Jeri Hansen

Biography

Jeri Hansen is the Director of Research Development and has oversight of the proposal and research development efforts at USU. With over 20 years of higher education experience, she has been a part of research support services since 2004, including serving as a Sponsored Programs grant and contract officer for 4 years. In 2008, she was asked to build a proposal development office, which she has led since its inception and grown into the Division of Research Development.

In her role as Research Development Director, Jeri provides leadership for the strategic development of the research enterprise at USU to enhance its position as a strong competitor for external funding. She directs the Seed Grant Program, providing funding for innovative research and creative activity pilot projects as well as collaborative team science projects. She also directs the Capital Equipment Grant Program, which offers matching funding for research equipment to support externally funded projects. She oversees the grant writing and proposal development training efforts to enhance the skillset of researchers, including broad audience and discipline/topic specific trainings. Jeri also manages the limited submission process, providing institutional leadership for these highly competitive programs.

As an active member of the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) since 2011, Jeri has served on the Member Services Committee, as a member and chair of the Nominating Committee, as co-director and consultant for the Program for External Evaluation of Research Development (PEERD), and most recently as a Board of Directors member and Treasurer. She has also been a member of the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) continuously since 2005.

Jeri holds an M.S. in History, a B.S. in Anthropology, and a B.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences, all from USU. Her research interests include biological anthropology and the history of disease.