UTEP College of Health Sciences announces their researchers will begin to work on improving employment barriers among veterans and Asian Americans with disabilities. Researchers Beatrice Lee, Ph.D., and Emre Umucu, Ph.D., both faculty members from the College of Health Sciences, were awarded a stellar grant of $240,000 from the U.S. Department of Education. 

This grant is part of an initiative led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where both Lee and Umucu were graduate students together. The university’s mission is to select researchers from different universities and have them analyze individuals with disabilities for secure employment.   

Lee will focus and center her work on Asian Americans with disabilities. She considers the grant an opportunity to help Asian Americans with disabilities realize the value they offer to a workplace.  

“It is a privilege for us to work on this grant together and help people realize the value they offer to society,” Lee said. 

Umucu will spend his time and resources to improve employment outcomes for veterans with disabilities. He considers the grant another opportunity to help disabled veterans expand their skill sets and offer them more opportunities in the work field. 

“We’re going to look at the barriers that exist in helping connect veterans to the right job,” Umucu said in a report from KFOX. “By creating a clearer picture of the elements that impact successful integration into the workplace, state and local agencies can provide veterans with disabilities the services needed to succeed.” 

The opportunity to expand their work to help the well-being of disabled communities with additional support in their careers; both UTEP researchers are more ready to develop new plans to improve employment barriers for people with disabilities.   

Erik Acosta is the editor-in-chief and may be reached at [email protected]