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
History Associate Professor Doug Yarrington publishes historical study of Venezuela in the first half of the 20th century
Doug Yarrington, an associate professor of History in the College of Liberal Arts recently published a sweeping history of Venezuela that explores the ways corruption and efforts to combat it shaped the national state during the years of its formation.
Read MoreEconomics Professor Ed Barbier and Associate Professor Jo Burgess publish environmental economics textbook for students new to the field
University Distinguished Professor of Economics Ed Barbier and Associate Professor of Economics Jo Burgess recently published their first co-authored textbook, intended to invite students with little or no knowledge of economics to explore the field of environmental economics. The book uses extensive case studies to introduce concepts including sustainable development and the inextricable relationship between the natural world and the global economy.
Read MoreMcConigley’s debut novel portrays sisterhood, healing in the American West
Published by Pantheon on Jan. 20, ‘How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder’ centers on two sisters growing up in rural Wyoming and explores girlhood in the 1980s, identity, trauma and cultural memory. The novel is already earning praise from critics and readers.
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.
The Audit: CSU’s Prison Agriculture Lab researches the roots, impact of the prison agriculture industry
There are more than 600 prison agricultural programs currently in the United States, but very little data looking at the how, what, and maybe most importantly, why of these programs. Colorado State University’s Prison Agriculture Lab is looking to change that. Co-directors Joshua Sbicca and Carrie Chennault talk about the lab’s recently published landmark dataset analyzing the different types of current prison agricultural programs, as well as the underlying drivers behind them.
The Audit: Can healing our divided nation start at the dinner table?
CSU Sociology Professor and Food Systems Institute Co-director Michael Carolan spoke to The Audit podcast about his research into food, food systems and building empathy on common ground.
The Audit Podcast: Can social marketing keep wildlife – and you – safe? This CSU researcher says the right messaging can help
Colorado State University Associate Professor Katie Abrams discusses how the right message – and the right photo op – can help influence our behavior out in the wild.
The Audit Podcast: From Matthew Shepard to CSU’s first (and last) male homecoming queen, the Queer Memory Project archives Northern Colorado’s LGBTQ+ history
The educational research effort is currently collecting artifacts, historical documents and personal stories as part of an online archive to preserve Northern Colorado’s LGBTQ+ past.