Office of Research and Graduate Studies
rgs.usu.edu
Mark R. McLellan
Vice President for Research and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies
mark.mclellan@usu.edu, (435) 797-1180
Jeff R. Broadbent
Associate Vice President and Associate Dean
jeff.broadbent@usu.edu, (435) 797-1199
Shelley L.K. Lindauer
Associate Vice President and Associate Dean
shelley.lindauer@usu.edu, (435) 797-3981
As a research institution, Utah State University has a mandate to facilitate research and graduate education among faculty and students. USU’s Office of Research and Graduate Studies is responsible for this mission, and does so by:
- Producing internal funding opportunities and external funding guidance.
- Providing efficient research support services.
- Developing individual researcher capacity.
- Facilitating graduate student recruitment, admissions, support, and degree completion.
- Supporting graduate and undergraduate research.
These duties are accomplished by RGS support staff and RGS divisions, which are outlined below:
School of Graduate Studies
usu.edu/graduateschool/
Shelley Lindauer
Associate Vice President for Research and Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies
shelley.lindauer@usu.edu, (435) 797-3981
The School of Graduate Studies serves as the central administrative body that promotes, supports, and reviews graduate education at Utah State University to ensure consistency and excellence in all graduate degree programs. The School of Graduate Studies works closely and cooperatively with central administration, the Graduate Council, colleges, and academic departments to provide the best possible intellectual and physical environment for graduate student education.
To learn more about USU graduate degrees, admissions requirements, student classifications, degree requirements, and general regulations go to Graduate Student General Information.
Graduate and Undergraduate Research
research.usu.edu/undergrad
Scott Bates
Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies
scott.bates@usu.edu, (435) 797-2975
The Office of Research and Graduate Studies supports and advances Undergraduate Research at Utah State University. Here are a few ways in that our Office supports undergraduate researchers.
Funding Research
URCO (Undergraduate Research & Creative Opportunity) Grant
The URCO grant program was created in 1975, and since its beginning has supported students in all disciplines. Student’s projects can have budgets of up to $1,000. Half of the funding comes from the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, division of Graduate and Undergraduate Research, while the student’s sponsoring academic department must provide matching support.
Presenting Research
Utah Research on Capitol Hill
Utah’s Research on Capitol Hill is an annual celebration of undergraduate research held in the Rotunda of the State Capitol. Organized by USU, it features the two public research universities’ students and their research projects. Students of all disciplines from around the state share the results of their investigations with legislators.
Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research (UCUR)
The Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research (UCUR) is modeled after the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) and organized by a committee of representatives from educational institutions across the state. The conference celebrates academic, professional, and personal achievements resulting from undergraduate research projects or creative endeavors.
National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)
The National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), established in 1987, is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity in all fields of study by sponsoring an annual conference for students.
Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR): Posters on the Hill
CUR is calling for students to submit an abstract of their research that represents any of CUR’s disciplinary divisions (Arts and Humanities, Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Health Sciences, Mathematics/Computer Science, Physics/Astronomy, Psychology, and Social Sciences). Each abstract should explain the work that was performed and discuss the importance of the work to society (i.e., what larger problem were you trying to solve or understand?).
USU Student Showcase
An annual symposium to showcase outstanding work done by undergraduate students on research, scholarly, and creative projects. The program may include oral presentations, poster sessions, exhibitions, and recitals.
Discover: Utah State University’s Undergraduate Research Journal
Discover is a peer-reviewed, open access journal dedicated to the publication of outstanding scholarship by undergraduates at Utah State University. This journal accepts submissions of scholarly and research articles, from undergraduate students in all academic disciplines.
Travel Costs
Some costs associated with travel to present your research are covered (e.g., travel to NCUR, UCUR) from the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. There are two additional mechanism available to cover costs:
• Honors Research Fund. If you are member of the honors program, the Honors Research Fund is designed to give Honors students access to direct funding for activities that will academically enhance their undergraduate experience. Including funding for research, scholarship and artistic activities or materials. Requests can be made anytime. For more information: Honors Research Fund
• Second, ASUSU has the Academic Opportunity Fund, which funds student travel to present at meetings. For more information: Associated Students of Utah State University
Research Recognition
Undergraduate Research Scholar Transcript Designation
The Undergraduate Research Scholar Transcript Designation is given to more fully recognize the accomplishments of USU’s undergraduate researchers.
The Peak Prize for Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher
The award for outstanding Undergraduate Researcher of the Year, or the Peak Prize, is meant to honor and recognize those undergraduate student researchers who have made a difference through their research efforts. Students who receive this award are recognized during USU’s annual Research Week, during the Student Showcase. An Undergraduate Researcher of the Year will also be chosen to receive a Robins Award from the University.
Graduate Research
Graduate and Undergraduate Research also supports the research efforts of graduate students. Two of those programs include:
Presidential Doctoral Research Fellows
The Research Fellows program was established in 2012 to recruit, support, and mentor Utah State University’s most promising incoming graduate students. This is a small, elite, group of incoming graduate students. The Fellows program is designed to support students in a variety of ways. The fellowship includes a stipend in the amount of $20,000 for four academic years and a tuition award for the nonresident portion of tuition, both semesters, up to 12 credits.
Intermountain Graduate Research Symposium
The Intermountain Graduate Research Symposium is one of the largest student-run research gatherings and welcomes all graduate students within the Intermountain Range. The goal of the Intermountain Graduate Research Symposium is to provide graduate student researchers the opportunity to present their research to peers in a friendly academic environment. The Symposium includes two days of oral and poster presentation sessions organized by discipline and college.
Research Funding and Grantsmanship
Proposal Development
research.usu.edu/opd
Jerilyn Hansen
Manager of Proposal Development
jerilyn.hansen@usu.edu, (435) 797-3437
The Proposal Development division is dedicated to expanding externally funded research at Utah State University by managing the proposal development process on strategically important submissions, training researchers on proposal development, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, and providing services to researchers that advance their skills and success in obtaining funding. The OPD is comprised of a network of proposal development staff located in colleges across campus. These individuals provide a variety of services to their college researchers, in addition to pooling their efforts on large, institutionally strategic proposals, and training researchers on proposal development.
Sponsored Programs
spo.usu.edu
Shegay Cook, Interim Director
shegay.cook@usu.edu, (435) 797-1223
The Sponsored Programs division facilitates university research by processing proposals, conducting negotiations, helping researchers find and obtain funding and playing an important role in contract administration. The Sponsored Programs division can assist with proposal contact information, proposal submittal, budget review and advice, and links to selected funding sources.
Research Support Services
Compliance Assistance
compliance.usu.edu
Russ Price
Federal Compliance Manager
russ.price@usu.edu, (435) 797-8305
USU Compliance Hotline
(435) 755-7118
The Compliance Assistance division is charged with familiarizing faculty and other USU employees with federal guidelines and university policies, and helping individuals comply with those regulations. The office also coordinates training in the responsible conduct of research.
Environmental Health & Safety
ehs.usu.edu
Steve Bilbao, Director
steve.bilbao@usu.edu, (435) 797-2763
The Environmental Health & Safety division provides expertise for compliance with federal, state, and local safety and health regulations, as well as current professional practices and guidelines. EHS assists university personnel to comply with regulations and trains them in appropriate safety measures. General areas of focus include biological, radiological, occupational and chemical health and safety.
Institutional Review Board
irb.usu.edu
Richard Gordin, Interim Chair
rich.gordin@usu.edu, (435) 797-1506
True Rubal, Administrator
true.rubal@usu.edu, (435) 797-0567
The Institutional Review Board is charged with protecting the rights and welfare of human research participants who participate in research activities conducted by Utah State University. The IRB meets regularly to review applications from investigators seeking to perform research involving human subjects. On-going research projects are reviewed yearly.
Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee
iacuc.usu.edu
Jim Pfister, Chair
IACUC@usu.edu, (435) 797-1886
All faculty, staff, students, and others using USU facilities are required to adhere to the federal standards for the use of animals in research, teaching, and training. Programs that use animals will be at their best when animals receive quality care in a properly designed and managed animal facility. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the Animal Welfare Act policies and procedures are followed.
Laboratory Animal Research Center
larc.usu.edu
Aaron Olsen, Director
aaron.olsen@usu.edu, (435) 797-8141
The LARC is committed to the highest standards of research and recognizes that laboratory animals must receive the best possible care, not only to obtain valid research data, but to ensure the health and safety of animals, researchers, and animal caretakers. The facility offers a complete range of services to researchers, including comprehensive animal care and husbandry, instruction in proper animal handling, disease diagnosis, euthanasia and animal disposal, animal records, information, and consultation. |
