Get to Know the Division
Our mission at the Division of Research and Innovation (DRI) is to amplify and invest in transformative, multidisciplinary research, scholarship and creative activities and fortify San Diego State University as a premier community-engaged and border-connected public research university where excellence and access converge.
Our vision is to encourage university and community partners to push the limits of imagination and discovery, catalyzing innovative, collaborative, and beneficial solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.
About Us
SDSU is the flagship research institution of the 23-campus California State University system and one of the top 70 public universities in the U.S., according to U.S. News and World Report. The university offers 25 doctoral programs and more than 80 master's degree programs. In 2024 SDSU researchers brought in nearly $230 million in research-related funding, the most SDSU has received in a single year.
The university received its first federal grant in the 1950s, began its first doctoral program in the 1960s and has continued to chart a course of discovery and scholarship ever since. The university achieved its strategic plan goal of becoming an R1, premier public research university in early 2025. And research is integral to SDSU's future. SDSU Mission Valley will include a state-of-the-art Innovation District that facilitates meaningful collaboration among our students, researchers and public and private partners.
SDSU is committed to developing infrastructure and resources that allow research activity to grow while continuing to support excellence in teaching. Consider supporting SDSU's research endeavors through impact-driven philanthropy.
Hala Madanat
Vice President for Research and Innovation
Hala stewards the university’s expansive research enterprise, supporting the development of SDSU’s Mission Valley Innovation District and overseeing SDSU’s research advancement, research support services and technology transfer efforts, the SDSU Research Foundation, as well as the university’s start-up incubator, the ZIP Launchpad. She leads the university's research and innovation enterprise in an era of unprecedented challenges and opportunities; through a period of growth as the university became an R1 research university; and during a time of exploration as SDSU builds its state-of-the-art Innovation District in San Diego.
Alicia Kinoshita
Director, Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities
Division Units
Research Operations
As Senior Associate Vice President for Research, Mark Reed promotes and facilitates research, scholarship and creative activities at SDSU through close collaboration with campus faculty and administrators. Central to this role is improving the planning, management and administration of campus infrastructure and programs to support research activities. Faculty are encouraged to contact Mark to discuss ideas around maintaining and improving research infrastructure and operations on campus.
Research Advancement
Research Advancement is an institutional support unit that contributes to elevating SDSU's research reputation, and excellence in the research enterprise primarily by working with individual investigators and research teams to transform research concepts into research projects by simply adding funding. A flagship initiative, the Grants and Research Enterprise Writing (GREW) Fellowship targets early career researchers in helping them define and articulate their own goals and tying the goals to a strategy for success. Research Advancement is deeply involved in graduate student training, pre-submission review programs, and provides direct-action for institutional-scale center projects. Research Advancement also curates a broad and deep network of regional and national academic and non-academic partners, and directly supports faculty in building cross-organizational teams for projects that require it.
How we work with faculty
Research Advancement presently works best with individual inquiries at the concept stage. Please see us as an adjuvant to your research team, one that can provide no-judgment brainstorming based on decades of funding experience, and has some limited resources and programs that might be able to directly facilitate your research proposal preparation. You can always reach out to us directly.
Visit the Research Advancement Website
Research Foundation
The SDSU Research Foundation (SDSURF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation established as an auxiliary unit to SDSU to support the university's research mission. Our role is to assist the faculty in identifying support for their projects, submitting proposals and administering the grants and contracts they receive. We also provide research space (we own 28 properties that house SDSU researchers and commercial tenants), and have our own departments of human resources, facilities, purchasing, payroll and information systems - all to facilitate the work of SDSU researchers. Last year, we submitted 1,359 proposals and received 867 awards valued at a record $229.8 million to administer on behalf of SDSU; we manage over 1,000 grants/contracts annually. In addition, we provide administrative support for The Campanile Foundation, KPBS and SDSU Global Campus – managing over 1,600 gift and self-support funds. Our team partners with faculty, deans and administrators to make it as easy as possible for researchers to conduct their research.
How we work with faculty
Anyone interested in submitting grants should make early contact with our SDSURF team. New faculty first interact with SDSURF when they have an idea for a research project, when they wish to identify funding opportunities and when they are ready to submit a proposal. The process begins in this "pre-award" period. New faculty who are transferring grants from previous institutions would work directly with our sponsored research development team. Faculty are assigned both pre-award and post-award team specialists to assist them with the administrative process and to serve as liaisons with the funding agency.
Our people
SDSURF has 150+ central staff employees (in addition to more than 1,000 project employees), but here are some key contacts for faculty:
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Michèle G. Goetz, Associate Vice President and CEO of SDSU Research Foundation (SDSURF). Michele is responsible for the overall leadership, management and operation of SDSURF, including facilities planning and management, human resources and risk management, sponsored research services, finance and operations, information systems and communications. Michele works closely with the university to ensure support for the research mission and our researchers.
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Cody Lee, Communications Officer. Cody oversees internal and external communications for SDSURF and helps promote faculty accomplishments. Contact him for information and SDSURF resources, or to tell him about research findings, grants, publications and discoveries.
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Steve Torok, Director of Sponsored Research Development. Steve oversees the department that helps faculty interpret guidelines and sponsor requirements, submit proposals, prepare budgets, obtain university approvals, complete and submit proposals and route for signatures.
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Renee Lechner, Director of Sponsored Research Administration. Renee oversees the department that helps faculty administer the grant funds they receive.
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Eric Elson, Director of Facilities. Eric oversees the department that manages research foundation properties and prepares space for new principal investigators.
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Deb Naylon, Director of Human Resources. Deb oversees the department that manages HR and hires and onboards staff for new grant projects.
Visit the Research Foundation Website
Research Support Services
Research Support Services (RSS) collaborates with SDSU stakeholders to facilitate and advance university-wide and interdisciplinary initiatives that support the strategic plan on research advancement. As the university’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) for externally-funded grants and contracts, RSS makes sure research at SDSU is consistent with legal and safety standards. RSS manages research authorization processes such as the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use, Institutional Biosafety Committee, Export Controls and aerial drone-based research. RSS also supports the University Patents and Copyright Committee and the Conflict of Interest Committee.
How we work with faculty
RSS provides regular and meaningful consultation with faculty, students and staff on compliance and the preparation of protocols submitted to compliance committees. RSS also advises faculty, staff and students on adherence to university policies and federal, state and local regulations as they pertain to the conduct of research.
Visit the Research Support Services Website
Tech Transfer
The Technology Transfer Office (TTO) helps faculty move inventions and creative works that result from research out of the lab and into the marketplace. In order to achieve this goal, the TTO manages the protection of SDSU's research-based intellectual property and seeks to commercialize it through licensing both to existing businesses and startups. Further, the TTO supports the development of viable business models for faculty innovations, often with the support of collaborators throughout the San Diego innovation ecosystem. The TTO additionally provides general expertise to the campus regarding patents, copyrights and other forms of intellectual property. For example, the TTO can assist with Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Collaborative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), intellectual property terms in sponsored contracts, and other general intellectual property advice.
How we work with faculty
Faculty members should reach out to the TTO as soon as they begin to develop a research-based idea or creative work that may have a commercial application or can be disseminated widely for public benefit. The TTO can then assist with evaluating the protectability of the underlying intellectual property and help develop a strategy to move it forward. Remember that it is important to engage the TTO before publicly disclosing an invention, since public disclosure can create a bar to obtaining patent protection.
Visit the Technology Transfer Office Website
ZIP Launchpad
The Zahn Innovation Platform (ZIP) Launchpad is an on-campus incubator that supports San Diego State University (SDSU) students, staff and faculty from all majors and departments in launching startup companies. Within 2 years, participants can begin the ZIP Launchpad program with an idea and exit with a viable, growth oriented business. The ZIP Launchpad surrounds aspiring entrepreneurs with the support and resources needed to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality.
How we work with faculty
Faculty wanting to gain support launching a startup from their idea and/or research can apply to be part of the ZIP Launchpad. Applications are accepted each semester for participation in a weekly cohort. Participants receive structured guidance and support including business acumen, hardware and software prototype development, access to domain experts, paid interns, introduction to investors and much more.
Visit the ZIP Launchpad Website
Undergraduate Research
The Undergraduate Research unit works to increase the awareness of, participation in, and opportunities for undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activities across all backgrounds and disciplines at SDSU, including lower-division students, transfer students, and first-generation students. We coordinate experiential student learning opportunities, open to all students, through the SDSU Undergraduate Research Program (SURP). We foster a culture of learning, discovery, and innovation through events on campus, primarily the annual SDSU Student Symposium (S3).
How we work with faculty
We support faculty who mentor undergraduate student researchers, including through programs like student/faculty research stipends and S3. Let us know if you need mentoring support.
Our people
As Director of Undergraduate Research, Alicia Kinoshita oversees and supports undergraduate research and creative activities. She is also a faculty member in the College of Engineering, where she has an active research program and mentors undergraduate and graduate students.
Visit the Undergraduate Research Website
Communications
The division tells stories about the research, scholarship and creative activities of SDSU researchers, faculty and students. We integrate innovation, entrepreneurship, and research into communication outlets on campus and beyond. We produce and amplify content featuring our faculty, staff and students engaged in this important work, including articles, videos, newsletters, social media, websites, news releases, multimedia and more. As the division’s communications director, Sarah White leads these efforts.
Get in Touch
Faculty, staff and students can share ideas by contacting Sarah directly or via our news item form. Also, consider signing up for the division’s newsletter and following @SDSUResearch on Instagram or LinkedIn.
Information Technology
What we do: The IT team provides technology support and solutions to both DRI and the College of Graduate Studies. In recent years the team has replaced legacy, homegrown software with improved, up-to-date vendor solutions. The team collaborates with DRI and CGS personnel to solve data challenges and improve business processes through the use of technology. This group also works closely with the campus IT Division to leverage existing campus technology investments and stay connected to campus technology policies and best practices.
How we work with faculty
The IT team works behind the scenes, and is focused on supporting faculty facing DRI units like Research Support Services and Research Advancement to provide them the technology and data needed to be successful.
Our people
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Matt Brown, DRI IT Director. Matt works with the College of Graduate Studies and DRI leaders to set IT priorities, supports the DRI IT team to allow them to succeed, and collaborates across all DRI and the College of Graduate Studies personnel to deliver on commitments.
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Vincent Nguyen, IT Support Technician. Vinny provides ‘lights on’ technical service and support for all of DRI and the College of Graduate Studies.
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Stephanie Stocking, Senior Business Analyst and Project Manager. Stephanie works with College of Graduate Studies and DRI personnel to understand functional needs, match to technical solutions and deliver projects to achieve specific outcomes.