Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year 2009
Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

Dr. Bartkus is director of undergraduate research in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business.  He is also the founder of The Research Group™.  Its primary mission is to provide students the opportunity to develop core competencies in research methods.  Aside from his own involvement, he has been instrumental in engaging other faculty in the Huntsman School of Business to participate in undergraduate research activities.

His collaborations with undergraduate scholars have resulted in numerous presentations and publications.  His students are regular participants at Research Day on Capitol Hill, the Student Showcase, the Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.  Collaborations with student scholars have also resulted in peer-reviewed conference proceedings [e.g., Western Decision Science Conference (2007), Marketing Management Association (2008) and journal articles (e.g., Journal of Social Behavior and Personality (2007), Journal of Travel Research (2009) and Journal of Education for Business (2009)]  Two of his recent students have been recipients of the Undergraduate Researcher of the Year for the Huntsman School (Zachary Ames and Jeanette Blackham).

Dr. Bartkus’ commitment to undergraduate research extends beyond his involvement at Utah State University.  His manuscript “Fostering Student/Faculty Collaborations through the ‘Research Group’ Model:  An Application to Colleges and Schools of Business” was published in the December 2007 issue of CUR-Quarterly and was the recipient of the prestigious 2008 John Blackburn Exemplary Models Award from the American Association of University Administrators.

His recent publication, “The Research Group Framework:  A Strategic Approach to Undergraduate Research Experiences in Colleges and Schools of Business” was published in Decision Line and makes a direct appeal for the development of a national consortium of business schools dedicated to the development of undergraduate research programs.

Dr. Bartkus has also been a leading advocate nationwide for undergraduate research in business.  In April 2009, he will make a presentation at the Conference of the Western Decision Sciences Institute on undergraduate research.  Similar presentations have been made on behalf of the Huntsman School at Texas A&M University and the National Conference of the Council on Undergraduate Research.

Finally, his commitment to innovations in undergraduate research programs is evidenced by his service as a councilor for the Council on Undergraduate Research and as a member of Utah State University’s Undergraduate Research Advisory Board