Introduction

Many smaller colleges and universities with a history similar to Andrews University’s have had ongoing conversations about the relative importance of creative scholarship/research in their educational mission and goals. In these conversations at Andrews University, research—in its broadest contexts—has focused on creativity and original scholarship. Research has encompassed all of the academic disciplines, from artistic to scientific, widely engaging the University community as a whole.

About a decade ago, University administration chose to enhance the resources used to support faculty and student research collaboration in unexplored areas. This included appointing a dean of research, which is a new leadership position, along with reorganizing the Office of Research & Creative Scholarship and enhancing support for faculty-led research. It also led to the creation of University-funded undergraduate research scholarships. The resulting growth in research led, in many programs, to including it as an essential component of the University’s educational mission. It opened up research possibilities for those best prepared to make new and important contributions to their professions, to the wider society and to the religious communities they are involved with.

The pervasive spread of research through the Andrews University community has become most visible at the annual Celebration of Research. For the past two years, this event has attracted wide participation by faculty and students. The increasing role research plays in an Andrews University education has also led to this first of an annual series of reports (sponsored jointly by the Office of Research & Creative Scholarship and the Office of Integrated Marketing & Communication) to both the Andrews University constituencies and the wider higher education communities. In this document, we want you to not only become fascinated by the very creative and interesting research described, but to also experience its wide-ranging nature through diverse, productive disciplines.

With the retirement of John Stout, dean of research, in May of 2010, the University has further enhanced the support for and profile of research by appointing Christon Arthur to a newly defined dual role as dean of the School of Graduate Studies & Research and Gary Burdick to lead the Office of Research & Creative Scholarship as associate dean for research.

John F. Stout, PhD
Research Professor of Biology

August 30, 2010