Karen G. Havholm—former assistant vice chancellor for research and sponsored programs, and former director of the Center of Excellence for Faculty and Undergraduate Student Research Collaboration at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire—has been elected to a second term as treasurer of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). A member of CUR’s Undergraduate Research Programs Division who has served as a CUR Councilor and as a general representative to the Executive Board, Havholm will begin a three-year term on the board in summer 2021.
Havholm earned her bachelor’s degree in geology with honors from the College of Wooster. After K–12 teaching in Tehran, Iran, and Austin, Texas, she earned master’s and doctoral degrees in geology at UT Austin. After teaching at Colorado College and University of Washington, she moved to UW–Eau Claire, where she combined her geology and education backgrounds. As a faculty member in the Geology Department, she mentored 27 research students. From 2006 to her retirement in 2020, she led the campus research office, focusing on advancing undergraduate research at the university as well as publishing and presenting on undergraduate research issues at the state and national levels. In 2016, UW–Eau Claire was a recipient of CUR’s Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments. Havholm has served as president of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, as a Councilor for the CUR Geosciences Division and Undergraduate Research Programs Division, as a member of the CUR Finance Committee, and as a current member of the CUR Executive Board.
Said Lindsay Currie, CUR’s executive officer, “Dr. Havholm’s substantial experience with program management, grant-supported research programs, and fiscal policies and procedures is of considerable value as CUR continues to implement policies to ensure fiscal health for the organization. Her continued service is an asset to CUR.”
Said Havholm, “I am honored and excited to be able to continue to work with the hard-working CUR staff and dedicated CUR volunteers as we navigate this time of upheaval and transition.”
Founded in 1978, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) focuses on providing high-quality and collaborative undergraduate research, scholarly, and creative activity. Among the many activities and networking opportunities that CUR provides, the organization also offers support for the professional growth of faculty and administrators through expert-designed institutes, conferences, and a wide-range of volunteer positions. The CUR community, made up of nearly 700 institutions and 13,000 individuals, continues to provide a platform for discussion and other resources related to mentoring, connecting, and creating relationships centered around undergraduate research. CUR’s advocacy efforts are also a large portion of its work as they strive to strengthen support for undergraduate research. Its continued growth in connections with representatives, private foundations, government agencies, and campuses world-wide provides value to its members and gives voice to undergraduate research. CUR is committed to inclusivity and diversity in all of its activities and our community.
CUR focuses on giving a voice to undergraduate research with learning through doing. It provides connections to a multitude of campuses and government agencies, all while promoting networking and professional growth to its community.