About NSU Office of Research

The Office of Research-NSU (OR-NSU) is the central office for research administration at NSU, functioning administratively in the Office of the Vice Chancellor. OR-NSU is responsible for formulation of regulatory policies and procedures governing basic and applied research throughout the university and in facilitating and enhancing internal and extramural grant opportunities for NSU core faculty. OR-NSU coordinates the activities of four School Scientific Review Committees (SRC). These SRC are responsible for scientific merit review of faculty research protocols that are part of grant applications. OR-NSU also administers the process of ethics clearance undertaken by two university-wide committees: the NSU Institutional Review Board/Ethics Review Committee (NSU IRB/ERC) and the NSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The chairperson of each of these two university-wide committees reports to the Director, OR-NSU. OR-NSU also provides administrative supervision and support to the Chair of the NSU Institutional Biosafety Committee and the NSU Institutional Biosafety Officer, both of whom report to the Director, OR-NSU. Each school also has a Research Coordinator who reports to the Director, OR-NSU and functions on liaison between the OR-NSU and the school faculty.

Vice Chancellor Atiqul Islam established the Office of Research-NSU (OR-NSU) in November 2018, appointing Professor Dr. Norman K. Swazo as Director. Dr. Swazo joined NSU in September 2014 as Professor of Philosophy and has also served as Director, Office of Undergraduate Studies. He holds his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Georgia (Athens GA, USA), a Graduate Certificate in Global Policy Studies from the University of Georgia Center for Global Policy Studies, a Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) from the University of Michigan School of Public Health (Ann Arbor MI, USA), and a Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude in Science in Human Affairs from Princeton University (Princeton NJ, USA).

Dr. Swazo has held faculty appointment as Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Philosophy and administrative appointment as Interim/Acting Dean, College of Science and General Studies at Alfaisal University in Riyadh Saudi Arabia, as Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Humanities at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, as well as professional experience as a Consultant with the Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office of the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), in the Regional Program on Appropriate Technology for Health and country-level in Honduras, Grenada, and Dominica. Professor Swazo specializes in recent European philosophy, ethics in international affairs, biomedical ethics, and philosophy of religion.

Mr. Mostafizur Rahman serves as Officer in the OR-NSU and as Recording Secretary for the NSU IRB/ERC and NSU IACUC. He is an NSU alumnus, having a BBA and MBA from the School of Business and Economics, majoring in Marketing and Human Resource Management. Mr. Tahsinul Haque holds the position of Officer (acting as Secretary) at OR-NSU. He earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Sociology from the University of Dhaka. Ms. Tania Rahman serves as Technical Writing Specialist in the OR-NSU while continuing a faculty appointment as Senior Lecturer, Dept. of English and Modern Languages. Mr. Olior Rahman serves as Office Support Staff. OR-NSU is located in Administration Building Room 625.