November 9, 2016
K-State research administrators team up to write article for National Council of University Research Administrators magazine
Debby Werth, contract negotiator and certified research administrator for PreAward Services, and Amy Brusk, grant administrator and certified research administrator for the College of Veterinary Medicine, regularly work together on agreements. They have developed a good working relationship and decided to share their advice in an article for the National Council of University Research Administrators, or NCURA, magazine.
"We're In This Together: Best Practices for Interaction between a Central Office and a Departmental Office" appears in the October/November 2016 issue. Werth and Brusk offer advice about remembering common goals, defining relationships, establishing appropriate workflows and maintaining communication.
Research administrators work under tight deadlines, and successful collaborations are key to meeting institutional research goals. Werth and Brusk said that department and central research administrators both have a role in fostering a successful research environment.
"We both saw the call for articles. Amy has been very involved in NCURA for a number of years and wanted to contribute an article. She asked me to participate, and I truly enjoy working with Amy, so it was a perfect opportunity to collaborate," Werth said.
Brusk said that she and Werth have always worked well together.
"Deb and I have been working well together since 2013 and have come to realize the impact that our positive collaboration has had on the university's research environment. We hope the article helps other professionals do the same," Brusk said.
NCURA aims to advance the field of research administration through education and professional development programs, sharing of knowledge and experience, and fostering a professional, collegial and respected community. The organization has more than 7,000 members and hosts three national meetings each year. K-State research administration staff take full advantage of NCURA's offerings.
"RSCAD activity at K-State is at an all-time high. Providing the support necessary for faculty to pursue external funding is imperative," said Paul Lowe, associate vice president for research and director of PreAward Services.
According to Lowe, K-State supports the continuing professional development of the research administrators who support RSCAD activities and is third in the Big 12 in the number of certified research administrators who have achieved professional certification.
"When departmental and central office research administrators work together, they can provide the best possible environment to support faculty investigators and the institution. K-State has enjoyed excellent support and collaboration between departmental, college and central administration research administrators, and this article is more evidence of the teamwork in place to meet the RSCAD goals of becoming a Top 50 public research university by 2025," Lowe said.