Applied Research

Knowlton’s Notes: Applied Research.
Many undergraduate students may wonder or question the impact of research activities on their education experience. Therefore I would like to use this next column in my series on the new Dakota State strategic plan to provide some insight into the impact of research on a campus like DSU. Our 4th “Focus” of the strategic plan is on “Advancing Applied Research”. While DSU has had some significant current successes in applied research and the development of innovative applications of technology, there is a need for DSU to play an even more important role in an overall statewide initiative. Over the last few years the state of South Dakota has identified and started to support the economic development missions of our universities. With Dakota State’s unique and focused mission in the arena of information technology it is imperative that we continue to provide leadership to this emerging field.
To advance and expand this leadership role five initiatives have been initially identified for this “Focus”.
Promote and support a research culture across all graduate and undergraduate programs.
Develop the Doctor of Science degree program in Information Systems into a leading, nationally recognized program with an emphasis on applied scholarship and multi-disciplinary research.
Recruit and retain a cohort of research faculty through competitive compensation, appropriate workloads and course schedules, and support of grant-writing, publishing, and involvement indiscipline specific professional organizations.
Use stipends and assistantships to promote an active research agenda for graduate students.
Develop and implement undergraduate research experiences to attract high-caliber students and to prepare them for post-graduate endeavors.
While there is significant emphasis here on our new doctoral program and the research activities of our graduate students, undergraduate research will be a part of our overall focus. Recently, the Center of Excellence awarded research grants to a number of undergraduate students who are working on projects with DSU faculty. These projects will provide students the opportunity to learn more about the specific field or discipline they are pursuing. It will also help students learn the process of research and the critical thinking that goes into this type of inquiry.
Another significant impact on the overall learning experience of our DSU students is achieved through the active research programs of our faculty members. As faculty members study and initiate research or other development activities, they expand their individual knowledge. This knowledge will then be applied in their teaching and impact the learning of their students.
Research activity leads to applications for grants that can financially support research assistants and provide new equipment. The university has established goals for achieving additional grant funding and sponsored programs. Faculty here at DSU have recently received funding from the National Science Foundation and six of our faculty have received “seed” grants that will allow them to begin their active research programs. This applied research focus of our strategic plan will potentially enhance all activities here at Dakota State.