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.
Message from the Research Associate Dean

Elissa Braunstein
- Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs
- Professor of Economics
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.
Recent Faculty Stories
Environmental and health disparities plague North Denver neighborhoods
A recent community-driven health study co-led by CSU sheds light on the environmental and health disparities for the more than 11,000 residents of the Globeville and Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods.
Read MoreHistory Matters: faculty create hyperlocal history curriculum for Northern Colorado
Colorado State University’s History Matters project is transforming how local history is taught in Colorado classrooms by using a hyperlocal, place-based focus, the project builds equity-driven curricula that center the under told histories of Fort Collins, Northern Colorado and the state of Colorado.
Read MoreNew book by Associate Professor Thomas R. Dunn examines overlooked chapter in LGBTQ+ history
Published by Penn State University Press, “The Pink Scar: How Nazi Persecution Shaped the Struggle for LGBTQ+ Rights” reveals that U.S. activists used Hitler’s anti-homosexual campaign to fuel arguments for LGBTQ+ rights as early as the 1930s.
Read MoreResearch 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.
Dive into the unexpected with CSU’s award-winning podcast, The Audit
Created to showcase the groundbreaking research and unique expertise of CSU’s faculty, The Audit invites listeners to sit in on fascinating conversations about topics that shape our world.
CSU’s The Audit: What Hallmark’s holiday movies reveal about America’s love affair with small business owners
CSU film studies professor Kit Hughes examines how the holiday rom-com tropes both reflect and shape economic opinions.
Friendship crisis? Study says it’s quality, not quantity with friendships
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.
Rise of the machines: How is AI changing art?
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.