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College of Applied Science and Technology
Staff posing in a corn field.

Research

Big things happen in CAST

Our research makes an impact on everyday lives. It’s practical. It’s meaningful. It’s making the world a better place.

What We're Working On

A chef chopping onions.

Is a low carb diet the best route for weight loss?

Erol Sozen

The safety of a low carb diet is heavily debated, and some theories state you might be more susceptible to over eating when you reduce carbs.

We're currently investigating how a low carb diet affects weight gain, stress, body dissatisfaction, and binge eating. Read Dr. Sozen's study abstract

What We’ve Done

Recognize. Normalize. Embrace. Neurodiversity.

Neurodiversity is the superpower of the IT workforce.

Ronnie Jia

This study explains the concept of neurodiversity and discusses how it may contribute to an innate interest in technology, leading to a career in IT. Read more about Dr. Jia's research

Dr. Sattler posing with coworkers from her time working in St. Louis Blues ticket sales

Sports ticket salespeople don't stick around the job long. It doesn't have to be that way.

Liz Sattler

Ticket sales are a critical revenue stream for sports organizations. However, the people who sell those tickets often leave their employer. Dr. Liz Sattler knows this firsthand after her time with the St. Louis Blues. Studying the specific causes why people leave the profession might help managers develop better retention tools and reduce employee replacement costs. Read more about Dr. Sattler's research

Points of Pride

  • Four Scholarly Outcomes Per Year

    Our faculty make major contributions to their fields of expertise through publications, presentations, and proceedings.

  • Strong Financial Support

    In 2021, CAST faculty and staff secured nearly $1.5 million in external funding for research projects.

  • Spark Curiosity

    Our research makes us better teachers and mentors. We nurture our students’ passions and actively involve them in projects.

Supporting Your Research

You have important work to do. Here’s how we support your research efforts.

Make sure you publish your research in a credible journal. Learn how to evaluate journals

Funding

Receive funds to develop, publish, and present your research.

Research Development Funds

  • University Research Grant

Get internal funding for your research project.

The URG program:

  • Funds significant research programs that have a high probability of acquiring external funding
  • Complements awards obtained from an external agency
  • Supports quality scholarly undertakings that are deemed important to the discipline, but not designed to directly pursue extramural supports

Complete a URG application Email your completed application to Dr. Cara Rabe-Hemp.

Due Date: Monday, February 6, 2023 by 4 p.m.

Samples

Get guidance on quality writing and content for a URG application.

Download sample URG sections

Download a sample scoring rubric

Guidelines

While there are basic features of the program that are common to all colleges on campus, each college determines its own guidelines and conducts its own review of submitted grant proposals. CAST faculty must abide by these guidelines.

Download CAST URG Guidelines

Publishing Funds

  • Page Costs Support (PCS)

Get reimbursed for publishing, exhibitions, and performances.

Apply through the Illinois State University Review website

Include a receipt or invoice and canceled check/credit card statement and a copy of your publication.

  • Book Subvention Costs

Get reimbursed for publishing books that require a subvention.

Email Cara Rabe-Hemp to request book subvention funds. Include a copy of a paid receipt from the book publisher.

Amount: Up to $200 from CAST with additional funds from the University Research and Sponsored Programs office.

Eligibility

Scholarly books in all disciplines are eligible to apply.

  • Tenured and tenure-track faculty
  • Emeritus faculty members producing scholarly works that carry an Illinois State affiliation

Not Accepted

  • Textbooks
  • Re-publications of previous works
  • Books produced by vanity
  • Predatory publishers

Travel Funds

  • Presentation Travel Grant Program

Receive travel funds when you present at a conference.

Amount: Up to $500 annually

Eligibility

All tenured, tenure track, and 100% employed continuing non-tenure track faculty are eligible to apply. 

Complete an application and email it to the head of your academic unit.

  • Publication Incentive Program (PIP)

Get travel funds when you publish an article in a national level refereed journal or have a chapter or book published for national distribution.

Amount: Up to $1,200

Complete an application and email to the head of your academic department within 60 days of publication.

Eligibility

All tenured, tenure track, and 100% employed continuing non-tenure track faculty are eligible to apply. You must be the sole author, part of a group of authors, or have joint authorship with at least one CAST student.

If you previously received an award from the College for a given work, you are not eligible to apply.

  • Student Travel Funds

Students can receive funds when presenting at a state, regional, or national conference.

Amount: Up to $250

Complete a student travel application form and email it to the chair or director of your academic unit. Include confirmation that your abstract has been accepted.

Eligibility

Graduate and undergraduate students who have completed a research project within the past year can apply. Recipients are only eligible for one award per fiscal year.

Requirements

  • Projects must be completed under the direction of a CAST faculty member.
  • Travel must occur during the current fiscal year.
  • The student or students must be making the presentation.

Professional Development

Advance your knowledge and skills with support from CAST and Illinois State.

Building an equitable and inclusive community in CAST

Our faculty, staff, and students bring diverse perspectives and experiences to CAST. This helps us all learn and grow as people.

We’re committed to nurturing and growing our inclusive environment. Learn how we can support your efforts to help us thrive.

Get DEBI grant information

Highlighting Excellence

Our awards recognize research that makes a significant impact.

Gunnar Klitzing

Gunnar Klitzing

Outstanding Undergraduate
Technology

Using Virtual Reality for Industrial Robot Path Programming

Apply or Nominatean Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher

Bethany Bedecker

Bethany Bedecker

Outstanding Graduate Student Thesis
Agriculture

Pennycress Establishment in Response to Management of Corn Residue and Harvest Date

Apply or Nominatean Outstanding Graduate Researcher Thesis

Alexis Swanson

Alexis Swanson

Outstanding Graduate Student Project
Criminal Justice Sciences

Understanding Expungement of Cannabis-Related Arrests and Convictions in Legalized States

Apply or Nominatean Outstanding Graduate Researcher Project

Dr. Haiyan Sally Xie

Dr. Haiyan Sally Xie

Outstanding Faculty - Tenured
Technology

Apply or Nominatean Outstanding Tenured Faculty Researcher

Dr. Chang Su-Russell

Dr. Chang Su-Russell

Outstanding Faculty - Pre-Tenure
Family and Consumer Sciences

Apply or Nominatean Outstanding Pre-Tenure Faculty Researcher

Three Minute Thesis Competition

Also known as 3MT, this international competition tests your ability to explain your graduate research to a general audience in three minutes or less.

CAST 3MT Winners

Bothwell Piason - Winner
Criminal Justice Sciences
Experiences of Mothers in Jail
Chairperson: Dr. Dawn Beichner

Reagen Tibbs - Runner Up
Agriculture
Examining the Perceptions of Precision Agriculture Technologies and On-Farm Precision Experimentation
Chairperson: Dr. Maria Boerngen

Participate in 3MT

Make your impact.

Get involved in research at Illinois State.

You can make major contributions and move society in a positive direction. CAST faculty, students, and staff team up with each other and work solo on projects they’re passionate about.