Researchers
Discover the researchers advancing scholarship and innovation at the Institute for Social and Policy Research.

Professor of Criminal Justice | Director, Institute for Social and Policy Research
(219) 989-2936
Hammond, CLO 201
Johnson has researched and published journal articles and book chapters on topics in victimization and fear of crime, juvenile delinquency and justice, corrections, policing and perceptions of criminal justice system effectiveness. He is director of PNW’s Institute for Social and Policy Research.

Director of Couple & Family Therapy Graduate Programs and Services
(219) 989-2938
Hammond, IBCC 1028
With a specialization in sex and sexuality, Belous is conducting ongoing research projects in efficacy and outcome studies, assessment and evaluation, education and supervision processes and clinical management. He has over 100 publications and presentations in various outlets and formats, including qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodologies.

Chudhury’s research delves into the historical and contemporary impacts of these phenomena on societies worldwide. She specializes in examining their effects on climate patterns and environmental degradation, advocating for sustainable solutions rooted in humanities perspectives. Her expertise lies in bridging the gap between historical injustices and present-day challenges, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in fostering global awareness and policy change.

Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
219-989-2542
Hammond, CLO 207
Ilchi’s current research focuses on perceptions of the police and police militarization, as well as support for policies that seek to increase police accountability. He has also published journal articles and book chapters related to the effectiveness of early intervention programs and life-course criminology.

Department Chair, Behavioral Sciences
(219) 989-2712
Hammond, Porter 218B
Nalbone primarily studies political attitudes – how people feel about our political system (and politicians and policies) and other people. He has secondary interests in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), such as what student characteristics predict success in statistics courses.

Interim Department Chair, History, Philosophy, Political Science and Economics | Professor of Political Science
(219) 989-3143
Hammond, CLO 296
Ouyang’s research focuses on executive power and actions. His Ph.D. dissertation examines how, why and the extent to which presidents issue unilateral directives such as executive orders to make public policy. In addition, his research also examines how presidents manage the bureaucracy through presidential appointments and the importance of social media and Twitter in presidential communications.