NORDP 2024 Volunteer of the Year Award

Length of NORDP membership: 5 years

What initiative are you the most proud of in your role as a NORDP volunteer? I oversee the Liaison Program for NORDP’s Strategic Alliances Committee (SAC). In that role, I’m most proud of writing reports from SAC liaisons who exchange information between NORDP and the many organizations in the global research enterprise. Over a dozen Liaison Reports can be found in the NORDP News blog, which is easily accessed from NORDP’s main webpage.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing SAC liaisons with:

• Advancing Research in Science (ARIS)
• Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE)
• Canadian Association of Research Administrators (CARA)
• Colleges of Liberal Arts Sponsored Programs (CLASP)
• International Network of Research and Management Societies (INORMS)
• Network of Academic Corporate Relations Officers (NACRO)

NORDP currently has approximately 20 liaison partners, all of which offer significant opportunities for collaboration with NORDP. This delivers great value to NORDP’s members, their institutions, and NORDP as a whole.

How did you hear about NORDP and what made you join initially? Before beginning my position at McAllister and Quinn, I worked at Rice University for 17 years.  I initially served as a faculty lecturer and as associate director of a campus-wide Academic Affairs program for writing and communication. In those roles, I supported graduate and undergraduate students across all schools of study in multi-modal academic communication and advised faculty on how best to teach and assess skills in research writing and presentation. I became interested in research development while I was working in this program. In 2014, I served as a reviewer for the Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling fellowship.  Shortly after, I began coaching doctoral students applying for federal grants, such as the NSF GRFP, NSTRF, and NDSEG. As I pursued a career in research development, Dr. Phyllis McBride, who was director of  Rice’s Office of Research Development Services, suggested I get involved in NORDP. In fact, I ended up joining NORDP even before I had a full-time position in RD,

I was drawn to RD because of the competitiveness of the grant world. Early in my post-graduate career, I went on the academic job market and received a tenure-track offer.  Ultimately, I decided not to pursue that opportunity. That was a major turning point in my career, as I wasn’t sure what my next step should be.  I realized though, that I wanted to stay in touch with the research world.   In my current job, I get to meet faculty across a range of institutions and disciplines and to learn about their research.   I love the dynamism and forward-oriented genre of the proposal. There is an excitement in developing a strong plan that leverages resources, anticipates and mitigates risk, and imagines potential outcomes and impacts of research.    

What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP? My involvement in NORDP has resulted in extremely close working relationships and friendships that I truly treasure. Many of my NORDP colleagues are senior to me, and I’ve benefitted from their mentorship. As just one example, with their input, I’ve focused on how to run a more effective meeting. Watching leaders like Karen Eck, Kim Patten, Sharon Pound, Jessica Venable, Faye Farmer, Peggy Sundermeyer, Jess Brassard, and others has taught me so much, whether it be focusing on my career path or learning how to use communications tools.

Describe how NORDP has changed from when you initially joined. I’ve witnessed the tremendous growth of NORDP, with our membership reaching 1,400 and over 700 attendees at the annual conference. During my time on the Membership Services Committee (MSC), we approved three new affinity groups. Within the Strategic Alliances Committee (SAC), we have also approved several new liaisons over the last two years.  This is an exciting time for NORDP, with new challenges and opportunities as we expand our membership and external networks.  

Of particular note, our 2024 membership survey and RD certification and credentialing surveys revealed the diverse roles and institutions in which RD members are serving, and raised questions about how we define the field of research development.    Additionally, I’ve seen a shift to RD professionals working more in hybrid and remote roles. MSC’s upcoming salary survey which will launch in the spring of 2025 is sure to give us new insights into the career choices and career paths of our membership.

One other evolution in membership was revealed at the new member breakfast at this year’s conference. There seems to be a heightened interest in NORDP as a professional development venue, with new training provided virtually to entire RD offices at member locations and targeted programs for both entry-level and advanced RD professionals.

What recommendations do you have for members to get more involved with NORDP? I can encourage others to follow some of the steps I’ve taken to get engaged in NORDP. First, attend your regional group and find  affinity groups that match your interests. Second, attend the annual conference and join in on the activities like networking dinners and the poster session. Third, join NORDP Groups (these replaced Circles); these are great virtual spaces for  collaboration. Fourth, attend the annual Committee Round Robin online event. Finally, utilize LinkedIn to connect to NORDP members and don’t be afraid to connect to or follow leaders whose work inspires you. NORDP is one of the most welcoming professional organizations I have been a part of, and I am invested in helping others find their place in our community.