Written by: Roshni Singh, Career Stories team
Be Vulnerable but Also Know What You Want to Do
Drawn by a research background, funding structures, and opportunities, Dr. Anna Ward shares that her journey to the RD profession is a gift where she is fascinated by the many ways you can address the same question.
In September Careers Stories, we shared the journey of Dr. Ward, who brings over 15 years’ experience in academic research, teaching, program management, and research development, including previous roles as a Program Officer in UCRI and a Grants and Program Manager at University of California at Davis. Dr. Ward received her BA degree in Politics and Women’s Studies from UC Santa Cruz and doctoral degree in Women’s Studies from UCLA. Prior to returning to UC, where she is the Director of University of California Research Initiatives (UCRI), part of the Research Grants Program Office at the systemwide Office of the President, Dr. Ward was previously a Visiting Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of the Gender and Sexuality Studies Program at Swarthmore College and a lecturer in the Program for the Study of Women and Gender at Smith College.
After being affiliated with different UC campuses, Dr. Ward grew fascinated with the complexity and scale of the UC system which includes 10 unique campuses, as well as systemwide entities like Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR), the 42-site Natural Reserves System, and the three UC-affiliated national laboratories. In her current role, she oversees a suite of research grant programs designed to encourage collaboration across the UC system, spur new directions in interdisciplinary research, and generate novel solutions to challenges facing California communities.
Dr. Ward is deeply involved in NORDP and was a Co-Chair of NORDP’s Committee on Inclusive Excellence. In NORDP, she found a welcoming community to identify with and says “the connections that we make are gold.” She thinks that RD professionals can do a better job articulating their contributions beyond proposal development and encourages exploration beyond just “churning out proposals and competing for the same pool of money.” Also, according to Dr. Ward, RD doesn’t get enough credit for the potential role it can play in retention, especially with minoritized faculty.
Dr. Ward advises new RD professionals to perform informational interviews and participate in the NORDP Mentoring program. She benefited immensely from mentorship and her NORDP mentor encouraged her to think creatively, which led her to multiple informational interviews being instrumental in her career. She made herself “vulnerable and talked to some heavy hitters”, aiming to do something in 5 years that would normally take 15 years. Now she advises others, “to be vulnerable but also know what you want to do” as the informational interviews goes both ways where both parties are investing in each other.
Dr. Wards’ impact and legacy is creating a safe space for difficult conversations, doing everything with pride and honor, treating everyone with the respect they deserve, while making their paths easier.
Dr. Ward would love to answer any questions you have for her, so please feel free to email her at anna.ward@ucop.edu
The link to the interview to Dr. Ward’s Career Stories by the NORDP LEAD Career Stories team will be posted in the NORDP LMS when available.
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