PULLMAN -- A new research center at Washington State University serves the needs of Latino/Mestizo and Native/Indigenous communities.

The Pacific Northwest Mestizo and Indigenous Center for Research and Outreach was launched last year and is directed by Professor Brian McNeill and Associate Professor Susan Banks-Joseph.

Indigenous refers to those populations whose ancestors were the original inhabitants of a designated land or nation.

One of the center's research projects involves following up on four educational achievement gap studies that the Washington Legislature commissioned.