In 2013, she started the Latino Leadership Initiative (LLI) to increase the number of professional social workers and scholars equipped to work effectively with Latinx populations. Professor Calvo’s research focuses on immigrants' integration. She studies how access to social services contributes to the incorporation of immigrant communities and the determinants of immigrants' happiness. Her work has been featured in The Journal of Happiness Studies, Health & Social Work, PlosOne, Social Science & Medicine and the British Journal of Social Work.