Board of Regents pushes for research environment and higher level of faculty

Dr. Scott Meyer, vice president of research, South Dakota Board of Regents (SDBOR), presented the BOR research initiatives May 22 to the South Dakota Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) advisory committee. The SDBOR attempts to hire and retain world-class research faculty.

"We in South Dakota are competing globally," said Meyer. Part of recruiting distinguished faculty means providing a competitive research environment.

This plan includes investment in South Dakota?s physical infrastucture and supporting programs like the South Dakota EPSCoR.

Dr. Brian Logue is an example of faculty recruitment in South Dakota. Logue, a native of Wakonda, came back to South Dakota in 2004 as an assistant professor of chemistry at South Dakota State University (SDSU). Logue stated that his return to South Dakota was determined by the state's changing research environment.

"One of the reasons I came back to South Dakota was the increased state interest in competing in the national research environment," he said.

Logue's appointment to SDSU was due to the development of the newly approved research assistant professor position. While not teaching, Logue pursues his research in bio-analytical detection of chemical warfare agents and the use of solar cells to produce affordable renewable energy.

Improvements to South Dakota's research infrastructure include:

• Graduate Programs.
• Assigned time for research.
• Start-up time for new faculty.
• Start-up lab costs for new faculty.
• Competitive assistantships for graduate students.
• Undergraduate student research opportunities.
• Technology resources (Broadband access).
• Facilities, labs, and instrumentation.

  Logue can be reached at brian.logue@sdstate.edu or by calling (605) 688-6698.