The University of California, Davis will institute the U.S.'s first state-funded gun violence research center, with California appropriating $5 million to the center over the next five years.
The University of California Firearm Violence Research Center at the university's Sacramento campus will be led by Garen Wintemute, MD, an internationally known epidemiologist and emergency department physician. An advisory board including scholars, law enforcement officials, elected officials and other firearm violence experts will also be created to provide research input.
UC Davis will develop a multicampus plan for the research center proposing and prioritizing initial research projects, developing a small grant application timeline, outlining ways to increase philanthropic funds to sustain research and defining an annual operating budget and reporting structure. The plan will be submitted for approval Oct. 15.
"The state's decision to provide public funding for a center to study firearm violence demonstrates great leadership by the state and presents a unique opportunity for the University of California to be at the forefront of researching a growing public health issue," UC President Janet Napolitano said.
Ms. Napolitano said the center is the first state-funded institution of its type and will supply unbiased data and recommendations to policymakers. Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University and Cambridge, Mass.-based Harvard University have similar privately-funded centers.
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