Institute sponsors public forums, events and conferences that are designed to educate the UWM community as well as Milwaukee area communities on intercultural issues. Programs focus on debate and discussion of policies and practices impacting intercultural populations, and address the issues and needs of the communities.
The Institute also conducts diversity education training workshops for UWM students, staff and faculty to build cultural competency in the many UWM communities.
Resource Sharing
Click here to view the Institute of Intercultural Research Resource Sharing page.
Here you can find past issues of the "Myriad" magazine, as well as the Epiphany newsletter. You can also find library videotape and other website resources.
About the Director
Gary L. Williams
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Educational Policy and Community Studies
Director, Institute for Intercultural Research
Gary Williams came to the UWM School of Education following a dedicated career at UWM as a campus administrator responsible for developing and providing academic support services to UWM students, with a particular focus on minority and disadvantaged college and pre-college attendees and participants.
Williams teaches courses in research techniques for community organizers and community educators, the theory and practice of educating black males, and the Milwaukee community. Williams has actively served for years on community-based organization boards including in the African-American and Latino communities. He is currently engaged in research designed to provide a descriptive analysis of quality of life for older adults, youth and others residing in urban environments.
Williams is also director of the Institute for Intercultural Research, which is designed to address the needs and respond to the concerns of communities of color through research, public service, and information resource sharing.
Williams earned his M.A. in political science and Ph.D. in urban social institutions at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Contact Information
E-mail: glw@uwm.edu
Phone: 414-229-5626
Location
Enderis Hall, Room 545
2400 E. Hartford Ave.
Mailing Address
UWM School of Education
P.O. Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413
Institute Scholars
Institute Scholars partner with a variety of organizations throughout the Milwaukee area to conduct their research. Some of these institutes include the American Cancer Society, Council for the Spanish Speaking, Inc., Indian Council of the Elderly, Milwaukee County Department on Aging, Milwaukee Indian Education Committee, Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Urban League, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Social Development Commission, UWM Center on Aging, UWM Cultures and Communities Program, UWM Hmong American Studies Initiative, UWM Institute for Survey and Policy Research, UWM Milwaukee Idea/Center for Urban Initiative Research, UWM Roberto Hernandez Center and UW System Institute on Race and Ethnicity.
Cheryl Ajirotutu, Associate Professor of Anthropology
414 229-4390; yinka@uwm.edu
Swarnjit Arora, Academic Program Director of Institute for Survey and Policy Research
Associate Professor of Economics
(414) 229-6617; ssa2@uwm.edu
Mary Louise Buley-Meissner, Associate Professor of English
(414) 229-4533; meissner@uwm.edu
Portia Cobb, Associate Professor of Film
(414) 229-293; pcobb@uwm.edu
Edgar Epps, Professor of Educational Policy & Community Studies
(414) 229-6547; eepps@uwm.edu
Bruce Fetter, Professor of History
(414) 229-5207; bruf@uwm.edu
Enrique Figueroa, Assistant to the Provost for Latino Affairs &
Director of Roberto Hernandez Center
(414) 229-3651; figueroa@uwm.edu
Sandra Grayson, Associate Professor of English
(414) 229-4524; sgrayson@uwm.edu
website: http://www.uwm.edu/~sgrayson/
Donald Green, Associate Professor of Sociology
(414) 229-4259; dgreen@uwm.edu
414-229-4580; irbyd@uwm.edu
Gregory Jay, Director of Cultures and Communities Program & Professor of English
(414) 229-6327; gjay@uwm.edu
Joyce Kirk, Executive Director of Institute on Race and Ethnicity &
Associate Professor of Africology
(414) 229-2261; jfk2@uwm.edu
Susie Lamborn, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology
(414) 229-5305; slamborn@uwm.edu
Gwat-Yong Lie, Associate Professor of Social Work
(414) 229-2241; gwatlie@uwm.edu
Christine Lowery, Associate Professor of Social Work
(414) 229-4735; clowery@uwm.edu
John Ndon, Associate Professor of Clinical Lab Science
(414) 229-4605; ndon@uwm.edu
Emmanuel M. Ngui,
Assistant Professor Zilber School of Public Health
414-227-3267;
James Peoples, Jr Professor of Economics
(414) 229-4482; peoples@uwm.edu
Kalyani Rai, Associate Professor of Center for Urban Community Development
(414) 227-3271; kalyanir@uwm.edu
Joseph Rodriguez, Associate Professor of History
(414) 229-3963 ; joerod@uwm.edu
Harold Rose, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Geography
(414) 229-4868; halrose@uwm.edu
Marty Sapp, Professor of Educational Psychology
(414) 229-6347; sapp@uwm.edu
Josef Stagg, Associate Professor of Architecture
(414) 229-4032; jstagg@uwm.edu
Jose Torres, Associate Professor of Social Work
(414) 229-6777; jbt@uwm.edu
Hanh Quang Trinh, Associate Professor of Health Care Administration
(414) 229-6051; hanht@uwm.edu
William Velez, Professor of Sociology
(414) 229-4809; velez@uwm.edu
Contact Us
Gary L. Williams, Ph.D., Director
Phone: (414) 229-5388
Fax: (414-229-4805
E-Mail: iir@uwm.edu
Website: www.iir.soe.uwm.edu
Address
Institute for Intercultural Research
Enderis Hall, Room 286
P.O. Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201-03413
