Dr. Timothy Bray to lead the Williams Institute

by PegNews wire

DALLAS — Dr. Timothy Bray will become Director of the J. McDonald Williams Institute, effective Sept. 1. He replaces Dr. Marcus Martin, who has accepted the post of President and CEO of Education is Freedom. Dr. Danielle Lavin-Loucks, who joined the Institute full time in January, will become Associate Director.

Dr. Martin oversaw creation of the Institute, which had its beginnings as the research department of the Foundation for Community Empowerment. When Dr. Martin arrived in 2003, the research department was Dr. Martin and two graduate students. Today, the Institute, which was founded in 2005, has a dedicated staff of 12, including (after Dr. Martin’s departure) four Ph.D. scholars. It is widely recognized as a go-to source for solution-oriented research on the factors that contribute to concentrated urban poverty.

Through its Community of Scholars and partnerships with local universities including the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of North Texas Health Science Center, and the University of North Texas Dallas Campus, the Institute engages some of the region’s best minds in addressing real-world problems often overlooked by purely academic institutions. As a think tank firmly grounded in the neighborhoods of South Dallas, the Institute also explores the dynamic relationships between factors often studied in isolation, such as crime and education or housing and public health.

The Institute also has achieved national recognition, primarily by creating the Wholeness Index. The Index, which is replicated annually in Dallas, is a unique tool to measure the disparities that degrade the quality of life in any city. It is designed to be replicated over time, giving policy makers a tool for targeting interventions in impoverished communities and then measuring their effectiveness. In just the first year of its existence, the Index has garnered attention from federal policy makers and city governments from coast to coast.

The Institute’s annual conference is the only event in the region that brings together scholars, community leaders and public policy makers to address the challenges of distressed communities. The Williams Review, published annually in conjunction with the conference, features original research by top regional and national scholars on the interlocking challenges of education, economic development, housing, public safety, health, and social capital. This year’s conference will be held Monday, Oct. 22, at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in downtown Dallas.

Dr. Bray joined the Williams Institute in 2005 as Associate Director. He has led the Institute's quantitative research, including developing the Wholeness Index. He is also an Assistant Professor of Criminology at the University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to joining the UTD faculty in 2002, he worked in various management positions with state, county, and local policing agencies in Missouri and Illinois.

Dr. Bray’s recent academic research has focused on the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage, residential instability, and racial isolation on violent crime in urban America. He has also worked with large criminal history data sets to study recidivism patterns among sex offenders and non-sex offenders. In the applied science arena, he has worked with large police agencies in the implementation of performance measurement and strategic planning programs, as well as the development of systems to accurately track and measure those important measures.

Education Is Freedom, which will now reap the benefits of Dr. Martin’s remarkable head and heart, was founded on the principle that every young person deserves the opportunity for a higher education. EIF strives to remove obstacles to college by providing assistance to students who demonstrate academic promise and leadership, but require guidance to go to college.

Locally, grassroots change is taking place through a pilot program at three high schools in Dallas. More than 1,200 high school students are enrolled. The Dallas Model Program focuses on three main goals: preventing low-income students from dropping out; helping students prepare for college and navigate the college entrance process; and providing “close the gap” scholarship funds to supplement other financial aid.

Nationally, an EIF scholarship program serves students from all 50 states. More than 87,000 students have applied and more than $3.7 million has been awarded to 607 students. In addition to corporate and foundation contributions, scholarship funding comes from canister collections, which are conducted at participating 7-Eleven stores.

Source: Victoria Loe Hicks