Research & Economic Development Team

Dr. Alison Harmon  is Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Montana State University. Prior to this role, she served as Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Development at MSU and remains a professor of food and nutrition and sustainable food systems in the Department of Health and Human Development. Harmon’s scholarship has focused curriculum development and educator guidance around food systems and sustainability.  She has provided leadership in the development of innovative curricula at Montana State University including the Sustainable Food & Bioenergy Systems Degree program; the Montana Dietetic Internship; the campus farm -- Towne’s Harvest Garden; Hospitality Management & Culinary Arts; and the LIFE Scholars Program.  She has a passion for leadership development among higher education administrators, widening access to undergraduate and graduate higher education, and integrating discovery into all aspects of the curriculum at MSU.  She enjoys the fine arts, culinary experimentation, and ‘getting lost’ in the great outdoors of Montana with her family.

Dr. Sandra (Sandy) Sward is the Associate Vice President of Research Administration at Montana State University.  Prior to this role, she served as the Director of Sponsored Programs for many years.  She began her career in research administration in 1999 as the Assistant Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs at MSU.   Her experience spans both pre- and post-award research administration and she has been a Certified Research Administrator (CRA) since 2007.  She is the past Board Chair (2014-2016) for the National Research Administration Certification Council (RACC) and was also recently appointed as a faculty member to the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) Level II:  Sponsored Projects Administration workshop team.

Sward’s scholarship has focused on American civil religion and its manifestation in historical ecclesiastical stained-glass windows.  She enjoys exploring new golf courses, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

Quinton King is the Research Security Director at Montana State University supporting faculty, staff, and students to help protect MSU research resources and research outcomes from unauthorized access and misappropriation. In 2017, he joined TechLink, one of MSU’s two Partnership Intermediary organizations, supporting US Department of Defense technology transfer activities.  During this time, Quinton also supported MSU’s Technology Transfer Office working to identify, protect, and commercialize intellectual properties arising from MSU research efforts.  In 2021, he was invited to serve as MSU’s Export Control Officer managing institutional compliance with US export controls.  In recognition of a growing need for a broader institutional research security program, Quinton was invited to serve as Director of the MSU Research Security Program in 2025.  Quinton holds a BS in Biology, a MS in Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology, a PhD in Molecular Biology, and a JD with concentrations in contract and intellectual property law.  Outside of MSU, he can be found hiking, biking, snowboarding, fishing, and playing guitar for a variety of local Bozeman bands.

John Harrison is the Research Security Officer at Montana State University, supporting faculty, staff, and students by safeguarding the University's research integrity by developing and overseeing policies and procedures to protect sensitive research data, managing compliance with federal regulations, and mitigating security risks. John joined MSU’s Research Security team in 2024. John was born and raised in Montana and completed a Bachelor of Science in Business at Montana State University in 2010. John was commissioned through MSU’s Army ROTC and spent close to 9 years as an Active-Duty Army Officer serving as an Infantry Officer with the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas, and a Signal Officer with the 173^rd Airborne Bridge stationed in Grafenwoehr Germany. John’s civilian career includes work in Counter Drone Systems and Defense Photonic Systems. John holds a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University. When not at work, John enjoys spending time in the Mountains or at the lake with his dogs.

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.   

Mark Sharpe is the Executive Director of the Montana State University Innovation Campus. Prior to leading the MSUIC, Mark served for ten years as a Hillsborough County (FL) Commissioner.  In 2015 Mark was named the Director of the Tampa Innovation Alliance, a 501 c6 formed to build an innovation district in Tampa, Florida.

Mark is passionate about applying innovation to overcome challenges.  He founded and named his company Hogback Ventures after a geologic formation of narrow-crested, steep-sloped, hard-to-climb hills, a fitting representation of the way he helps others clear obstacles to meet success.

Mark is a 20-year Navy veteran with a BS in Multinational Business from Florida State University and an MA in Strategic Studies from the University of South Florida.  Mark is married to Stephanie and they have three grown children.  When he is not working-which is rare- Mark is reading, running or researching.  His mission is to change the world.

Mike Veselik is the Director of Economic Development and Impact at Montana State University. In this role, he works closely with faculty, university staff, and key stakeholders to ensure research conducted on campus helps to grow opportunities for all Montanans to thrive. Prior to joining MSU, Mike spent nearly four years working at the City of Bozeman in Economic Development. He also has eight years of experience on Capitol Hill and in federal policy non-profits in Washington, D.C. Mike has a Master of Public Administration degree from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Human Rights Studies from the University of Dayton.

Emily has a passion for developing systems that help other researchers maximize their time and effort, and she is excited to offer her support to MSU’s core laboratories. She holds a B.A. in chemistry from St. Olaf College and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Montana State University, where her research focused on palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and church community, playing music, and volunteering.

Anna will work closely with students, researchers, and university staff to lead MSU’s growth of undergraduate research. As a 13-year member of the MSU community, Anna has taught in the Honors College, the College of Letters and Sciences, and University Studies. She has served as the program manager at the Institute on Ecosystems and was an editor and project leader on the 2017 Montana Climate Assessment. Anna was the Program Director at the Wild Rockies Field Institute (WRFI) and has a history leading field courses for both WRFI and the National Outdoor Leadership School. She holds an M.S. from the University of Montana and a B.A. from Colorado State University.

Mai Allen was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. After she graduated from the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities, she took a hospitality management program in Brussels, Belgium, to fulfill her passion for the tourism industry. Mai worked for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok before deciding to further study in Chicago in 2003. Before moving to Bozeman in 2017, she worked for a Nonprofit Organization as an administrative assistant for nine years. For her role in the Office of Research, she manages the VP’s schedule, planning travel, meetings, events as well as providing support to the VP. When not at work, Mai likes to cook and spend time with her friends and family.

Tawnya Morgan is the Budget Director for the Office of Research and Economic Development. She has expertise in budget analysis, revenue projections, process improvement, and organization development. She is a graduate of Montana State University, where she received her undergrad in Animal Science. She also holds a Master’s in Business Administration. What she enjoys most about working at MSU is the opportunity it has provided to meet so many great people. When not at work, you can find Tawnya exploring the outdoors with her family.