Martin Blair
Host of ISU Research, Innovation, and Creativity InsightsBlair began his career as a special education teacher. Following that experience, he spent the next two decades at Utah’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, the Center for Persons with Disabilities, the Utah Assistive Technology Program, Utah’s Interagency Outreach Training Initiative, the National Center on Disability and Access to Education, and the Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education. In the various positions he held during that time, he was well regarded for his trusting and collaborative relationships with colleagues from a variety of disciplines.
Blair holds a bachelor’s degree in special education, a master’s degree in secondary education, and a doctorate in education and disability policy from Utah State University. He also earned certifications from the National Leadership Institute at the University of Delaware and CITI: Social and Behavioral Research. He is an international policy research consultant, member of the “Together We Grow” consortium, and on the executive committee of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities Board of Directors. He has authored more than 100 publications.
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Dr. Matthew Levay, ISU professor of English, discusses his decade of research on modernist literature and how the variety of forms, including novels, magazines and even comics and file, describe the times in which they were written, and provide lessons for today. We talk about how the literature of the past provides a window into our understanding of the culture and the issues that persist, rightly or wrongly, over generations. Dr. Levay discusses the role that research plays in the discovery of new knowledge and joy. -
The American Public Health Association defines a Community Health Worker (CHW) as “a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served.” Join a conversation with Idaho’s Community Health Worker Academy to learn about how ISU is building bridges between health care providers and those who need health care services. We discuss ISU’s role in building health resources and information assistance for Idaho’s most vulnerable citizens. Visit the online Community Health Worker Training Academy to learn more about how to register for the program, to take classes or to bring these unique resources to your community. -
ISU’s Dr. Mary Lou Dunzik-Gouger and current undergraduate nuclear engineering/ mechanical engineering student Angela Trejo talk about ISU research that is molding the U.S. energy future. They tell us how students work side-by-side with ISU faculty to better understand how ISU’s research nuclear reactor is answering questions to guide the design of the next generation of advanced reactors. -
Join Idaho State University's Interim Dean of the College of Business, Alex Bolinger, MBA graduate Rehnaz Karanjia, and current MBA student Alicia Pino as we discuss their research on effective communication with remote employees. Their work delves into what strategies are most effective when managing remote teams, as well as common pitfalls to avoid. The conversation will highlight key findings from their research on leadership and project management in remote work environments. -
ISU’s 2025 Distinguished Researcher, Dr. Mustafa Mashal, ISU Structural Lab manager Jared Cantrell, and undergraduate student Prajita Budhathoki talk about engineering research that saves lives and builds a safer future for all of us. They describe recent projects that involve ISU students and partnerships that support innovations in bridge building, agriculture, and energy systems. -
ISU Professor and Associate Dean for Social and Behavioral Sciences, Zackery Heern, talks about the Middle East, religious persecution, and the hope that comes from understanding our common humanity. Heern’s research explores political and religious influences on the region and how these influences explain how people co-exist, or don’t, in this volatile region of the world. His 2015 book, “The Emergence of Modern Shi’ism: Islamic Reform in Iraq and Iran” reviews the foundations of modern Islam, and provides insight into the region's religious and political developments both past and present. -
The new director of the ISU Office for Research Development and the Associate Vice President for Research at ISU talk about expanding research opportunities for ISU faculty and students. They describe the value of research in higher education and how it benefits individuals and the communities where we live. They provide examples of how research results and creative scholarship improve our health, our ability to move around our communities, and our interactions with others. University-based research makes a positive difference in almost all aspects of our lives! -
ISU Biological Sciences assistant professor Dr. Heather Ray and Nelly Cyuzuza, an ISU graduate student, describe what they are learning about genetics and developmental disorders. They tell us how they got “hooked” on their interest in developmental biology. -
ISU assistant professor Kirsten Green Mink and biological anthropology graduate student Miles Rhoads discuss new uses of technology to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) endemic. We also talk about ancient Mayans and ways in which students can focus their experience and interest into interesting career paths. -
Dr. Donna Lybecker shares her thoughts about how words and narratives around political issues shape our long-term understanding. She describes how ISU students engage in research and academic activities that help them become more active and informed citizens in U.S. democracy. This prepares them for a variety of careers, and for life.
