Montana State University’s Office of Research Development has received national recognition for its innovative efforts to strengthen research collaboration across universities in the western U.S.
At the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) annual conference held April 28–May 1, MSU’s research development team was presented with the prestigious Innovation Award. The award honors individuals or teams that develop novel resources or strategies to support research excellence and inter-institutional collaboration.
MSU was recognized for co-developing the Fostering Opportunities Through Collaborative University Synergies (FOCUS) program in partnership with the University of Idaho, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Nevada–Reno, and Utah State University.
“Creating an environment where researchers can thrive is crucial to our mission at Montana State,” said Alison Harmon, MSU’s vice president for research and economic development. “FOCUS has built relationships that will have broad, positive ripple effects across the West. Our research development team is extremely deserving of this recognition.”
FOCUS is believed to be the first program of its kind, aimed at amplifying the impact of research development investments across multiple institutions. Among its key initiatives is the cooperative funding of InterFACE: NIH R01, a program that supports faculty in preparing competitive proposals for the National Institutes of Health. The collaboration has also hosted nearly a dozen virtual events featuring NIH program officers, grant consultants, and successful awardees to help faculty navigate complex federal funding processes.
“What makes FOCUS special is that we collaborate to better compete,” said Nicole Motzer, director of MSU’s Office of Research Development and co-founder of FOCUS. “We share our time, expertise, and resources to give researchers opportunities they might not have on their own.”
Motzer was also honored at the NORDP conference with the Rising Star Award, which celebrates early-career professionals who have made significant contributions to research development.
“This award also belongs to the whole of MSU’s research development team,” Motzer said. “I’m very proud of what we have accomplished in our short time on campus and excited for what lies ahead.”
Since its establishment in January 2022, MSU’s Office of Research Development has played a key role in advancing the university’s research mission. It supports proposal development, shares funding opportunities, and organizes trainings and events for researchers. MSU’s research enterprise has seen six consecutive years of growth, reaching a record $257 million in research expenditures during the 2023–24 fiscal year.
By: DNU staff