Written by: Roshni Singh, Career Stories team
Nearly Three Decades of Service: Mark van ‘t Hooft’s Research Administration Journey
Kent State University
The May Career Stories featured Mark van ‘t Hooft, whose professional journey at Kent State University started in 1998 as a graduate teaching assistant, followed by stints in academic research and sponsored programs (pre-award), before being named Director of the newly rebooted Office of Research Development in 2024.
When he was laid off from his research appointment in 2012 due to budget cuts, Mark had an opportunity to join the Office of Sponsored Programs as an entry-level administrator. Over the next decade, he worked his way up to the position of assistant director for pre-award and expected to spend the remainder of his career in this role. Instead, when a new Vice President for Research began exploring the idea of reviving the university’s research development efforts in 2024, Mark was asked to take on additional responsibilities, overseeing the reestablished Office of Research Development. Now being in a dual role, he reports to both the VP for Research as well as the Assistant VP of Sponsored Programs.
With a limited budget and a staff of only two that was new to research development, initial service offerings were limited to basics such as helping faculty look for funding opportunities, document editing, and overseeing the limited submission process. The many resources available from NORDP, including its Mentoring Program and a 2022 review of Kent State’s research operations through the Program for External Evaluation of Research Development (PEERD), have provided Mark with guidance and support during a period of rapid change and growth. As a result, the Office of Research Development has been able to expand its offerings, including faculty consultations, webinars, and programming for NSF CAREER applicants.
The countless hours spent writing proposals and helping faculty prepare competitive applications have shaped Mark’s career path for a very long time. He realized early on that researchers need support but are often hesitant to seek it out, whether out of fear of appearing inexperienced or uncertainty about who to turn to. Research development plays a critical role within this context, even more so now, given the volatility in the current funding landscape. As he mentioned, “Last spring was really tough for us, and we recognized that faculty were struggling, so we provided the same support we’ve always provided, plus a little bit extra in areas we normally wouldn’t.”
Rebuilding Kent State’s Office of Research Development from the ground up has required creativity and strategic thinking and Mark and his colleague continue to focus on building a sustainable and effective research development office with limited resources, helping faculty and staff identify and interpret funding opportunities, build collaborative research teams, provide resources for proposal development, and offer specialized assistance for large-scale, complex submissions.
Mark is happy to answer any questions you may have, so please feel free to contact him at mvanthoo@kent.edu
NORDP News 