Diné College chosen for study on spread of violence

TSAILE, Ariz.

Diné College on May 20 was selected to participate in a federal study about factors that cause the spread of violent crime in the United States, according to a news release from the college.

The Department of Homeland Security will fund the program two Diné College students and one instructor will travel to George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, to take part in research aimed at preventing school shootings and other forms of mass violence.

It’s the first time in the college’s 50-year history it was selected to participate in such a project.

“I was invited to recruit students for a research team and submit a proposal in February 2018,” said Sara Kien, the Diné College participating instructor.

Kien, who received the Faculty Member of the Year award at the May 11 commencement, will work with faculty from the DHS Center of Criminal Investigations and Network Analysis at GMU to oversee research and mentor students.

“The long-term goals will be to apply the knowledge gained to the spread of other types of violence and harm in communities, such as suicide,” Kien said.

The two students participating in the 10-week program are Tatyanna Begay and Ashley Lee.

Both are pursuing baccalaureate degrees in psychology and plan to go to graduate school. They carry high grade-point averages and are set to graduate in 2019.

Kien, who holds a doctorate in cognitive psychology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, said the program includes up to $50,000 in follow up funding to continue research during the 2018-19 academic year.

Kien said with the experience that Begay and Lee will acquire, the two will be more likely to gain admittance into a graduate psychology program at a major research-oriented university.

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