Research Support | College of Arts and Sciences

Research by students, faculty, and staff in the College of Arts and Sciences advances knowledge and contributes to our global society. CAS members are deeply engaged in a wide variety of research and creative projects. Find out what we are doing and how you can get involved!

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Research in Focus

Charles Ives Poster

Illinois State Universtiy will welcome Charles Ives Sesquicentennial Festival in February 2025

Illinois State University joins the Music Unwound consortium as the fourth and final host of a festival commemorating 150 years of renowned American composer Charles Ives’ life (1874-1954). Funded through the National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH), the Illinois State segment of the Charles Ives Sesquicentennial Festival will be held February 19-21, 2025, and will bring several free events to students and general audiences.

ISU faculty and staff group photo

Illinois State faculty, students deliver audiology services to rural communities

Dr. Antony Joseph, a professor in Illinois State’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD), was there that day. A United States Navy veteran, he was an audiologist in the service. In Japan, he flew on single-engine airplanes and traveled on the shinkansen bullet train to reach rural communities not all that different from the one in rural Loda

Dr. Isaac Chang adn Savanah Kinney

2024 Researchers to Know

The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) has named three Illinois State University professors as Researchers to Know. Dr. Isaac Chang, Dr. Pranshoo Solanki, and Dr. Wolfgang Stein were selected for demonstrating excellence in their field. Chang and Sloanki are from the Department of Technology.

Student Researcher Accomplishments

Normal Theatre marquee

Meet the 2025 Three Minute Thesis competition finalists

The annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, February 27, at the Normal Theater in Uptown Normal. 3MT is an academic competition that challenges Illinois State University graduate students to describe their research within three minutes to a general audience. The event is free and all members of the community are welcome to attend.

Dr. Plevka-Jones in group photo

Dr. Helen Plevka-Jones wins Sorenson Dissertation Award

The Graduate School is proud to announce Dr. Helen Plevka-Jones from the Department of English as the Clarence W. Sorenson Distinguished Dissertation Award recipient. The Sorenson Award recognizes dissertations of the highest quality which are nominated in the fall semester by academic departments/schools. The competition is open to students who have earned a doctorate at Illinois State University during the preceding fall, spring, or summer term

Image of Research winners

Picture perfect: Image of Research exhibit shines light on ISU's diverse student research

Second time was the charm for Apollo Johnson. The anthropology master's student won first place in the graduate category at the sixth annual Image of Research competition after receiving Honorable Mention recognition last year.

Make your impact.

Get involved in research at Illinois State.

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

Supporting Your Research

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

Student Travel Funds

CAS Student Travel Funds are internal awards intended to promote high-quality research, scholarship, and creative activity by undergraduate/graduate students of the College of Arts and Sciences at Illinois State University. This is intended to supplement travel funds provided by departments/schools or other organizations to help defray the costs of travel. Awards may be funded up to a maximum of $250 for travel to a professional conference or meeting to present the results of research or creative activity. A student may be funded once per academic year. Undergraduate students who are presenting internationally or in non-contiguous U.S. states may be eligible for an additional $250 in funding.

Selection Process and Criteria

The Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences will make these awards. Applications from Undergraduate students with either a first or second major in the College as well as Graduate students in a College of Arts and Sciences graduate program will be considered. Students must be presenting, not just attending.

Proposal Process and Submission Deadlines

Travel is funded during the fiscal year (July 1- June 30) in which the travel takes place. Note: Applications may be submitted at any time but will be awarded based on the timing of the trip and availability of funds.

How to Apply

Applications may be submitted at any time but will be awarded based on the timing of the trip and availability of funds.

Apply Now

Check out the Travel Fund Instructions (ULID login required)

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding the CAS Student Travel Fund, please contact the College of Arts and Sciences at (309) 438-5669.

Resources For Faculty

Faculty and Staff in the CAS can access important resources by visiting the CAS Faculty/Staff Intranet

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