Laura J. Jenski, Ph.D.

Vice President for Research

Welcome to The University of South Dakota website for research and creative activity.  We are very proud of our growing reputation for innovation, scholarly works, and performing arts, and have embarked on a five-year strategic plan to expand faculty and student research and creativity, increase grant and contract awards, and commercialize research. 

I invite you to wander through our website to learn about our research centers, areas of excellence, and outstanding student projects.  USD is home to two National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence and an NIH Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (INBRE), as well as the Northern Plains Undergraduate Research Center funded by the National Science Foundation and two of Governor Rounds’ 2010 Research Centers.  The university currently receives approximately $30 million in grants and contracts each year, with the majority of funds from federal sources for research and public service projects.  A distinguished National Advisory Committee for Research reviews the university’s research directions and strategies, and our human subjects compliance program is fully accredited by the Association for Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP). 

The future is exciting for discovery at USD!