Mar 19, 2024  
2009-2010 Graduate Catalog 
    
2009-2010 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 are 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 in 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 U research projects (http://www.usd.edu/research/research-and-sponsored-programs/signature-research-programs.cfm) and descriptions of U research centers (http://www.usd.edu/research/research-and-sponsored-programs/research-centers.cfm)

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 up to $500 to support 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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America’s National Music Museum

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André P. Larson, Director
(605) 677-5306
Email:
nmm@usd.edu
http://www.usd.edu/nmm

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 14,500 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. Admission to the NMM is free, and self-guided multi-media tours allow visitors to hear, as well as see, some 1,000 instruments that are on exhibit in nine galleries. Group tours must be arranged two weeks in advance.

The NMM’s Center for Study of the History of Musical Instruments is the leading research institution of its kind and hosts national/international conferences that attract scholars from around the world. In addition to the 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.

 

Center for Ultra-Low Background Experiments at Dusel (CUBED)

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

The Center For Ultralow Background Experiments at DUSEL (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 DUSEL at the Homestake Mine in Lead, SD.

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

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Daniel Engebretson
4800 N. Career Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57107
(605) 367-7762
Email: Daniel.Engebretson@usd.edu
http://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, Ph.D., Director
South Dakota Union 114
(605) 677-6575
Email:
dmhi@usd.edu
http://www.usd.edu/dmhi/

The mission of the Disaster Mental Health Institute (DMHI) is the promotion, development, and application of both practice and research in disaster psychology . The DMHI offers a Doctoral Specialty Track in Clinical/Disaster Psychology within the APA-accredited USD doctoral Clinical Psychology Training Program. Students in the specialty track have exceptional training opportunities both nationally and internationally. The DMHI also offers a Graduate Certificate in Disaster Mental Health for existing licensed mental health professionals and graduate students in mental health programs other than the USD Clinical Psychology Training Program. 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 worldwide.

Freedom Forum’s Al Neuharth Media Center

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Jack Marsh
Executive Director, Al Neuharth Media Center
Vice President, Freedom Forum
555 Dakota Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
605-677-6315
jmarsh@freedomforum.org
Janine Harris
Manager, Al Neuharth Media Center
605-677-5424
jharris@freedomforum.org

The Al Neuharth Media Center, located at 555 Dakota St. on the new Inman Quad of the Vermillion campus, is named for Al Neuharth, founder of Freedom Forum and USA TODAY, and 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., and the John Seigenthaler Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

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.

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 runs the American Indian Journalism Institute at USD, funds the Native American Journalism Career Conference at Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills, and 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 150 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 Darlene Schieffer at the Al Neuharth Media Center, 605/677-3114 dlschief@usd.edu.
 

Government Research Bureau

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William D. Anderson, Ph.D., Director
Farber House 103
(605) 677-5708
Email:
William.Anderson@usd.edu
http://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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Dakota Hall 17
(605) 677-5208
iais@usd.edu
http://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 in collaboration with the Department of American Indian Studies, the Office of Student Life, TRIO Programs, the Native American Cultural Center, Native Students’ Support Services, Building Bridges, The Tiospaye Student Council, USD Program Council, the Oscar Howe Memorial Association, and others. 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 Institute provides administrative support and coordination for the American Indian Alumni Chapter of the USD Alumni Association. The goals of the Alumni Chapter are to identify, involve, and promote interest in scholarships and other support from American Indian graduates and alumni to assist needs of currently enrolled Native students by building a base for connections among Native graduates and current faculty members, staff, and students.

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.

McKusick Law Library

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Law School
(605) 677-5259

http://www.usd.edu/lawlib

Located on all three floors of the east end of the Law School building, the McKusick Law Library is the largest law library in South Dakota, containing more than 213,000 volumes of primary and secondary legal materials. It also has a number of electronic databases, most of which, because of licensing agreements, are restricted to use by law students and faculty members. Its collection of books is open to the public, but most of the volumes do not circulate. The particular strengths of the collection are in Indian Law, Natural Resources Law, and Health Law. The students and faculty members of the Law School are the law library’s primary clientele, but it serves The University ‘s academic community, the State Bar, and all the citizens of South Dakota. Its location in the southeastern corner of the state also attracts patrons from Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska.

Missouri River Institute

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Direct inquiries to:
Tim Cowman, Director

Missouri River Institute
(605) 677-6151
Email:
Tim.Cowman@usd.edu
http://www.usd.edu/mri

The University of South Dakota established the Missouri River Institute (MRI) 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 Gavin’s Point Dam to Ponca State Park, Nebraska. USD is the only major research university capable of integrating 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 opportunities to the Director of the Institute, the Vice President for Research, or the Student Engagement Action Coordinator, or to individual faculty mentors.

Neuroscience Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE)

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Joyce Keifer, Ph.D., Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences
School of Medicine of The University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069
(605) 677-5140
Email: jkeifer@usd.edu
http://www.usd.edu/medical-school/biomedical-sciences/neurogroup/cobre.cfm

The Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) on Neural Mechanisms of Adaptive Behavior studies the structural reorganization of neural pathways that results in adaptive behaviors in response to novel experiences or disease states.

Northern Plains Undergraduate Research Center (NPURC)

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Mary Berry
Department of Chemistry
Email: NPURC@usd.edu
http://www.usd.edu/arts-and-sciences/chemistry/northern-plains-undergraduate-research-center/index.cfm

The USD Department of Chemistry coordinates the Northern Plains Undergraduate Research Center (NPURC), collaboration engaging eight regional colleges and universities to transform undergraduate research in chemistry. NPURC provides a range of technical support and analytical services for researchers along with high-quality research experiences to first and second year undergraduates and research opportunities for more advanced undergrads and high school teachers.

Photo Activated Nanoscale Systems (PANS)

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

Under the name of PANS (Photo Active Nanoscale Systems), researchers will be seeking new types of solar materials capable of producing viable sources of electricity. In the United States, the average price for electricity is 6-7 cents/kWh, compared to solar energy, which generates electricity at 20-30 cents/kWh.

The PANS research group will be looking into two different areas of solar energy: dye-sensitized solar cells and luminescent solar concentrators.

Sanford Research/USD

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M. Benjamin Perryman, Ph.D., Director
1100 East 21st St. - Seventh Floor
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 328-1300
Fax: 605-328-1301
Email:
sharon.hoon@usd.edu
http://www.sanfordresearch-usd.org

Sanford Research/USD is a non-profit organization formed by the Sanford Hospitals & Health System and Sanford School of Medicine of The University of South Dakota. Sanford Research/USD is dedicated to research excellence through the work of its Cardiovascular Research Institute, Signal Transduction Institute, Cancer Biology Institute, Health Disparities Institute, and Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Institute. Central to the success of the Foundation are its thirteen principal scientists, eight research staff scientists and the approximately 60 research staff, students, and administrative personnel who support them. Sanford Research/USD occupies a total of 22,000 sq. feet at two sites in the Sioux Falls community. These facilities are virtually new and include the most modern equipment that supports several 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
http://orgs.usd.edu/brin 
 

The U is the lead site for the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN). We collaborate with project partners at seven sister sites in South Dakota to conduct research funded by the National Center for Research Resources, under the Institutional Development Award (IdEA) Program of the National Institutes of Health.

South Dakota Catalysis Group

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James Hoefelmeyer
Email:
James.Hoefelmeyer@usd.edu  
http://www.usd.edu/research/research-and-sponsored-programs/sd-catalysis-group.cfm

The South Dakota Catalysis Group conducts research on advanced catalytic materials for solar energy utilization, specifically, hydrogen production and hydrogen fuel cells.

South Dakota Oral History Center

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Dakota Hall, Room 12
(605) 677-5209
http://www.usd.edu/arts-and-sciences/american-indian-studies/oral-history-center.cfm

The South Dakota Oral History Center houses two major collections of audio interviews relating to South Dakota history and to American Indian experiences. 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 in both projects were collected beginning in the 1960s, and oral history projects continue today. A valuable resource for students and researchers, the Center, with its 5,800 interviews, is the largest collection of its kind in the country and is located in Room12, 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. Located in the Oral History Center, Dakota Hall, Room 12, the library is available for in-house use by students, faculty members, and researchers.

 

University Libraries

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ID Weeks and Lommen Health Sciences Libraries, (605) 677-5371
Email: 
library@usd.edu
http://www.usd.edu/library
Anne Cooper Moore, Dean of Libraries

The University Libraries offer academic resources and services that are integral to the mission of The University. The library faculty works closely with The University faculty in support of research and classroom teaching. An emphasis on information literacy instruction complements The University’s goal to help students develop life-long learning skills. The library building was expanded and remodeled in 1993/94 increasing its total size by 60,000 square feet to a total 120,000 square feet. The new building included space for the Lommen Health Sciences Library. The collections and services of the two libraries were integrated in 2008. A glass-enclosed walk-through links the library building to the Muenster University Center, which houses dining services, bookstore, and student services and activities. The library building has seating for 960 people in carrel, table, and lounge settings as well as 80 computers for student, faculty, staff, and public use. Twenty-five of these computers are located in a classroom used for information literacy and course-integrated library research instruction. The library is open 113.5 hours per week with extended hours during finals week.

The University Libraries contain nationally-recognized resources on Native Americans; significant art and humanities collections; in-depth K-12 education materials; extensive 19th century Western Americana, and primary historical materials such as senatorial papers, Wounded Knee massacre and siege materials housed in the special collections department, etc. The University Libraries’ physical collections include 647,981 bound book and journal volumes, 740,797 microforms, 309,731 government documents, 62,454 audiovisual items, and 6,668 print periodicals and newspapers. Increasingly, journals are transitioned to or purchased exclusively in electronic form. The Libraries currently have access to over 45,600 online journals. Online journal holdings range from the complete archive, back to the inception of a journal title, to more limited coverage of current years. Tools like the Research Gateway and Journal List found on the library website help users determine quickly whether an article is available for immediate online access. The automated borrowing programs, ILLiad and Docline, enable users to request materials not available in USD Libraries, which often arrive within hours. The online catalog, full-text holdings, and nearly 200 databases are available 24 hours a day. Most electronic resources are accessible from any geographic location provided the user has a current USD email address.

Wegner Health Science Information Center

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Anne Cooper Moore, Dean of Libraries
1400 West 22nd St.
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 357-1400
Fax: 605-357-1490
Toll Free: 1-800-521-2987
Email:
wegner@usd.edu
http://www.usd.edu/library/wegner.cfm
http://www.usd.edu/library/

The Wegner Center opened in January 1998 and is named in honor of Dr. Karl and Mary Jo Wegner. As Dean of the USD School of Medicine, Dr. Wegner guided the USD Medical School as it evolved from a two-year medical school to a four-year degree granting medical school. The Wegner Center is a medical library serving the following organizations and programs: Center for Disabilities, Degroot Center for Ethics and Caring, Children’s Care Hospital & School, Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas, Mount Marty College Nurse Anesthesia Program, Sanford School of Medicine USD, Sanford USD Medical Center, SDSU College of Nursing, SDSU College of Pharmacy, Sioux Falls VA Medical & Regional Office Center and USD Department of Nursing.

Conceived as a clinical resource, the Wegner Center’s mission is to serve the partners by providing quality health science information for health care practice, education, and research. The Wegner Center is a three-level 22,000 square foot facility adjacent to the Sanford School of Medicine and the Sanford USD Medical Center.  The Wegner Center is open to the public.

W.H. Over Museum

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L.E. Bradley, Director
1110 Ratingen St.
Vermillion, S.D. 57069
(605) 677-5228
Email:
whover@usd.edu
http://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, primarily in South Dakota. The museum provides interpretive exhibitions, 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
Matthew R. Fairholm, Director of Leadership Studies
William Anderson, Director of Government Research Bureau
Cheryl Hovorka, Program Assistant
116 Dakota Hall
Phone: (605) 677-5702
Email:
Cheryl.Hovorka@usd.edu
http://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 an undergraduate 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 life together as citizens of our community, state, nation, and world. The mission of the Center is to prepare students and help communities to face difficult public problems in a shared manner consistent with constitutional values.

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 a position. Viewed in this way, leadership requires responsible action of people in every part of society-not simply those in formal leadership roles. The Center fosters responsible and ethical leadership through education, service, and scholarship in the public interest. Graduate students may develop a specialization in Leadership Studies as part of their MPA or MA programs (see http://www.usd.edu/graduate-school/graduate-programs.cfm).