Written by: Roshni Singh, Career Stories team
Brooke Gowl’s Journey from Writing Grants to Becoming a Grant Specialist
The June edition of Career Stories featured Brooke Gowl, who brings 17 years of experience to research development (RD). After earning her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Cincinnati and completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan (UM), Brooke’s early career centered on research. During this time, she successfully secured two major grants: an NIH F32 NRSA fellowship and a collaborative National Science Foundation (NSF) award.
It was this NSF award—a joint project between UM and the Society for Neuroscience for the ADVANCE program—that shifted her career path. Her postdoctoral advisor had recognized her strong writing skills and encouraged her to help develop the proposal, which aimed to increase the representation of women in neuroscience faculty positions. Although the topic was outside her immediate area of expertise, Brooke immersed herself in the research, worked closely with the collaborating experts, and helped produce the winning submission. That experience sparked her passion for helping others secure research funding.
Currently, Brooke serves as a Research Development Specialist for Proposal Development and Competitive Intelligence in Grants Resources and Services at Appalachian State University. In this role, she supports faculty throughout the proposal process: helping researchers identify funding opportunities using tools such as GrantPuma, Pivot, Grants.gov, and custom AI agents; reviewing everything from Letters of Intent (LOIs) to full proposals; and advising faculty on aligning proposals with sponsor priorities. She also leverages AI tools, including NotebookLM, to compare proposals with funding solicitations and agency requirements while maintaining confidentiality by using only PI-approved documents.
Throughout her career, Brooke has continually evolved, shifting from a faculty-focused perspective to a dedicated RD outlook while building strong relationships with fellow RD professionals and research administrators. Although capable of leading, she views herself primarily as a “helper,” finding her ultimate reward in ensuring people get the support they need to succeed.
Brooke is a long-standing member of the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP), where she currently serves as co-chair on the Mentoring Team and co-convener for the AI in RD Peer Mentoring Group. She enjoys collaborating with colleagues, sharing innovative practices, and helping others grow professionally. She recommends maintaining an updated LinkedIn profile and resume, actively participating in professional organizations like NORDP, and creating new opportunities rather than waiting for them to appear. A memorable example came in 2019, when she took the initiative to participate in an Erasmus+ exchange at the University of Salento in Lecce, Italy. By building connections with faculty abroad, she expanded both her professional network and her perspective on international collaboration.
When asked what keeps her in research development, Brooke’s answer is straightforward: she loves helping people and wants to be remembered for treating others with kindness and respect. Her advice for fellow RD professionals is equally practical: track your work and make your office’s impact visible.
Brooke is happy to answer any questions you have for her, so please feel free to contact her at gowlba@appstate.edu.
NORDP News 