RESEARCH & CREATIVE ARTISTRY

In the College of Liberal Arts, scholarship takes many forms depending on whether you identify as being in the arts, humanities, or the social sciences, or somewhere in between. No matter the form, our research and creative activities result in impactful scholarship.

Through the efforts of the associate dean for research, we offer college-level competitive grants and awards, collaborations with the college and the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Office of Sponsored Programs, and the One Health Institute. And, we offer workshops and brown-bag sessions to help our faculty and students meet their creative research goals.

Research & Artistry Proposal Support

Searching for a research grant or need help submitting a grant application?

Books & Creative Activities

Explore this showcase of books, exhibitions, and performances by CLA faculty.

Awards and Fellowships

Seeking a fellowship or residency, or want to apply for or nominate someone for an award?

Research Centers & Institutes

Learn more about the centers, institutes, and other special units in the College.

Message from the Research Associate Dean

Elissa Braunstein

  • Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs
  • Professor of Economics

elissa.braunstein@colostate.edu

As the Research Associate Dean (you’ll sometimes hear me called the “RAD”) for the College of Liberal Arts, I am proud to support and advocate for the faculty, students and staff who engage in scholarship as it is uniquely defined here in CLA.

Research Highlights

$11.5 million

of funded research
& scholarship
, FY 2018-22

400+

active research projects

16

centers and institutes
devoted to research

2

Programs of Research and Scholarly Excellence: the Center for Literary Publishing and the Public and Environmental History Center

Recent Faculty Stories

The Spring 2025 cover of Colorado Review shows a row of brightly colored houses in Burano, Venice, with a pink-tinted masthead and a $12.00 price tag.

CSU’s Center for Literary Publishing awarded record fourteenth NEA Grant

January 16, 2025

This year’s $15,000 in funding will support the publication of the latest title in the Mountain/West Poetry Series—I Woke a Lake, by California poet Susan McCabe—and two issues of Colorado Review.

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Image of multi-sided, multi-colored dice used in the game Dungeons & Dragons.

As Dungeons & Dragons turns 50, should more political leaders roll the dice?

November 22, 2024

Fifty years ago, the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons was created, and despite some initial controversies, it has endured to become a beloved pastime and cultural touchstone for many. But for CSU political science instructor James “Pigeon” Fielder, it’s much more than that.

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Dean Webb with the three College of Liberal Arts winners of Distinction in Creativity

CLA Grad Students Win at the CSU Grad Showcase 2024

November 21, 2024

Colorado State University graduate students presented their creative work, research and entrepreneurship during the 2024 GradShow on Nov. 20. Out of 241 participants across all eight colleges, five CLA students won top honors.

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Research Conversations

Liberal Arts and Health

Associate Professor of Art Paul Flippen and Professor of English Aparna Gollapudi speak to the power of combining image and text to communicate an experience and emotion.

Associate Professor of Music John McGuire and Assistant Professor of Philosophy Domenica Romagni speak about the importance of a holistic approach to learning that puts well-being at the forefront.

On the Pod

Colorado State University’s podcast — The Audit — features conversations with CSU faculty on everything from research to current events. Just as auditing a class provides an opportunity to explore a new subject or field, The Audit allows listeners to explore the latest works from the experts at CSU.

Two small children walking away while holding hands in a field.

Friendship crisis? Study says it’s quality, not quantity with friendships

July 30, 2024

A new two-year study led by CSU and the American Friendship Project sheds new light on one of our most important — but least studied — relationships.

AI Art

Rise of the machines: How is AI changing art?

August 31, 2023

While AI-generated art doesn’t pose quite the same life-or-death consequences, for some in the art world, it’s seen as just as real of a threat.

anthropology michael Pante

The Audit: Were early humans cannibals? CSU paleoanthropologist talks about new findings regarding the oldest taboo

June 29, 2023

Colorado State University paleoanthropologist Michael Pante talks about this important discovery, what it means for future fossil research, and what was it that led our early ancestors to eat each other.

Camille Dungy

The Audit: Camille Dungy’s new book, ‘Soil,’ digs into prose, plants, parenthood and pandemic

May 2, 2023

The author and poet had a very specific plan for how her Guggenheim Fellowship for her next book was going to go. Then 2020 happened and a new idea bloomed.

Areas of Research and Specialization

gender   inequality  aesthetics    pedagogy    cultural studies    collaboration  power  identity    environment    race/ethnicity     social justice    globalization  discourse    government    performance     ethics    health    intersectionality    sustainability    teaching and learning     community    poetry and fiction    climate change    water    energy     institutions    fieldwork    rhetoric    public policy    logic     digital humanities   food insecurity     political economy   religion     animal rights    labor     international media    visual literacy     adaptation     performance

Teacher Scholars

University Distinguished Professors
University Teaching Scholars
Best Teacher Award Winners
Excellence in Teaching Award Winners

Our faculty not only conduct research, they bring their talents and expertise into the classroom.

FIND A SPEAKER

Click here to request an expert for media inquiries, peer discussions, speaking engagements,  and educational opportunities with the public.