About ORD

Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Shanahan is the Associate Vice President for Research Development as well as a Professor in the Department of Political Science. As a public policy scholar, her research centers on how policy narratives influence public opinion and policy decisions. She is a co-architect of the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF), a popular and internationally renowned policy process theory. Her current application of the NPF is centered on risk communication, specifically the development of a narrative risk communication framework that situates scientific risk information in story form. Her research crosses multiple policy domains—zoonotic spillovers, natural hazards, human-wildlife conflict, and cyber security. She has been awarded over $6.5 million in research from National Science Foundation, Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies and foundations. She enjoys skiing and hiking in the mountains of Montana.   

Dr. Nicole Motzer is the Director of the Office of Research Development at Montana State University. Prior to this role, she served as the Assistant Director for Interdisciplinary Science at the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC). Trained in geographical sciences, Nicole now specializes in team science and interdisciplinary research. She has been awarded over $1 million in research grants from private and federal funders, and is driven to help others realize their own research goals through the support, training, and programming she provides. 

Dr. Daniel Grant is the Associate Director of Research Development for Extension and Engagement at Montana State University. As a member of both the MSU Office of Research Development and Extension, he works to enhance the societal relevance and public impact of MSU research and scholarship. Daniel's community-engaged research has been awarded grants and fellowships from major private and public funders across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, and he enjoys collaborating with others to strengthen and apply their own research for the public good. He also convenes workshops, trainings, and seminars to enhance community capacity, resilience, and collaboration throughout the research process. He holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Tracy Gatlin is the Assistant Director for the Office of Research Development at Montana State University. Tracy has approximately 10 years of proposal development experience as a prior Fiscal Manager for the Office of Sponsored Programs, and a Grant Administrator for the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital. Additionally, Tracy is currently working towards a Master of Public Administration at Montana State University and serves as a voting member on the Institutional Review Board. She specializes in proposal budget preparation, NIH grants, and early career proposal development including training programs and fellowships.

Dr. Helaina Stergas is a research development specialist in the Office of Research Development at Montana State University. She received her PhD in Biology at the University of Vermont, studying cellular neurodevelopment and biochemistry. During her education, she applied for and secured several institutional grants. She also helped develop multiple community engagement and science communication outreach platforms. Helaina’s passion lies in helping faculty and graduate students from diverse backgrounds successfully secure funding, ensuring an equal opportunity across MSU’s research enterprises.

Cailin Casey is the Graduate Student Research Development Specialist in the Office of Research Development at Montana State University. Cailin is also pursing her PhD in Mechanical Engineering at MSU. She recieved the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) in 2021 which inspired her to design and lead a GRFP writing workshop for more than 20 applicants over the last 2 years. She will continue this work through ORD while also connecting students with funding opportunities and helping prepare their applications.