New online research hub unveiled to reduce duplication, foster collaboration and support more coordinated decision-making around shared regional priorities
Regional leaders from government, workforce development and higher education gathered today at San Diego Miramar College for the Inaugural Research Summit, a half-day event focused on how research and data are shaping solutions to some of the region’s biggest challenges – from rising housing costs and workforce gaps, to behavioral health staffing shortages and rapid technological change.
(B-roll footage is available for download here.)
Hosted by the San Diego & Imperial Center of Excellence (COE) in partnership with the Policy & Innovation Center (PIC), the Summit featured a series of TED-talk-style presentations highlighting work related to housing affordability, economic mobility, youth success, talent pipeline alignment and the impact of artificial intelligence on manufacturing.
The event also marked the official public unveiling of the San Diego & Imperial Research Hub, a new online centralized platform designed to serve as the region’s top source for education, workforce and economic development research.
“We’re proud to launch the Research Summit and the Research Hub as resources for our region,” said Tina Ngo Bartel, Executive Director of the San Diego & Imperial Center of Excellence. “Across San Diego and Imperial Counties, organizations are using data for good to strengthen communities but that work is often fragmented or hard to access. This Summit and our new online Research Hub bring that work together, making research more visible, more connected and more coordinated.”
“Data should drive decision-making,” said Dr. Daniel Enemark, Chief Economist at the Policy & Innovation Center. “When research is accessible and organizations collaborate across sectors, leaders can make effective, informed decisions that truly serve their communities. At PIC, we analyze the drivers of social and economic inequality, develop data-informed recommendations, and bring leaders together to act on these ideas. Events like the Research Summit are critical to making that collaboration happen.”
A New Home for Regional Research
Managed by COE, the San Diego & Imperial Research Hub serves as the region’s new centralized source for education, workforce and economic development research. The Research Hub consolidates reports, data tools, and publications from institutions and organizations across sectors to reduce duplication, foster collaboration and support more coordinated decision-making around shared regional priorities. It is now available at sdiresearchhub.org.
Summit Speakers:
The COE & PIC Research Summit featured presentations from leaders across government, workforce development, and higher education, including:
Heidi Vonblum, City Planning Director, City of San Diego Development Services: Pathways to Building Homes for San Diego’s Families
Tara Ryan, Program Coordinator, City of San Diego: Creating Opportunities Where Young People Can Flourish
Teddy Martinez, Vice President, Strategic & Policy Initiatives, San Diego Workforce Partnership: Investing in Neighborhoods With the Greatest Need
Nadia Privara Brahms, Acting Director, County of San Diego Behavioral Health Services: Expanding Access to Behavioral Health Careers
Karen Boyd, Economist & Director of Research, Policy & Innovation Center: AI and the Future of Work
Danene Brown, Regional Chair, San Diego & Imperial Regional Consortium & Taylor Dunne, Director of Talent Initiatives, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation: Businesses & Community Colleges Matching Talent From Programs to Quality Jobs
Michael Dudley, Professor, Palomar College: Empathy vs. Apathy: Transforming Classroom Practice to Support Students
