Research

Research Staff

Vice President for Research Office

David Reed

David D. Reed

  • Vice President for Research and Interim CFO
David Lawrence

David Lawrence

  • Vice President for Global Campus and Continuing Education
Cathy Jenich

Cathy Jenich

  • Assistant to the Vice President for Research

Specialties

  • Vice President for Research Department Operations
  • Michigan Tech Entrepreneurial Support Corporation Secretary
  • Superior Innovations Secretary
  • Research Advisory Council Secretary
  • Faculty Start-up
  • Lakeshore Center Liaison
  • Advanced Technology Development Complex Liaison
Natasha Chopp

Natasha Chopp

  • Director of Research Operations and Faculty Liaison

Specialties

  • Establish, manage, and market a public investment program for research initiatives
  • Manage the University's space management system, ASPIRE
  • Provide assistance to conceptualize plans and tactics for establishing and enhancing relations with sources of long-term support
  • Develop and maintain websites, social media sites, and other marketing tools
  • Oversee the coordination of VPR campus education
Gina LeMay

Gina LeMay

  • Director of Sponsored Operations and Information Systems

Specialties

  • Assist VPR staff with human resource processes
  • Develop and oversee internal business and data processes by continually reviewing and improving them
  • Communicate proposal and award data to campus community
  • Assist the department with special projects
Richelle Schwaller

Richelle Schwaller

  • Manager of Business Systems, Sponsored Operations Office

Specialties

  • Campus outreach activities, including creating and presenting educational/training materials for VPR staff
  • Analyze data to design, create, and communicate information to internal and external customers
  • Support VPR reporting needs
  • Provide user support
  • Assist the VPR units with special projects
Karl Meingast

Karl Meingast

  • Laboratory Manager
Amanda Irwin

Amanda Irwin

  • Graduate Admissions Manager - Global Campus

Specialties

  • Point of contact for all new online students from inquiry to start of classes, facilitating the transition to the academic advisor
  • Assist online students with financial aid planning, payment arrangements, and scholarship opportunities 
  • Identifying, establishing, and maintaining effective student relationships
  • Develop and maintain partnerships with referral groups and organizations
Shelly Galliah

Shelly Galliah

  • Marketing and Content Manager - Global Campus

Specialties

  • Research, write, edit, plan, and manage various communication and marketing deliverables
  • Brainstorm and implement strategies for developing and promoting Global Campus
  • Collaborate with both internal and external teams in forwarding Global Campus projects
  • Maintain and update the Global Campus website and social media
  • Help envision and develop various types of online programming
  • Promote the Global Campus identity and mission
  • Enhance relationships with present and future Global Campus partners

Associate Vice President for Research Development

Kathy Halvorsen

Kathy Halvorsen

  • Associate Vice President for Research Development
  • University Professor of Natural Resource Policy
  • Joint Appointment in Social Sciences and CFRES

Areas of Expertise

  • Climate change mitigation policy
  • Arctic climate change impacts
  • Energy conservation policy
  • Renewable energy policy
  • Indigeneity and climate policy

Research Development

Peter Larsen

Peter A. Larsen

  • Assistant Vice President for Research Development

Specialties

  • Enhancement of the research environment for external proposal success through networking/collaboration/information sharing events and related campus-wide efforts.
  • Pre-submission assistance for proposals (federal, state, foundation, and others), in particular large and strategic university initiatives
  • Assist investigators with internal research processes (e.g., cost sharing, budget strategy, research administration)
  • Proposal development assistance: writing, editing, and assistance with submission logistics
  • Development of non-technical proposal sections (e.g., broader impacts, education, management, and outreach plans.
  • When not in the office, can usually be found camping in the Keweenaw
Jacob Manchester

Jacob Manchester

  • Director of Research Development and Corporate Research

Specialties

  • Engage with faculty and campus stakeholders to identify new opportunities and assist with proposal development:  writing, editing, and assistance with submission logistics
  • Develop and implement strategies for engaging companies and organizations to support sponsored research
  • Assist investigators with internal research processes (e.g., cost sharing, budget strategy, research administration)
Sarah Atkinson

Sarah Atkinson

  • Research Development Associate

Specialties

  • Pre-submission assistance for proposals (federal, state, foundation, and others)
  • Assist investigators with internal research processes (e.g., cost sharing, budget strategy, research administration)
  • Proposal development assistance: writing, editing, and assistance with submission logistics
  • When not at work, Sarah enjoys riding bikes, camping, being outdoors, and spending time with her family. 
Jessica Brassard

Jessica Brassard

  • Director of Research Development and Communication

Research Integrity

Brent Burns

Brent Burns

  • Assistant Vice President for Research Facilities and Federal Relations

Specialties

  • Manages human and animal subject research compliance areas including IRB and IACUC committees
  • Oversees and provides expert advice and leadership in areas related to research integrity and regulatory compliance issues for the University
  • Develops and conducts training for researchers in compliance areas
  • Leads research facilities and campus equipment search tool - Equipment Finder
  • Supports Laboratory Operations team efforts
David Dixon

David Dixon

  • Director of Biological Laboratory Operations
We're Hiring!

We're Hiring!

  • Manager, Human Research Protection Program

We're Hiring!

Learn more about this position

Jeffrey Lewin

Jeffrey Lewin

  • Director of Chemical Laboratory Operations

Specialties

  • Assists researchers in safely, ethically and legally managing chemicals from “cradle” (purchasing) to “grave” (disposal); assists researchers in the establishing procedures for the safe storage and use of chemicals

  • Is a member of Research Integrity’s Laboratory Operations team and works closely with Environmental Health and Safety and Facilities Management to establish procedures for safely working in research and teaching laboratories, shops, and studios

  • Provides a leadership role in the University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) 

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Kaitlyn Studinger

Kaitlyn Studinger

  • Director of Animal Laboratory Operations
Dorinda Williams

Dorinda Williams

  • Interim IRB Administrator

Specialties

  • IRB Administration
  • Reviews IRB protocol submissions
  • Advises Assistant Vice President for Research Integrity on human subjects research federal regulations, policies, and procedures. 
     

Chemical Stores

Joel Smith

Joel Smith

  • Chem Stores Manager
Jesse Garrow

Jesse Garrow

  • Stores Clerk
John LeMay

John LeMay

  • Stores Clerk

Associate Vice President for Research Administration

Jim Baker

Jim Baker

  • Associate Vice President for Research Administration

Specialties

  • Intellectual property/patents
  • Technology licensing
  • Corporate research
  • Spin-off/start-up business development

Sponsored Programs Accounting

Kelly Kallio

Kelly Kallio

  • Assistant Vice President for Government Sponsored Programs
Michelle Meneguzzo

Michelle Meneguzzo

  • Manager, Sponsored Programs Accounting

Specialties

  • Sponsored Project Set-up
  • Post Award Management and Closeout
  • Expenditure Review
  • Financial Reporting
Christine Klein

Christine Klein

  • Sponsored Programs Accountant

Specialties

  • Sponsored Project Set-up
  • Post Award Management and Closeout
  • Expenditure Review
  • Financial Reporting
Tammie Fraki

Tammie Fraki

  • Assistant Sponsored Programs Accountant

Specialties

  • Sponsored Project Set-up
  • Post Award Management and Closeout
  • Expenditure Review
  • Financial Reporting
Ricky Greub

Ricky Greub

  • Assistant Sponsored Programs Accountant

Specialties

  • Sponsored Project Set-up
  • Post Award Management and Closeout
  • Expenditure Review
  • Financial Reporting
Hayley Karinen

Hayley Karinen

  • Sponsored Programs Coordinator
Kelly Kunishige

Kelly Kunishige

  • Assistant Sponsored Programs Accountant

Specialties

  • Sponsored Project Set-up
  • Post Award Management and Closeout
  • Expenditure Review
  • Financial Reporting
Ashley Lehto

Ashley Lehto

  • Administrative Assistant

Sponsored Programs 

Marilyn Haapapuro

Marilyn Haapapuro

  • Assistant Vice President for Industry Sponsored Programs

Specialties

  • Administration of industrial sponsored research agreements, including negotiation practices, proposal and award processes, and contract language.
  • Develop, review and approve budgets and proposals prior to submission to industrial sponsors, including those with federal pass-through funds.
  • Review, interpret and negotiate agreement terms and conditions with industrial sponsors.
  • Review, interpret and determine applicability of Federal Acquisition Regulations in federal pass-through awards.
  • Provide post award support (eg. time extensions, changes in principal investigator, budget modifications, changes in project scope).
Kelly Kallio

Kelly Kallio

  • Assistant Vice President for Government Sponsored Programs
Jennifer Bukovich

Jennifer Bukovich

  • Manager, Sponsored Programs

Specialties

  • Develop, review, and approve budgets and proposals prior to submission
  • Review, interpret, and negotiate agreement terms and conditions for government agreements
  • Create, negotiate, and administer sub-awards
  • Post-award support (eg. time extensions, changes in principal investigator, budget modifications, changes in scope, etc., excluding accounting functions)
Hilary Anderson

Hilary Anderson

  • Sponsored Programs Analyst

Specialties

  • Develop, review, and approve budgets and proposals prior to submission
  • Review, interpret and negotiate agreement terms and conditions for government agreements and contracts
  • Create, negotiate, and administer sub-awards
  • Post-award support (e.g. time extension, changes in principal investigator, budget modifications, changes in scope, etc., excluding accounting functions)
Randy Laurn

Randy Laurn

  • Sponsored Programs Analyst

Specialties

  • Develop, review, and approve budgets and proposals prior to submission
  • Review, interpret and negotiate agreement terms and conditions for government agreements and contracts
  • Create, negotiate, and administer sub-awards
  • Post-award support (e.g. time extension, changes in principal investigator, budget modifications, changes in scope, etc., excluding accounting functions)
Karen Foltz

Karen Foltz

  • Office Assistant
Kelsey Kocher

Kelsey Kocher

  • Sponsored Programs Analyst

Specialties

  • Develop, review and approve budgets and proposals prior to submission to industry sponsors, foundations and foreign entities
  • Review and negotiate agreement terms and conditions with industry sponsors
  • Provide post award support (e.g. time extensions, changes in principal investigator, budget modifications, changes in project scope)
  • Assist Student Design program leaders with proposal development and awards.  Negotiate contract terms and conditions and provide post-award support to principal investigators
Stephanie LeMay

Stephanie LeMay

  • Assistant Sponsored Programs Analyst

Specialties

  • Develop, review, and approve budgets and proposals prior to submission
  • Review, interpret and negotiate agreement terms and conditions for government agreements and contracts
  • Create, negotiate, and administer sub-awards
  • Post-award support (e.g. time extension, changes in principal investigator, budget modifications, changes in scope, etc., excluding accounting functions)   
Ryan Neely

Ryan Neely

  • Assistant Sponsored Programs Analyst
Sherri Peters

Sherri Peters

  • Sponsored Programs Analyst

Specialties

  • Develop, review, and approve budgets and proposals prior to submission
  • Review, interpret and negotiate agreement terms and conditions for government agreements and contracts
  • Create, negotiate, and administer sub-awards
  • Post-award support (e.g. time extension, changes in principal investigator, budget modifications, changes in scope, etc., excluding accounting functions)
Kathleen Terando

Kathleen Terando

  • Sponsored Programs Analyst

Specialties

  • Develop, review and approve budgets and proposals prior to submission to industry sponsors, foundations and foreign entities
  • Review and negotiate agreement terms and conditions with industry sponsors
  • Provide post award support (e.g. time extensions, changes in principal investigator, budget modifications, changes in project scope)
  • Develop and review Service Orders
Joseph Watson

Joseph Watson

  • Assistant Grants Analyst

Innovation and Commercialization

Robin Kolehmainen

Robin Kolehmainen

  • Manager of Agreements and Operations, Innovation & Commercialization

Specialties

  • Reviews, negotiates, and processes Non-Disclosure Agreements, Material Transfer Agreements
  • Manages the University Trademark Program entailing the processing of license agreements with vendors to use university logos
  • Administering legal matters (patents)
  • Processes and manages license agreements with the university
  • Information system management
Mike Morley

Mike Morley

  • Director, Technology Commercialization

Links of Interest

Specialties

  • Invention disclosure and portfolio management
  • Commercial and intellectual property assessment for new technologies
  • Technology marketing, commercialization planning, and licensing
Nate Yenor

Nate Yenor

  • Director of Technology Business Incubation