Utah State University’s Office of Research has announced the appointment of Professors Josh Ryan and Elizabeth Vargis as Faculty Fellows for Student Research for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Josh Ryan
Ryan, professor of political science and program head in the School of Social Sciences, brings extensive experience in undergraduate research mentorship, program leadership and nationally recognized scholarship.
A quantitative political scientist, Ryan has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles, authored award-winning research and secured multiple external grants from organizations including the National Science Foundation. He has mentored numerous undergraduate researchers, many of whom have presented at national conferences or pursued advanced graduate study.
As a faculty fellow, Ryan will support campuswide efforts to strengthen research engagement and expand access to high-impact research experiences for students across disciplines.
Elizabeth Vargis
Vargis is an associate professor in the Department of Biological Engineering and an accomplished research mentor with a long-standing commitment to undergraduate research.
Since joining USU in 2013, she has mentored more than two dozen Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities (URCO) students, along with many additional undergraduate researchers in her laboratory. Her students regularly publish, present at conferences, and compete successfully for national awards, including Goldwater Scholarships.
Vargis also serves as coordinator of USU’s Goldwater Scholarship program and is one of the university’s CIMER-trained research mentor facilitators.
As faculty fellow, she will focus on building scalable, inclusive pathways for mentored student research across campus.
“Faculty are the backbone of USU’s vibrant, nationally recognized culture of undergraduate research, and Dr. Vargis and Dr. Ryan are standouts in combining research excellence with outstanding student mentorship,” said Alexa Sand, associate vice president for research. “Their leadership comes at an especially exciting time, as new reinvestment funding allows us to expand our programs and as Utah State prepares to host the 2027 Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, welcoming students from colleges and universities across the state to share their work on our campus.”
The Faculty Fellow for Student Research role works closely with the Office of Research to support programs such as Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities, the Undergraduate Research Fellows program, the Student Research Symposium, and other initiatives that advance Utah State University’s land-grant mission through student-centered research and discovery.