About Us

Overview

The Office for Research and Graduate Education operates under the leadership of the associate dean for research and graduate education, who also serves as the director of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station. This office is responsible for administering the Agricultural Experiment Station research and activities supported by federal and state appropriations, and for overseeing the operations of the college’s Office of Grants and Contracts.

Additionally, the leadership and staff of the office advance the scholarly and creative work of the college’s faculty by promoting the visibility of college research with internal and external constituencies, coordinating high-priority funding initiatives and interdisciplinary teams, and providing targeted support to enhance the college’s research portfolio (SNIP, RAIN, endowed research awards). The office also facilitates the functions of graduate education in the college through the administration of competitive recruitment awards, support of recruitment activities, coordination of endowed awards to support graduate education, allocation of grants-in-aid (GIA, or tuition) and graduate assistance funds (GA, or stipends) across the college, and serving as a liaison with the Penn State Graduate School. In efforts to promote commercialization and entrepreneurial activities in the college, this office works closely with the Entrepreneurship and Innovation program to also guide and support research commercialization.

Functions

Research

  • Research Administration
    • Oversee Office of Grants and Contracts (pre and post award)
    • Administer grant matching requests
  • Research Development
    • Support forming interdisciplinary teams and complex funding proposals
    • Promote research strengths with internal and external audiences
    • Coordinate strategic advancement of research priorities
    • Liaison with University research support offices
  • Research Commercialization
    • Manage intellectual property (royalties, licensing agreements, patents)
    • Facilitate industry partnerships
    • Support for tech commercialization
    • Liaison with University support offices for IP, industry, and sponsored research
  • Emeritus and Retired Faculty MOUs
  • Federal Excess Personal Property management
  • Research Civil Rights
  • STEM-OPT

Agricultural Experiments Station (AES)

  • Plan for and report on AES capacity grant projects
  • Coordinate with college Administrative Services for federal appropriations
  • Provide leadership to Research and Extension Centers (dual reporting line)
  • Liaison with USDA NIFA

Graduate Education

  • Allocate GIA and GA
  • Administer recruitment fellowships and awards
  • Coordinate endowed awards for graduate education
  • Liaison with Penn State Graduate School

Office for Research and Graduate Education

Address

217 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802-2600