Annual Report 2024-2025

Office of Sponsored Programs 2024–25 Annual Report

"In 2025, USD reported an 11% increase in externally funded research expenditures, pushing USD to a historic high. This achievement reflects our commitment to research excellence, and demonstrates clear progress toward the ambitious growth targets set in our new strategic plan." Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Nicholas R. Santilli, PhD

The Office of Sponsored Programs envisions a thriving research community where faculty members are empowered to pursue innovative, impactful, externally-funded work — supported every step of the way by expert guidance, a commitment to excellence and nonfinancial award management that extends from negotiation and acceptance through the life of the award. Our vision is directly aligned with Lighting the Way to 2030, especially its call to center research excellence and growth as a cornerstone of USD’s academic reputation. FY25 AVERAGE PROJECT AT USD LENGTH: PROJECT AMOUNT: 3 YEARS, 6 MONTHS, 17 DAYS $384,663 CUMULATIVE AWARD DOLLARS > $1M BY GRANT FUNDER STATE OF CALIFORNIA: $4,932,342 NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: $2,814,108 CALIFORNIA VOLUNTEERS: $2,220,423 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: $1,518,024 U.S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE: $1,498,901 THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA: $1,275,429 U.S. HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICE ADMINISTRATION: $1,135,458

2025 SUBMISSIONS * : 127 SUBMISSIONS VALUED AT $45,170,565

Funding Requested by School 46.5% School of Leadership and Education Sciences

$ 21,003,037 12,782,033

28.5% College of Arts and Sciences

7% School of Law 7% Institutional

3,302,507 3,271,766 2,721,072 1,860,150

6% Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering

4% Knauss School of Business

.5% Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies .5% Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science

200,000

30,000 $ 45,170,565

Funding Requested by Sponsor Type 73% Federal 13% State/Local Government

$ 32,878,076

5,751,259 3,416,508 3,015,253

7.5% Foundation 6% Nonprofit .5% Industry

109,469 $ 45,170,565

Funding Requested by Activity Type 52.5% Research

$ 23,763,229

20% Service

8,994,465 6,550,000 3,192,337 1,765,700

14.5% Scholarship 7% Training 4% Instructional 1.5% Equipment

654,834

.5% Operations and Maintenance

250,000 $ 45,170,565

2025 AWARDS * : 187 AWARDS VALUED AT $20,336,546

Awards by School 45% School of Leadership and Education Sciences

$ 9,256,145 3,988,595 3,772,521 1,860,609

20% College of Arts and Sciences

18.5% Institutional 9% School of Law

4.5% Knauss School of Business

911,054 463,222

2% Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering .5% Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies .5% Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science

99,997

14,401 $ 20,366,546

Awards by Sponsor Type 47% State/Local Government

$ 9,581,439 7,846,464

38.5% Federal

8% Foundation 4% Nonprofit

1,537,775 891,533

2.5% Industry

509,333 $ 20,366,546

Awards by Activity Type 55% Service

$ 11,329,933

30% Research 8% Training 3% Scholarship 3% Equipment

6,000,515 1,606,757 660,000 642,400

1% Instructional

126,900 $ 20,366,546

*Numbers reflected in Submission and Award totals are not comparative and only reflect information in this fiscal year. Submissions include currently pending proposals.

2025 RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES Five Million Dollar Club Recipients are faculty members and administrators who have brought in a cumulative of at least $5 million in external funding through the Office of Sponsored Programs during their tenure at USD. Christopher Nayve Associate Vice President for Community

Rae M. Robertson Anderson Physics and Biophysics, College of Arts and Sciences Emily Schell Jacob ’ s Institute, School of Leadership and Education Sciences

Engagement and Anchor Initiatives, Mulvaney Center, Mission Integration

One Million Dollar Club Recipients are faculty members and administrators who have brought in a cumulative of at least $1 million in external funding through the Office of Sponsored Programs during their tenure at USD. Darbi Berry Nonprofit Institute, School of Leadership and Education Sciences Nicholas Boyd Rachel Locke Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies Maren Mossman Physics and Biophysics, College of Arts and Sciences New Faculty Submitters Recipients are faculty members who submitted a proposal as lead principal investigator through the Office of Sponsored Programs in their first year at USD. Claudia Avila Environmental and Ocean Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences Nicholas Boyd Counseling and Marital and Family Therapy, School of Leadership and Education Sciences Sophia Krause-Levy Computer Science, Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering Raquel Martinez Physics and Biophysics, College of Arts and Sciences Matthew Vega Theology and Religious Studies, College of Arts and Sciences Counseling and Marital and Family Therapy, School of Leadership and Education Sciences

2025 Lifetime Achievement Award The inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Senior Vice President and Provost Gail F. Baker for her championship of research at the University of San Diego.

REACHING FORWARD: OPTIMIZING RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION

In alignment with Lighting the Way to 2030 and the university’s broader commitment to operational excellence, we are transforming research administration in the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP). By embracing innovation and digital transformation, we are strategically enhancing our support for the academic research community. This year’s initiatives—including the AI-powered advisor, Ask OSP , a streamlined Contract Intake Form, and the NSF-funded ResDataNexus project—reflect our shared commitment to the strategic plan’s vision of a thriving, research-driven USD.

ASK OSP ADVISOR

The Office of Sponsored Programs is driving USD’s technological strategy forward by extending the automation gains of the 2024 Proposal Intake Questionnaire and deploying new Artificial Intelligence tools to modernize research administration. This summer, OSP developed Ask OSP , an AI-powered advisor that streamlines proposal development, safeguards compliance and reduces administrative burden for both principal investigators and the OSP team. The project’s goal is to simplify onboarding for first-time applicants, clarify agency requirements and free staff capacity to focus on higher-level strategic priorities.

“Thanks to our amazing USD community, the university secured a record $20 million in sponsored program funding in FY25. Funding requested reached more than $45.2 million for a wide range of new cross campus initiatives, including a project to gain a better understanding of AI and disability. Behind these numbers is an incredible team that ensures we deliver on projects that expand knowledge and impact society.” Associate Provost Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick, PhD

NSF GRANTED

CONTRACT INTAKE FORM The OSP's Contract Intake Form provides a much improved and streamlined process for our research community to access specialized expertise, gain flexibility for project-based needs and help to ensure external work complies with sponsor or general grant guidelines.

The University of San Diego, in collaboration with Elon University and Pepperdine University, is leading the NSF-funded ResDataNexus initiative to support emerging research institutions. This project develops a scalable infrastructure and model to monitor research outputs, research and development expenditures and grant activities. Through automated data collection, interactive dashboards and machine learning forecasting, ResDataNexus enables data-driven decision making and strategic planning. The initiative also engages students in applied data analytics, fostering future research talent and enhancing institutional competitiveness. This is a university-wide initiative led by the Office of the Provost and Vice President, in close collaboration with the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the Office of Sponsored Programs, Institutional Research and Effectiveness, Copley Library and Information Technology Services.

MEET THE TEAM Under the leadership of the Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Nicholas R. Santilli, PhD, the university’s research enterprise is supported by the following team members:

Truc T. Ngo, PhD Vice Provost for Research and Administration

Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick, PhD Associate Provost for Academic Strategy and Growth

Traci Merrill, MEd, CRA Director of Sponsored Programs

Kathleen Porter Dechowitz, JD, MBA Sponsored Programs Administrator

Adrianna Borja Hoffmann, MA Sponsored Programs Administrator

Nadine Umutoni, MA Contract Manager

Ainsley Elliott Sponsored Programs Coordinator

OFFICE OF SPONSORED PROGRAMS 5998 Alcalá Park San Diego, CA 92110-2492 (619) 260-6825 research@sandiego.edu sandiego.edu/news (filter by research) sandiego.edu/osp linkedin.com/company/usd-sponsored-programs