Justin Keller, grant coordinator in the Arkansas Tech University Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, has been selected for the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI) Author Fellowship program.
The SRAI Author Fellowship is a competitive national program designed to mentor research administrators in developing and publishing scholarly work that advances the field of research administration. Through the fellowship, Keller will work closely with his mentor, Dr. Stacy Pritt of Texas A&M University, to develop a manuscript for submission to the Journal of Research Administration.
Keller’s project will explore the use of artificial intelligence and large language models in Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocol review and compliance processes. His work will examine how AI tools might improve efficiency and effectiveness in research compliance and their limitations and ethical considerations.
The idea for the project emerged after Keller encountered emerging scholarship on the use of AI in Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes. Curious about how similar tools might apply to animal research oversight, he began exploring the topic and discovered an opportunity to contribute to the field.
“I’ve always been interested in artificial intelligence and large language models,” said Keller, who earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and a Graduate Certificate in student affairs and advising from Arkansas Tech as well as a Master of Arts degree in applied communication from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “When I realized there wasn’t much research on how these tools could support IACUC work, I decided to explore it. The SRAI Author Fellowship provides the mentorship and support to bridge the gap between having a question and being able to contribute meaningful scholarship to the field.”
Dr. Michael Bradley, dean of the ATU Graduate College, praised Keller’s initiative to seek answers to a question connected to his work.
“That takes initiative and real intellectual curiosity,” said Bradley. “He’s thinking carefully about how emerging tools like AI can support our researchers while still protecting the integrity of the compliance process. This fellowship is well deserved, and I’m excited to see how his work benefits both the field and our faculty here at ATU.”
A member of the ATU staff since January 2025, Keller noted that the opportunity is both a professional milestone and a way to strengthen research support at Arkansas Tech. The project directly connects to his work with ATU’s IACUC, and he hopes to identify insights that can improve how the university supports researchers while maintaining rigorous compliance oversight.
Through this fellowship, Keller will contribute to national conversations about the responsible use of AI in research compliance while also bringing enhanced knowledge and best practices back to the ATU Graduate College and the ATU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
For more information, send e-mail to grants@atu.edu.
