ORSP Administration & Staff
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.
Coordinator (Vacant)
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), oversight of
URC communications, SOAR Ambassadors, and graduation distinction, facilitates the
Undergraduate Research Experience and Creative Activity (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 MT-Internal Grants Opportunities
(MT-IGO) program, Grant Writing Enchancement Program (GEP), ORSP communications, and
the ORSP training program. Serves as Fulbright Scholar Liaison for faculty. Oversees
Export Control Compliance Verification forms for international travel.
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.
Awards Management Staff
Our Awards Management staff is 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. The 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.
Janie Becker
Award Management Specialist
(615) 494-8751
Janie.Becker@mtsu.edu
Post-Award Assignments:
Biology, last names P-Z
Campus Recreation
Center for Health and Human Services
Chemistry, last names P-Z
Geosciences
School of Agriculture
John Sousa, M.F.A.
Award Management Specialist
(615) 898-5894
John.Sousa@mtsu.edu
Post-Award Assignments:
Albert Gore Research Center
Center for Historic Preservation
Center for Popular Music
College of Behavioral and Health Sciences
College of Business
College of Education
College of Liberal Arts
College of Media and Entertainment
MTeach
Office of International Affairs
Public Safety
Student Services

Michelle Willard
Award Management Specialist
(615) 494-7848
Michelle.Willard@mtsu.edu
Post-Award Assignments:
College of Behavioral & Health Sciences
June Anderson
Sociology & Anthropology
FIRE
Philosophy & Religious Studies
Journalism and Strategic Media
Grants Support Analyst (Vacant)
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.