University of Kansas

Like many Research Administrators do, I fell into research administration. I was working as an Accounting Specialist for the university and was ready to expand my knowledge and experience. I was hired as a Grant Coordinator supporting a wonderful department. After a year or so, I started thinking of research administration as my career and not a job. Fast forward five years and I’m currently a Grant Officer supporting a large portfolio of diverse awards and learning something new everyday!

I didn’t know Research Administration was a field much less a profession when I was hired in the Chemistry department August 1995. I was hired for an Accounting Specialist position which included managing the budget reporting for grants the PI’s received among other duties such as approvals, appointments, accounts receivables, travel for grant, state and endowment funding. Over the years my titles changed and my position stayed in the department for 19 years before the position moved to a semi-central office called the Shared Service Center (SSC). When the position moved, I had to make a decision to stay with the grant funds or focus on the state/endowment funds. I chose to stay with the grants as this had been my primary focus in the department. After being in the SSC for 7 years with different titles, our office was combined with the central research administration office where I have been exposed to what was behind the curtain and now manage sponsored projects for PI’s no matter what agency or department they assigned from/to. It has been an ever changing learning experience but I would say it has been a natural dive into Research Administration without realizing it. I’m excited to see how what we do has grown into a recognized profession full of diversity in the way all types of education and experiences bring people to the positions now a days.