Lisa Berreau

Biography

Since 2019, Dr. Lisa M. Berreau has provided strategic leadership for the Utah State University Office of Research during a period of substantial institutional research growth and increasing complexity in the national research environment. As Vice President for Research, she helped guide USU to Carnegie R1 designation in 2021 and through years of record research funding. Her leadership has focused on strengthening the capacity, infrastructure, and services that advance research and creative activity across the university.

Berreau brings to this role extensive experience as a faculty researcher and academic leader. She joined USU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in 1998 and is a Professor of Chemistry with an active research program in synthetic and mechanistic chemistry. Her research has received support from sponsors including the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, and she has authored more than 90 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Minnesota State University, Mankato, her Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Iowa State University, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. She is a Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Chemical Society.

Under Berreau’s leadership, USU has made significant investments to address evolving federal requirements and expectations. She has overseen the implementation of USU’s programs in Export Control and Research Security, preparation for CMMC Level 2 compliance, and enhancements to accredited human- and animal-research programs. She has also expanded proposal development support, integrated Sponsored Programs Accounting into the Office of Research, facilitated access to expanded computing resources, established career advancement structures for Office of Research employees, and promoted strategic use of AI to improve office workflows.

Berreau has strengthened USU’s engagement with industry and private-sector partners through investments in technology transfer, faculty training, and creation of an Entrepreneur-in-Residence position. Student engagement in research has remained an important priority, including support for the graduate student Presidential Doctoral Research Fellows and Presidential Arts Fellows programs, expansion of undergraduate research opportunities, and establishment of a Faculty Fellows program focused on student research. She has also advanced public engagement with USU scholarship through Research Landscapes, Blue Plate Research, and Aggie Talks.

Throughout her tenure, Berreau has emphasized transparency, communication, and institutional responsiveness. Regular “VPR Huddles” convene research leaders, faculty, and staff to address changes in funding, policy, and regulatory expectations. Together, these efforts have strengthened USU’s ability to navigate a rapidly evolving national research landscape while supporting researchers, expanding the impact of research and creative activity, and advancing the university’s land-grant mission.