Research Information
All PhD dissertation projects and most master’s projects involve original research and/or scholarship. Most projects require special financing, many require special equipment, and most are subject to federal, state and/or university regulations. Most research support derives from outside sources (grants or contracts) and is arranged through a student’s major professor. In some situations, students are able to obtain research grants to support their own projects. Students who wish to obtain funding for their own research projects from outside sources may wish to contact Iowa State’s Office of Sponsored Programs Administration. This office maintains a library of funding resources in 15 Pearson Hall and on the web. Funding from university sources is generally arranged through one’s department. Faculty are eligible to apply for Iowa State Internal Grants, and students can apply for Professional Advancement Grants (PAGs)
Vice Provost for Research and Advanced Studies
The Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Advanced Studies oversees all aspects of research performed at Iowa State, including the research activities of various centers and institutes on the university campus.
Iowa State University Internal Grants
Iowa State provides small amounts of funds for various types of projects in specific subject areas. For complete information and application materials, contact the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Advanced Studies.
Compliance and Training
Increasingly, the public is concerned about the impact of research on others and wants assurance that public research funds are expended responsibly. To deal with these concerns, the Federal Government requires various approvals and training of those conducting specific kinds of research. Brief information is provided below.
- Research involving human subjects.
If your research involves human subjects in any manner, including the collection of data from or about specific individuals, your research project must be reviewed and approved by the Human Subjects Review Committee before you begin the research. You must also receive specific training in human subjects research. For further information, contact the Human Subjects Research Office.
- Live animal use. Research or teaching that involves live vertebrate animals must meet established standards designed to prevent cruelty to animals and to avoid unnecessary sacrifice of animals. All research projects involving animals must be approved in advance by the Committee on Animal Care (COAC).
- Radioactive substances. All research and teaching involving radioactive substances above natural background levels require prior training and approval. For more information, contact Environmental Health and Safety.
- Research involving recombinant DNA, infectious agents, or biological toxins. Research involving non-exempt recombinant DNA, infectious agents, or biological toxins must be reviewed and approved by the Biohazards and Public Health Committee. For more information, contact Environmental Health and Safety.
- Bloodborne pathogens. All personnel involved with human blood or human tissues must receive bloodborne pathogen training and be approved by the Biohazards and Public Health Committee before beginning the research project. For more information, contact Environmental Health and Safety.
- Laboratory Safety. The university is very conscious of safety in the laboratory and provides training opportunities in nearly 40 subjects and has over 100 videotape titles available for checkout. Many of these training opportunities are available on-line. Certain types of research require periodic laboratory inspections and/or special safety equipment. Contact Environmental Health and Safety for more information.
- Ethics training. The National Institutes of Health require that students supported on NIH training grants receive ethics training. Several graduate programs also have this requirement. To meet this need, several courses and seminars are offered for graduate students on the subject of bio-ethics. For further information contact the Bioethics Program. The university does not currently require ethics training for all researchers, but federal rules are currently being developed which may require such training in the future.
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