David L. Butler, Ph.D. 
Vice Provost for Research
and Dean of Graduate Studies
(615) 898-2182
David.Butler@mtsu.edu
Tara Hayes
Administrative Assistant to VPR & Dean
Phone: (615) 898-5897 Fax: (615) 904-8020
Tara.Hayes@mtsu.edu
Dawn McCormack, Ph.D.
Interim Co-Director of Operations
(615) 494-8603
Dawn.McCormack@mtsu.edu
Oversees operations including Pre-award, Post-award, and IRB/IACUC.
Oversees strategic growth including FRCAC, URECA, Scholars Week, Centers and Institutes, and GEP.
Wendi Watts, MS
Coordinator
(615) 904-8040
Wendi.Watts@mtsu.edu
Provides operational support for all areas of the Office of Research and Sponsored
Programs, including faculty start-ups, internal research funding, procurement, bookkeeping,
and personnel (hiring, termination, extra comp, summer salary). The coordinator also
creates and maintains all ORSP online forms.
Jamie Burriss, Ph.D.
Program Manager
(615) 494-7669
Jamie.Burriss@mtsu.edu
Oversees the Undergraduate Research Center (URC) including serving as the advisor for the Student Organization for the Advancement of Research (SOAR), facilitates the Undergraduate Research Experience and Creative Arts (URECA) grant cycles, coordinates events such as the Fall Open House, Scholars Week, and Posters at the Capitol, and organizes workshops offered by the URC. Facilitates the Faculty Research and Creative Activity Committee (FRCAC), ORSP communications, and the ORSP training program.
Casey Penston
Program Assistant
(615) 904-8398
Casey.Penston@mtsu.edu
Provides operational and administrative support to ORSP programs, including Faculty Research and Creative Activity Committee (FRCAC), Undergraduate Research Experience and Creative Activity (URECA), Grant Writing Enhancement Program (GEP), the Undergraduate Research Center (URC), ORSP training programs, and ORSP communications.
Moses Prabu, Ph.D.
Compliance Officer
(615) 494-8918
compliance@mtsu.edu
Responsible for specific components of research compliance including the Institutional Review Board, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, and Research Integrity; including, developing and implementing policies, procedures, programs, and educational activities which satisfy Federal, State, Local and institutional rules and regulations which govern proper conduct of research.
The Proposal Development and Pre Award Specialists are responsible for increasing faculty and staff research and sponsored programs by the development and delivery of training, partnership development, pre-proposal planning, and proposal development.
Samantha E. Cantrell, Ph.D.
Proposal Development Specialist
(615) 494-8751
Samantha.Cantrell@mtsu.edu
Assignment:
- College of Behavioral & Health Sciences - College of Media and Entertainment
- College of Business - University College
- College of Liberal Arts - Walker Library
Position is currently vacant
Our post-award staff provide dual control and administrative support to Principal
Investigators/Project Directors to ensure timely and proper administration of externally-funded
activity. The Award Management Specialists’ roles include initiating the set-up of
new awards in Banner for finance and human resources functions, reviewing for approval
of all financial personnel transactions requested on each assigned award, and conducting
periodic comprehensive desk review/audit of each award
Mike Zierman
Award Management Specialist
(615) 494-7600
Mike.Zierman@mtsu.edu
Assignment:
Principal Investigators/Project Directors with Last Names A-F
Joe Driver, MBA
Award Management Specialist
(615) 904-8306
Joe.Driver@mtsu.edu
Assignment:
Principal Investigators/Project Directors with Last Names G-O
Kym Stricklin
Award Management Specialist
(615) 494-7848
Kym.Stricklin@mtsu.edu
Assignment:
Principal Investigators/Project Directors with Last Names P-Z
Sharon E. Scott, MBA
Grants Support Analyst
(615) 494-8720
Sharon.Scott@mtsu.edu
The duties of the Grants Support Analyst are to maintain and reconcile grant and match
account budget expenditures; place orders and receive invoices; initiate cost transfers,
salary redistributions, payment authorizations, travel claims and other types of forms
as needed; maintain correspondence files and financial records; and serve as a resource
to the Dean, PI’s and ORSP.
