Research Reports
Learn about University of Idaho’s annual research expenditures in 2022 as reported to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development survey. The stories and funding overviews highlight the university’s research, scholarly, creative and technology commercialization activities that drive discovery and innovation.
Message From the Vice President for Research and Economic Development
University of Idaho continues to demonstrate its incredible research. Fiscal Year 2022 represents a banner year for the university. Vandals set a new record — $115.6 million — for research expenditures in a year. U of I also had the first and only induction of a faculty member from an Idaho university, Professor Shelley McGuire, into the National Academy of Medicine. Her groundbreaking research on maternal and infant nutrition allows us to better understand how nutrition affects human health. Her story and others in this year’s research report highlight the amazing breadth and depth of our faculty’s work and the remarkable students who contribute to the global research arena.
I hope you will join me in exploring some of the research highlights of the last year to see the work being done by our incredible U of I faculty, students and staff. Go Vandals!
Christopher T. Nomura, Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Faculty Research Stories
2022 Grants and Scholarships Highlights
Goldwater Scholarship
Zhenhao “Victor” Zhong ’22, who studied biochemistry and molecular biology and biotechnology, received a Goldwater Scholarship in Spring 2022. Zhong’s undergraduate research focused on isolating the virus-like element related to pathogens that cause Chagas’ disease and sleeping sickness. He plans to obtain a doctorate in molecular virology and conduct research aimed at isolating and mapping viruses to create more effective treatments.
2022 Women of the Year Honoree
Julie Amador and Lynda Freeman have been named as 2022 Women of the Year honorees by the Idaho Business Review. Amador is a Coeur d’Alene-based mathematics education professor with the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences. Freeman is a clinical associate professor and academic skills specialist for Idaho WWAMI. As director of the Region 1 Idaho Regional Mathematics Center, Amador leads the local effort to provide school-specific support and professional development for mathematics educators and coaches.
Mountain West Clinical Translational Research Pilot Grant
Annie Roe, an assistant professor, Extension specialist, and Director of Eat Smart Idaho in the Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences, has been awarded a Mountain West Clinical Translational Research Infrastructure Network pilot grant. These grants help obtain preliminary data that will support an R-level grant application to the National Institutes of Health or other funding agencies. Her project is to understand optimal nutrition for neurological health across the lifespan and implement interventions to improve cognitive and mental health outcomes for women and children.
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
Five current or former U of I students have been awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship: Taylor Azizeh, Jeffrey Badigian, Hailey Johnson, Zhenhao Zhong and Kassandra Townsend. This fellowship is to ensure there is a quality, vital and diverse workforce in scientific and engineering fields in the United States of underrepresented groups. This is a five-year fellowship that provides three years of financial support inclusive of an annual stipend of $37,000.
2022 Critical Language Scholarship
Natalie Mesplay ’22, who studied international studies and history, received a Critical Language Scholarship to study Korean at Chonnam National University in Gwangju, South Korea. Mesplay was also the recipient of ASUI’s Award for Excellence and served as a head delegate for the university’s Model United Nations program. She is also the president for the Kiva Club and, as a Martin-McClure ambassador, served as a legislative public policy intern. Brock Keller, a senior in international studies and environmental studies, received a Critical Language Scholarship to study Hindi at the American Institute of Indian Studies in Jaipur, India. Keller has spent time overseas as a student and volunteer in Central America, South America, Europe and Africa. He speaks French and Spanish fluently and is competent in Czech.