By Christopher J. Keane, Vice President for Research

January marked one year since the first known case of COVID-19 was found in the United States, and even closer to home, in the state of Washington.

The COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world in a matter of weeks, requiring every person and organization to shift the way they live and operate. At Washington State University, researchers were provided guidance on limiting on-campus research activities based on public health considerations. This meant a shift to conducting much of the work of our research enterprise via telework. For nearly 150 WSU researchers, it also meant pivoting their … » More …

Katherine Naasko’s interest in how climate affects soil led her to move from Michigan out West to join the graduate program in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at Washington State University.

“I do not regret moving across the country as I have been gifted a tremendous amount of support,” Naasko says. When the opportunity of the WSU-Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Distinguished Graduate Research Program (DGRP) presented itself to Naasko, she knew it was the next step … » More …

By Christopher J. Keane, Vice President for Research

COVID-19 has loomed large over Washington State University. With respect to research, scholarship, and creative activity, the Office of Research (OR) has worked closely with faculty, staff, and administration leaders to reduce disease spread as part of the University’s initial response to the pandemic. More recently, WSU has implemented a staged return to research in a safe and appropriate manner. In this post, I would like to focus on the broader implications of COVID-19 for research, scholarship, and creative activity at WSU.

COVID-19 amplifies existing significant economic, gender, and racial inequalities both in research and … » More …

As we observe the COVID-19 crisis unfold across our community, state, nation, and the world, we are continually reminded of the important role research plays in fighting and recovering from the current pandemic. WSU researchers are rising to this challenge, applying their skills and knowledge to directly respond to the coronavirus crisis. WSU faculty and staff also continue to advance knowledge across a wide range of disciplines while working under Governor Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” declaration.

All of these activities are vital to WSU’s continued fulfillment of its land-grant mission. As we move towards recovery, it is important that you be prepared … » More …

Raising our institutional profile through the Drive to 25 opens new opportunities for research, creative activity, and scholarship. Over the past year, this newsletter has highlighted numerous outstanding achievements of WSU faculty, staff, and students engaged in research activities supporting the Drive to 25.

The Office of Research and other college, campus, and administrative offices actively support the WSU research enterprise. In this newsletter, we recognize some notable 2019 accomplishments of the Office of Research in support of the university’s research mission.

Advancing research and its application

WSU research continued to see growth in fiscal years 2018 and 2019. In FY2018, WSU set a record … » More …

As we celebrate this holiday season and the coming New Year with our families and friends, we want to thank each and every one of you for all your great work and commitment to advancing creative activity, research, and scholarship at WSU.

The Office of Research works with administration, faculty, staff, and students system-wide to advance the university’s land-grant mission. Your sustained efforts and dedication to WSU made the accomplishments of 2019 possible. We are excited to continue our work in the coming year as we strive to achieve our Drive to 25 goals.

We, in the Office of Research, hope you enjoy some well-deserved … » More …

Faculty at WSU contribute their expertise to tackle societal issues, from health disparities and mortality to the economics of water. They are not only outstanding in their fields, they also complement the strengths of other WSU researchers across colleges and fields of study.

The WSU Office of Research hosted the third annual WSU Research Week on October 21-24 to celebrate our researchers and their wide-ranging work, promote our services, and provide opportunities for the University community to learn from each other and find synergies. Throughout the week, faculty, staff, and students participated in and attended competitions for seed and travel funding, the Vice President for … » More …

As the state’s land-grant university, Washington State University research finds solutions to today’s challenges. Our classrooms and laboratories act as centers for learning and discovery. We provide an environment that is conducive for education to grow knowledge and research to develop new innovations. Knowledge flourishes in this environment when faculty and staff are safe to engage in open dialogue and conduct ethical research.

Guided by the tenets of ethical and responsible conduct of research, the OR is proactive in its continuous improvement of safety protocols and streamlining processes for better efficiency. The OR supports WSU researchers by providing the necessary programs, training, and administrative backing … » More …

As we kick off the new academic year, the Office of Research welcomes all of our new researchers joining the Cougar family.

You join a research community that transforms lives every day through innovations and discoveries. Our faculty are not only outstanding in their fields of study, they also enhance each other’s research strengths across colleges and campuses. Our researchers learn from each other, sparking new ideas and approaches. We value the exceptional faculty we have and are excited that you are now part of this incredible group.

No matter what campus you are located on or where you are in your professional journey, you … » More …

By Geeta Dutta, Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships

In November 2017, the Faculty Senate and the Office of Research jointly chartered a task force to review Washington State University’s Centers, Institutes, and Laboratories (CILs) policies and procedures associated with defining, creating, reviewing, and renewing CILs.

Previously, the Faculty Senate’s Research and Arts Committee (RAC) reviewed proposals, made recommendations for the approval of new CILs, and created reports for the Faculty Senate and the vice president for research, which were then sent on to the University president. The RAC also reviewed and renewed CILs every five years. But it was the Board of Regents that … » More …