Dec 11, 2024  
2013-2014 Graduate Catalog 
    
2013-2014 Graduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Research & Creative Scholarship Opportunities


Click on any of the following links for information:


Research and Creative Scholarship Opportunities

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Research and creative scholarship is an integral part of the university’s mission and an important facet of most graduate education programs. Faculty and students pursue research in virtually all academic departments on campus, and in many cases, research or creative scholarship is a required portion of the graduate programs. In addition, there are many interdisciplinary and mission-oriented institutes on campus that carry out research. Graduate students can become involved in the research occurring in the institutes and centers listed in the following section.

Graduate students generally pursue research in collaboration with a faculty advisor housed in the student’s major department. Academic credit is given for research, which contributes to the thesis or dissertation the student prepares as part of his/her Graduate Program of Study.

The mission of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP, http://www.usd.edu/research) is to support and expand competitive research and creative scholarship at USD. The ORSP achieves this mission through several activities and services including the Office of Human Subjects Protection, pre- and post-award support, internal grants programs, and state, regional, and federal relations in the context of competitive research development. Facilities that are available for student research include computer labs on campus housed in both central locations and within certain departments, scientific instrumentation, fine arts facilities, field equipment, the IRB, and other specialized resources within departments. A listing of active sponsored research projects is available at http://www.usd.edu/research/research-and-sponsored-programs/active-awards.cfm as are overviews of signature USD research projects and descriptions of USD research centers (http://www.usd.edu/research).

Research Funding & Fellowships

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Prospective graduate students are encouraged to investigate opportunities for research that are available to them in the discipline of their choice. Many students find financial support in the form of Graduate Research Assistantships, which are funded through a combination of University funds and research grants obtained by faculty. Students may also apply for graduate fellowships operated by a number of federal funding agencies.

Graduate Student Research Grants are also available to students on a competitive basis. Through these grants, graduate students can receive support for their research projects. The call for proposals is typically held in the fall semester. For more information, consult information in the Graduate Research website (http://www.usd.edu/graduate-school/graduate-research.cfm) or contact the Graduate School.

Research Facilities and Centers

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Center for Academic & Global Engagement (CAGE)

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Center for Academic Engagement
Academic Commons Room 103
Email:  engage@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/engage
 

The Center for Academic Engagement is where ambition meets opportunity. Support a community agency, study in a developing nation or participate with a research team. Learning outside the classroom means gaining real-world experience, knowledge and skills from hands-on experiences. We’ll help you develop the kind of real-world understanding that sets you apart and adds value to your education.

We Offer an Array of Learning Experiences:
• Service-Learning
Service-learning allows you to apply concepts learned in the classroom to real world problems and community projects.

• Global Learning (Study Abroad)
Global Learning broadens your world perspective and distinguishes you from other students.

• Undergraduate Research & Creative Scholarship
Even in your first or second year you can join research teams, earn mini-grants, present at national conferences or conduct your research at sites around the world.

• National Student Exchange
National Student Exchange (NSE) provides opportunities for U.S. and Canadian students to exchange to another college or university in the U.S. or Canada.

• Nationally Competitive Scholarships
Nationally competitive scholarships are prestigious and highly competitive. USD students have collected over 60 of these scholarships and awards over the last several years.

Center for Ultra-Low Background Experiments in the Dakotas (CUBED)

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Dongming Mei
Department of Earth Sciences & Physics
(605) 677-5649
Email: phys@usd.edu  
www.usd.edu/center-for-ultra-low-background-experiments-at-dusel/index.cfm

The Center For Ultra-Low Background Experiments in the Dakotas (CUBED) was initiated under a grant from the South Dakota 2010 Initiative in an effort to promote the involvement of scientists and students from South Dakota institutions in experiments planned for the Sanford Laboratory and the Deep Underground Science & Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) at the Homestake Mine in Lead, SD. The DUSEL is now called the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). The overall goal of the center is to perform material purification and crystal growth underground for ultra-low background experiments at the SURF at Homestake. When accomplished, SURF will be the only site in the world where highly pure germanium crystals are grown in a deep underground environment. The project has involved zone refining, crystal growth, crystal characterization, detector fabrication, and the detection of rare physics processes. CUBED has established connections with international institutions and industry.  Internships and scholarships are provided. The majority of our graduate students have attended various domestic and international conferences and given presentations. The students have gained the chance to visit schools overseas during the course of pursuing a degree in Physics at USD. Several graduate students have published research papers in scientific journals. The obvious job opportunities connected with CUBED are SURF lab and industry partners.

Center for Research & Development of Light-activated Materials (CRDLM)

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Daniel Engebretson
4800 N. Career Ave, Suite 221
Sioux Falls, SD 57107
(605) 367-7762
Email: Daniel.Engebretson@usd.edu  
www.usd.edu/center-for-light-activated-materials/index.cfm

The Center for Research and Development of Light-Activated Materials (CRDLM) is led by a diverse team of research scientists at the University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University, and the Avera Research Institute. The development of the CRDLM was made possible by a grant awarded from the State of South Dakota through the Governor’s 2010 Research Initiative.

Disaster Mental Health Institute

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Gerard A. Jacobs, Director
South Dakota Union 114
(605) 677-6575
dmhi@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/dmhi/

The Disaster Mental Health Institute’s mission is the promotion, development, and application of both practice and research in disaster psychology. Through the USD Department of Psychology the DMHI offers an undergraduate Minor in Disaster Response and for psychology majors a Specialization in Disaster Response (see the psychology department’s section of this catalog for details). These programs help students learn how to serve their communities in times of disaster, and include real-world practicum experiences in preparing for or responding to disasters with American Red Cross Disaster Services. DMHI faculty are engaged in cutting-edge research and disaster preparedness and response, both in the United States and around the world, and they bring that knowledge and experience into the classroom. Students learn directly from faculty who are shaping the future of the field world-wide.

Freedom Forum’s Al Neuharth Media Center

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Jack Marsh, President and Chief Operating Officer, Al Neuharth Media Center
555 Dakota Street - Inman Quad
Vermillion, SD 57069
605-677-6315
jmarsh@freedomforum.org

The Al Neuharth Media Center is named for the late Al Neuharth, founder of Freedom Forum and USA TODAY, a 1950 USD journalism graduate. Freedom Forum is a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people. It also operates the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

The Al Neuharth Media Center is home to Freedom Forum’s South Dakota offices and programs, to South Dakota Public Broadcasting, the USD Department of Contemporary Media and Journalism, and all USD student media, including The Volante, which Neuharth edited as a student in 1949.

At USD, Freedom Forum focuses on journalism education, the First Amendment and diversity in newsroom staffing, with an emphasis on American Indians. Freedom Forum and USD co-sponsor the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media, presented annually since 1989. Freedom Forum supports free-press rights for students by providing The Volante staff with its modern facilities, a professional adviser, training opportunities and the Al Neuharth Scholarships for Excellence in Journalism. Freedom Forum also promotes excellence in journalism through teaching, conferences, internships and other scholarships.

The building is operated jointly by the Freedom Forum and the University. Conference and meeting facilities at the Al Neuharth Media Center are available for booking by university departments, organizations and programs. The refurbished building, completed in 2003 with major funding from Freedom Forum and the University of South Dakota Foundation, is a popular venue for workshops, training classes, lectures, luncheon meetings and dinner programs. The state-of-the-art Freedom Forum Conference Room accommodates up to 120 for a sit-down meal and about 200 people for auditorium-style seating. The Freedom Forum Board Room is designed for smaller gatherings of about a dozen people. The center’s spectacular two-story Freedom Forum Concourse is ideal for receptions and social gatherings. For reservations and inquiries, contact Kimberley Andres at the Al Neuharth Media Center, 605-677-3114, Kimberley.Andres@usd.edu.

Government Research Bureau

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Rod Hair, Director
Farber House 101
605-677-5708
Email:  grb@usd.edu 
 
www.usd.edu/grb 

USD’s Government Research Bureau provides expert research design and analysis services to stakeholders at every stage of the public policy and administration process. The GRB has a long history of providing services to support South Dakota’s governments, nonprofits, and businesses. It leverages the research talent at the University of South Dakota to provide its clients with customized research design and analysis solutions. The GRB is committed to creating an environment that is conducive to producing the highest quality work for the GRB’s clients while also building a place where USD’s students and faculty can contribute to the well-being of the state and region.

Institute of American Indian Studies

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Slagle Hall, Room 102
(605) 677-6497
iais@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/iais

 

Established in 1955 by the South Dakota State Legislature [SDCL 13-57-3.2], the Institute of American Indian Studies develops and promotes American Indian-related projects, activities, and programs at the University of South Dakota. These projects include on- and off-campus programs to promote education and awareness of American Indian culture and issues and strengthening relations with tribes, tribal colleges, and other appropriate American Indian organizations in the state, region, and beyond.

 

The Dr. Joseph H. Cash Memorial Library contains books, photographs, films, and videos on North American frontier history with special emphases on American Indians, the mining industry, and western literature. The collection is a gift of Dr. Cash’s family to honor his service to the University as Professor of History, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Director of the Institute of American Indian Studies. Located in the Oral History Center, Dakota Hall, Room 12, the library is available for in-house use by students, faculty members, and researchers.

Missouri River Institute

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Tim Cowman, Director
Missouri River Institute
(605) 677-6151
Tim.Cowman@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/mri

he University of South Dakota established the Missouri River Institute to develop and promote research, education, and public awareness related to the natural and cultural resources of the Missouri River Basin. The MRI promotes interdisciplinary research on the Missouri River by contributing faculty, students, equipment, and funding resources toward research projects that address issues related to the Missouri River system. The MRI is developing new curricula and academic programs for introductory and advanced river studies at USD. This includes undergraduate courses and graduate programs centered on riverine and environmental studies. The MRI is also active in outreach projects to promote understanding of and interaction with the river.

USD is located near the last remaining unmodified portion of the Missouri River downstream of the dams, a 59-mile section of river from Gavins Point Dam to Ponca State Park, Nebraska. The University’s unique location allows it to integrate river research within campus life on a daily basis. Under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the federal government declared this particular section the Missouri National Recreational River in 1978. It therefore provides a natural field laboratory for research, teaching and outreach activities. The Missouri National Recreational River Resource and Education Center is just 30 miles from campus at Ponca State Park and is available for use by the University community.

The Missouri River Institute gives students a unique opportunity to get involved directly in the Missouri River’s natural and cultural heritage. Direct inquires about research and education opportunities to the Director of the Institute, the Student Engagement Action Coordinator, or to individual faculty mentors.

National Music Museum

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Cleveland Johnson, Director
605-677-5306
Email:
nmm@usd.edu
www.nmmusd.org

The National Music Museum is one of the great museums of its kind in the world. Housed in a lovingly restored Carnegie library building, the NMM’s ever-growing collections of more than 15,000 American, European, and non-Western instruments from virtually all cultures and historical periods are the most inclusive in the world. Although music museums are found in many cities, the comprehensive nature of the collections at the NMM makes it the premier institution of its kind. Included are many of the earliest, best preserved, and historically most important musical instruments known to survive, dating back to as early as the 16th century. All reflect the ageless, universal power of human ingenuity and imagination. Concerts are presented amid the intimacy and superb acoustics of the Arne B. Larson Concert Hall, and popular brown bag lunch programs explore other facets of the NMM’s diverse collections. Self-guided multi-media tours allow visitors to hear, as well as see, some 1,100 instruments on exhibit in nine galleries. Group tours must be arranged two weeks in advance.

The NMM is also a leading institution for organological research and hosts national/international conferences that attract scholars from around the world. In addition to musical instruments, the NMM’s resources include a specialized library and extensive archives, with special emphasis on the documentation of the American music industry. NMM faculty and staff are leading scholars in the field, publish widely, and provide international leadership. Graduates of the University’s graduate program, with a concentration in the history of musical instruments, now hold positions with other major musical instrument collections, museums, and libraries, both in the U.S.A. and abroad. 

Photo Activated Nanoscale Systems (PANS)

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Mary Berry
Department of Chemistry
Email: Mary.Berry@usd.edu  
www.usd.edu/chemistry/

The Photo Active Nanoscale Systems (PANS) Research Group was developed in response to the need for research and development in the area of novel materials and devices to address the energy challenge, and now constitutes one of the largest and most successful multi-disciplinary research collaborative in South Dakota. Project participants are creating new materials and developing new devices in the area of photo-active nanoscale systems and addressing research challenges associated with photovoltaics, direct write for flexible electronics, and the use of nanostructured materials for converting solar energy into chemical fuels.

 The group includes over 80 faculty, research staff, graduate and undergraduate students from Augustana College, Black Hills State University, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, South Dakota State University, and the University of South Dakota. In collaboration, the PANS group has demonstrated the ability to bring higher education institutions together to build regional research facilities and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) infrastructure.

Rushmore Practice-Based Research Network (RUSH NET)

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H. Bruce Vogt, M.D.,
Professor & Chair, Department of Family Medicine/Program Director, South Dakota Area Health Education Center, (AHEC)
(605)357-1500
hvogt@usd.edu

Mission: “To improve the health of South Dakotans through participatory community-based research targeted to the major health needs in these communities and focusing on rural and other underserved populations.”

Sanford Research/USD

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David A. Pearce, Ph.D., Vice President of Research
2301 E. 60th Street North
Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Contact: Cheri Jacobson
(605) 312-6300
Fax: 605-312-6071
Email:
jacoboc@sanfordhealth.org
www.sanfordresearch.org/

 

Sanford Research/USD is a non-profit organization formed by Sanford Health and Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota. Sanford Research/USD is dedicated to research excellence through the work of its Research Centers, which currently includes: Sanford Children’s Health, Applied Biosciences and Athletic Health and Performance. Central to the success of Sanford Research/USD are its 35 principal scientists, and more than 150 research staff, students, postdoctoral fellows, and administrative personnel who support them. Sanford Research/USD is located in the Sanford Center, a 299,000 sq. ft. building that includes state-of-the-art equipment, a full vivarium, and eight core facilities to support a wide variety of competitive research programs.

 

South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN)

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Barbara Goodman
Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences
Sanford School of Medicine
sites.google.com/a/usd.edu/brin/ 

The University is the lead site for the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN). Project partners at seven institutions in South Dakota collaborate to conduct research funded under the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Program of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. SD BRIN underwrites the Bioinformatics, Genomics and Proteomics Core Facilities and supports a large number of library scientific databases and journals.

South Dakota Catalysis Group

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James Hoefelmeyer
Department of Chemistry
Email:
jhoefelm@usd.edu   
www.usd.edu/research/research-and-sponsored-programs/sd-catalysis-group.cfm

The South Dakota Catalysis Group is a research consortium charged with the development of catalyst materials for solar energy utilization. Primary research foci are to develop photocatalysts for hydrogen synthesis from water and materials for hydrogen fuel cells.

South Dakota Oral History Center

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University Libraries
Archives and Special Collections
305 I.D. Weeks
605-677-5450
sdohc@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/library/

The South Dakota Oral History Center houses collections of audio interviews relating to the experiences of the peoples of the Northern Plains. In all, the Center houses six collections. The John S. Painter Collection, Stanislaus Maudlin Collection, James Emery Collection, and Lindley Collection comprise the smaller of the six and cover a variety of topics from traditional American Indian music to an in-depth oral diary of Stanislaus Maudlin of Blue Cloud Abbey and recordings of important regional speakers. The American Indian Research Project is composed of approximately 2,300 tapes addressing experiences of Dakota/Lakota/Nakota peoples and other tribes of the Northern Plains. Topics range from ancient legends and traditional religious beliefs to recent political and social views reflecting the American Indian way of life. The South Dakota Oral History Project contains almost 3,500 recorded interviews covering myriad aspects in South Dakota history. Interviews were collected beginning in the 1960s, and oral history projects continue today. A valuable resource for students and researchers, the Center, with its 6,000+ interviews, is the largest collection of its kind in the country and is located in Room 12, Dakota Hall. Appointments are appreciated and can be made by calling or emailing the Center.

The Dr. Joseph H. Cash Memorial Library contains books, photographs, films, and videos on North American frontier history with special emphases on American Indians, the mining industry, and western literature. The collection is a gift of Dr. Cash’s family to honor his service to the University as Professor of History, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Director of the Institute of American Indian Studies. The Cash Library is available for use in I.D. Weeks by students, faculty members, and researchers.

South Dakota Small Business Development Center

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Beacom School of Business
University of South Dakota
414 E. Clark St.
VermillionSD57069
Phone: 605-677-5103
Fax: 605-677-5427
sbdc@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/sbdc

The South Dakota Small Business Development Center (SBDC) helps new entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership and assists existing businesses in their efforts to remain competitive.

SBDC Network:

Through a network of six offices across the state and 1,100 SBDC offices around the country, we provide professional, confidential and no-cost business consulting services, including one-on-one counseling and training, to individuals starting a business or looking for ways to improve an existing business. 

Better Business Planning:

Since 1998, the South Dakota SBDC has assisted entrepreneurs in securing over $1 Billion in capital to start and grow businesses, creating or preserving over 1,000 jobs annually across the state. SBDC services enable South Dakota’s entrepreneurs to make better, more informed business decisions, to avoid costly mistakes, and to prepare thorough and complete business plans needed both to obtain financing and to effectively manage their venues.

W.H. Over Museum

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L.E. Bradley, Director
1110 Ratingen St.
Vermillion, SD 57069
(605) 677-5228
whover@usd.edu
www.whovermuseum.org/

The mission of the W. H. Over Museum operated by a privatized non-profit, all volunteer organization, is to collect, preserve, document, exhibit, research, study, and interpret objects relating to natural and cultural history of South Dakota and the region. The museum provides interpretive exhibits, educational programs, publications and other appropriate means of conveying an understanding and appreciation of this region.

W.O. Farber Center for Civic Leadership

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William D. Richardson, Director
Elizabeth T. Smith, Associate Director
Rodney Hair, Director of Government Research Bureau
Cheryl Hovorka, Program Assistant
116 Dakota Hall
(605) 677-5702
Email:
William.Richardson@usd.edu, Cheryl.Hovorka@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/farbercenter

 

The South Dakota Board of Regents established the W. O. Farber Center for Civic Leadership in the fall of 1997 as a Center of Excellence. The Center is housed within the Department of Political Science and offers a minor in Civic Leadership Studies. The term “civic” was chosen to emphasize that the Center’s focus is not narrowly governmental but rather broadly inclusive of all aspects of our lives together as citizens of a community, state, nation, and world. The mission of the Center is to prepare students and help communities to face difficult public problems in a manner consistent with constitutional values. The Center fosters responsible and ethical leadership through education, service, and scholarship in the public interest.

The W.O. Farber Center for Civic Leadership was founded on the belief that there is leadership within every person. Its initiative stresses the importance of principled leadership based on core values and emphasizes leadership as a process, not just a position. Viewed in this way, leadership requires responsible action of individuals in every part of society-not simply those in formal leadership roles.