Aurora borealis streaks across the sky over Main Hall at the University of Montana

Research

The Office of Research assists University of Montana faculty, staff and graduate students in their research and creative endeavors by providing the following services:

Research & Sponsored Programs (OSP)

Proposal Development, Project Coordination, and Submission

  • Provides a wide variety of information regarding funding sources, procedures and guidelines, budget concerns, and recent UM awards;
  • Reviews and disseminates information, often electronically, from the Federal Register and other publications;
  • Facilitates the customization of searches for grant opportunities
  • Coordinates and consults in the design of institution-wide, multi-disciplinary, and inter-unit projects;
  • Facilitates on- and intra-campus collaboration;
  • Assists with the interpretation of sponsor guidelines and regulations;
  • Assists with budget preparation prior to proposal submission and has final review and signatory responsibility.

Award Negotiation

  • Performs pre- and post-award budget negotiations with agency technical and fiscal officers;
  • Provides the institutional approval and signature for all applications for external funding;
  • Negotiates terms of grants and contracts with sponsors;
  • Signs award documents for the University;
  • Negotiates subcontracts with collaborating institutions.

Grant Administration

  • Establishes grant accounts and monitors expenditures against them to ensure compliance with University, state, federal and sponsor regulations;
  • Advises project directors concerning University and sponsor policies;
  • Prepares sponsor-required financial reports and invoices;
  • Processes all grant-related cash transactions;
  • Facilitates requests for budget revisions and time extensions;
  • Processes grant-related cost transfers and budget modifications.

Federal Relations

Liaison to the Federal Congressional Delegation 

  • Coordinates all University-related communication with the federal delegation;
  • Communicates the University’s research agenda and serves as the Washington advocate.

Compliance

Animal Research (Contact: Linda Hicks)

  • Provides oversight for all animal care & use activity at the University.

Campus Clearances and Compliance Review (Contact: Zach Scott)

  • Assists in submitting proposals for compliance review and other institutional approvals.

Financial Conflict of Interest (Contact: Jason Sloat)

  • Evaluates potential financial conflicts of interest & assists in developing conflict management plans.

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC, Contact: Linda Hicks)

  • Reviews, approves and maintains a record of all research and teaching activities that involve hazardous biological agents, toxins, human cell lines, and recombinant or synthetic DNA molecules.

Use of Human Subjects (Contact: Michaela Shifley)

  • Oversees & Monitors studies involving human subjects.

Use of Radioactive or Hazardous Materials (Contact: Ben Mason)

  • Oversees & handles use of radioactive/hazardous materials, generating hazardous wase, infectious agents or biohazardous materials.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Technology Transfer (Contact: Zach Scott)

  • Assists in filing patent disclosures and processing material transfer and licensing agreements.

Research and Development

Workshops, Seminars, and Conferences (Contact: Nicole Thompson)

  • Coordinates and sponsors special workshops that feature federal, state, and industry program officers and/or past successful applicants;
  • Offers seminars on sources of funding, project design, proposal preparation, and award management.