Research
Research at LMU tackles important questions, large and small. Across the arts, sciences and humanities, faculty and students explore challenges that stand to make the world a better place. Student research provides an opportunity for high-impact, active learning through one-on-one interaction with faculty mentors, and grows students as critical thinkers, problem solvers, and intellectual independents.
Research Centers & Institutes
LMU is home to 19 interdisciplinary research centers and institutes, where students and faculty wrestle with some of the most pressing social, economic, and spiritual issues of our time.
CURes
The Center for Urban Resilience is committed to improving the quality of life in our urban communities, especially those that have been historically underserved.
Coastal Research Institute
The Coastal Research Institute brings together expertise from LMU's Seaver College of Science and Engineering and The Bay Foundation to restore and enhance Santa Monica Bay and local coastal waters.
StudyLA
StudyLA advocates for a better, more equitable Los Angeles through research, student mentorship, and engagement with its residents and leaders.
Academy of Catholic Thought and Imagination
The Academy of Catholic Thought and Imagination is a community of scholars who work in dialogue with the Catholic intellectual tradition by developing, critically examining, communicating, or engaging the rich resources of Catholic thought and imagination, especially as it is informed by Jesuit and Ignatian vision.
Psychology Applied Research Center
The Psychology Applied Research Center is a grant-funded center that collaborates with a variety of community-based organizations and groups to inform social change and community empowerment through applied, action-oriented research.
Center for International Business Education
The Center for International Business Education, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, supports programs, instruction and research on issues of importance to U.S. trade and competitiveness.
Faculty and Student Research
LMU is a National University/High Research Activity (R2), which reflects our commitment to high-level research. Our faculty value the opportunity to conduct research and scholarship with undergraduate and graduate students to provide mentorship and guidance while furthering their expertise. Students have ample opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research and take part in unique academic experiences in Los Angeles and throughout the world.
- Over $1 million spent annually on undergraduate student research
- $16.2 million received in grant funding in FY 2024
Research and Creative Work
Students conduct research projects that are supported by our world-class faculty experts and other university resources. These opportunities translate discoveries into knowledge, technologies and programs that make the world a better place.
The Office of Research and Creative Arts is committed to inclusive excellence and strives to increase engagement from the entire student body, including first generation college students and students from underrepresented groups.
Learn how students are supported in faculty-mentored research and creative works.
Research News
Uplifting Neurodiverse Communities: Alex Sturm’s Holistic Approach to Autism Research
Alex Sturm, a licensed clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychological science, is deeply committed to advancing equity and access for neurodivergent individuals through her research. Focusing on the lived experiences of autistic youth and adults, she approaches her work with a holistic mindset, believing in the importance of addressing the full person in all aspects of life.
Read more
Fighting Wildfires with Drone Power
Professor Gustavo Vejarano has embarked on a groundbreaking project that could transform combating wildfires. Thanks to a grant of nearly $200,000 over two years from the National Science Foundation, Vejarano’s project, titled “ERI: Fault-Tolerant Monitoring of Moving Clusters of Targets using Collaborative Unmanned Aerial Vehicles,” aims to harness the power of collaborative drones to monitor ground activities, particularly during wildfires, with unprecedented efficiency.
Cracking the Climate Code: The Surprising Role of Mussels in Gauging Global Change
To explore a deeper understanding of pressing environmental issues, LMU’s Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering faculty and student researchers are investigating the impacts of climate change with a focus on intertidal mussels, measuring how rising ocean temperatures affect these crucial species.
Revitalizing Critically Endangered Languages via Large Language Models
Loyola Marymount University Computer Science Assistant Professor Jared Coleman, along with a small team of researchers, has developed an innovative AI-powered translation tool to help revitalize Owens Valley Paiute, an endangered Indigenous language.