CAAS Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year 2025: Katie Kraus

Katie Kraus was once a student researcher in the dietetics bachelor’s program at Utah State University. She pursued her studies with zeal even then and was named Undergraduate Researcher of the Year in 2006. It turned out that her work then was merely the prologue for what she could achieve at USU.

After seven years of teaching at the University of Idaho, Katie returned to the dietetics program she graduated from. She’s mentored more than 80 undergraduate researchers since then.

Katie encourages students to dive into research by incorporating opportunities for it directly into her dietetics courses. For those who show an interest, she encourages them to engage with all aspects of the research process so they emerge ready to lead research projects of their own.

Katie’s students are regular participants in Undergraduate Research Day and the Utah Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ annual meeting where, in 2023, a group of her students won the poster presentation contest. Her expertise was also recognized when she was recently selected to help create the Certificate of Undergraduate Research, which will soon be offered through USU’s Office of Research.

To paraphrase one student, Katie possesses the unique ability to cultivate essential research skills in a manner that is not only manageable, but also inspiring. The College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences is pleased to honor Katie Kraus as the Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year.