NORDP 2018 Conference Cameo: BreeAnn Brandhagen

#NORDP2018 starts Monday, May 7 in Arlington, VA. Keep checking back here at the blog and on our Twitter feed (@NORDP_official) for live conference updates. Register here: http://www.nordp.org/conferences.
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Who: BreeAnn Brandhagen, Program Manager
Where: BioSNTR
Number of years in research development: 4
Length of NORDP membership: 1
Number of NORDP conferences attended: 1
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be either a doctor or an event planner.

After completing my PhD, I was a Lecturer for one year but found myself missing research. I knew I did not want a traditional faculty career, but I wanted to be engaged with research in some way. An opportunity to work with a new research center came up and I jumped in without really knowing what I would be doing!

In 2014, I started  as the first Program Manger of BioSNTR (pronounced “bio-center”), a state-wide distributed research center in South Dakota. I work with faculty across the state on large collaborative research projects. In addition to managing the finances of the center, I also monitor and evaluate project progress, assist faculty in finding and applying for new funding, coordinate public and university relations’ information, and assist in creating new partnerships amongst academic researchers and the local biotech industry. Every day looks different and that’s what I love most! I also really enjoy getting to interact with faculty from a variety of disciplines – I’m always learning something new!

I attended the NORDP conference for the first time last year, and had an amazing experience. There was so much good information presented in all of the sessions, and I brought back a lot of new ideas to implement in our center. I joined as a NORDP member after attending the conference and have continued to be impressed by the resources and information provided by the organization and the other members. As someone new to the field, and in a state that does not have a lot of people working in this area, finding NORDP was a huge benefit.

I would highly recommend attending a Networking Dinner at the NORDP conference and/or participating in the run/walk sessions in the morning. I found that these events were a great way to meet and connect with other attendees, in a very non-intimidating setting (which was perfect for an introvert like me!)

Social Media Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breeann-brandhagen
Twitter: @DrBrandhagen

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We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held May 7-9, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA.  For more information about the conference program or to register, visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences. Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2018 updates.

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.