Meet the Administrator: Spotlight on Mariappan “Jawa” Jawaharlal
Mariappan Jawaharlal, better known as “Dr. Jawa” is CSUN Associate Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs. An event on February 4, the Principal Investigators’ Reception was held to honor faculty who procure outside research grants. Here’s our chat with Dr. Jawa.
How long have you been at CSUN, and what is your function here?
I joined CSUN in July 2024 and have been here for just over six months. My role is to support faculty in enhancing their research capacity. This includes identifying grant opportunities, assisting with grant writing, and helping them establish partnerships within and beyond the campus to develop collaborative proposals. My work primarily focuses on providing guidance and resources to faculty.
Where were you before coming to CSUN and what brought you here?
Before joining CSUN, I served as the Interim Associate Vice President for Research at California State University, Sacramento. Having spent time in the CSU system, which I deeply value, I was drawn to CSUN because of its exceptional reputation. CSUN stands out as one of the top CSU campuses due to its size—serving nearly 37,000 students—and its remarkable student body. Approximately 60% of our students are low-income and rely on Pell Grants and federal work-study.
What makes CSUN genuinely unique is its significant role in promoting social mobility for its students. Equally compelling is the faculty's dedication to impactful research, much of which engages undergraduate students. This hands-on involvement enhances student outcomes, increasing their likelihood of graduating, securing meaningful jobs, and pursuing graduate studies. Nearly 20% of our faculty are involved in research—a remarkably high percentage—which was a key factor in my decision to join CSUN.
Can you give me examples of the kinds of research being conducted?
Our faculty are involved in diverse research areas, showcasing the breadth of expertise across disciplines. For instance, we have marine scientists conducting groundbreaking work on coral reefs in the South Pacific and biologists advancing stem cell research. Our faculty are designing assistive devices, creating low-cost diagnostics for the Zika virus, and exploring genetic mechanisms to understand how genes are regulated. Other research projects include research in computational materials, developmental regulation of plant root growth, and simulating the Mars environment to aid in exploration efforts.
Our faculty have been receiving grants from major funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, the Department of Energy, the Department of Education, and numerous other federal and state agencies and private foundations.
Currently, our research budget exceeds $40 million, which is an impressive achievement for a university without a Ph.D. program. This reflects our faculty's extraordinary talent and dedication and the high caliber of research at CSUN.
We’ve heard about an event in February, the PI reception?
Yes, on February 4, we hosted the PI Reception, an event dedicated to honoring our Principal Investigators — faculty members who have gone beyond CSUN's primary teaching mission by securing external grants. The event was co-hosted by the Provost and the President of CSUN, and it celebrated their achievements.
More than 150 faculty members attended, allowing them to connect with the President, university leadership and staff. It was an excellent way to recognize and acknowledge the significant contributions of our faculty to research and the university's mission.
What are some of your proudest achievements?
Since I have only been at CSUN for a short time, I reflect on my overall career spanning 30 years. Teaching has always been my passion. I have taught more than 5,000 students in the CSU, and I was honored to receive the CSU's highest award, the Wang Family Excellence Award for Outstanding Teaching and Research. My TEDx talk, Becoming a Better Teacher, which has garnered two million views, is considered one of the top five talks of inspiring teachers. These achievements were only possible because of the trust I earned from my students, which remains my proudest accomplishment. I also founded a K-12 outreach program about 15 years ago, known as "Femineers" (Female Engineers), to support young women and encourage them to pursue engineering. President Obama's White House recognized this program as one of the most influential programs in the nation for Hispanic women. The Femineer Program has expanded to over 120 schools and helps more than 3,000 students annually, inspiring the next generation of female engineers.
At CSUN, I aim to work closely with faculty during these challenging times and earn their trust. Any changes we implement in the system will ultimately impact faculty research, and I want to ensure those changes are collaborative and beneficial. CSUN's diversity is one of our greatest strengths. As a Hispanic-serving institution, we far exceed the minimum requirement of 25% Hispanic undergraduates, with 53% of our students identifying as Hispanic. We also serve nearly 2,000 Black students, more than many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Beyond politics and challenges, our mission is to serve our students and positively impact the local community. CSUN contributes between $2 billion and $3 billion annually to the San Fernando Valley. Every crisis presents an opportunity, and despite the obstacles, we can continue to make a difference for our students and community.
What are you looking forward to?
My primary goal is to build the research infrastructure and provide more support to our faculty. In terms of numbers, I aim to increase faculty involvement in research by ensuring they have the resources they need. CSUN is a teaching institution without a Ph.D. program, making conducting research here more challenging than R1 research universities.
That said, CSUN has a remarkable record of success. For example, the National Science Foundation offers the prestigious CAREER Award to outstanding junior faculty, typically from R1 [research] institutions. Despite these odds, CSUN has nearly a dozen faculty members who have received this award - this year, three faculty members are current recipients. This demonstrates our hidden potential. I see my role, and that of my office, as discovering and polishing these "rough diamonds"—talented faculty members who are poised to achieve great things in research.
Currently, I am meeting with deans, department chairs, and faculty to learn about their research, as they play a critical role in the overall development of our students. While traditional research focus tends to center on STEM disciplines, I also see tremendous potential in areas like the humanities and media. Given our location and outstanding humanities and media faculty, CSUN has excellent potential in the entertainment industry. Many of our students are already thriving as screenwriters, actors, and musicians, and I look forward to helping them secure grants, fellowships, and job opportunities available to them.
I'm also encouraged by the strong commitment to research and student success from CSUN's leadership. It was one of the key factors that drew me to this institution, and I am excited to be part of this journey.