Author: michael thompson

Paul Tuttle is one of three new elected NORDP Board Members in 2018. We thank Paul for his service to NORDP!

Who: Paul Tuttle, Director of Proposal Development
Where: Office of Research Services & Project Management, North Carolina A&T State University
Number of years in research development: 18
Length of NORDP membership: 7

What’s your history in RD? When and how did you enter the field? What kind of RD work do you do?

I began working in the field of research administration at North Carolina A&T from 2000 to 2003 and returned as the Director of Proposal Development in 2015. In the interim, I worked at Winston-Salem State University as their Associate Director of Sponsored Programs and as a grants consultant and later the Managing Grants Consultant for Hanover Research advising client colleges and universities on strategic research advancement. Like many of us, I had been doing RD work without realizing it—I felt that I had “found my people” after attending my first conference in 2012 in Alexandria.

I have spent my entire career working to strengthen higher education institutions’ research enterprises. In my current role at North Carolina A&T,  I help faculty understand the funding landscape, oversee and facilitate grantsmanship training, coordinate new faculty research orientation, help faculty express their project visions in words, facilitate interdisciplinary teaming for research across campus, and help guide the strategic directions of the Division of Research and Economic Development. I feel that I have come home to my dream job, in which I not only help individuals and teams to grow, but departments and colleges as well.

What’s your history with NORDP? How have you engaged with the organization (committee work, conferences attended/presented)?

I began my engagement with NORDP first as a conference attendee and presenter, marrying my background in business and technical writing with my current career in positioning, developing, and writing proposals. Over time, I became curious about how the pre-conference workshop planning was done, so I joined the committee. Because I have always been interested in professional development, I also joined the PD committee. Throughout my involvement with NORDP, I have had numerous informal mentors in how to do RD better; these mentors’ guidance and the chance to see NORDP up close and in action have helped me grow. I see my participation in and service to NORDP as a way to give back to the organization, which has given me so much.

What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP (new colleagues, connections to institutions where you previously had no point of contact)?

I have met countless people at NORDP conferences over the years, building many relationships serendipitously after conversations at lunch, on breaks, at receptions, and so forth. I try to follow up on these conference contacts via phone or email to continue our conversations: it has been so helpful to me that so many NORDP members are so friendly and willing to share their knowledge and experiences.

What inspired you to run for a position on the NORDP board?

I was actually nominated by two members of the NORDP board. I had not been expecting it at all; I was tremendously flattered by this surprising and validating gesture. I was honored and humbled to be accepted by the board as a candidate and voted on by the NORDP membership. I view my nomination, candidacy, and election to the NORDP Board as the single largest professional compliment I have ever received.

What initiative are you most excited about in your new role as a board member?

The RD field and NORDP are both maturing, and I am excited about the chance to help guide that process. Recognition of the differing career paths toward becoming an RD professional are a sign of that maturation. We are getting closer to being able to define not only the skill sets of a NORDP RD professional but also what RD is or can be for people at different levels in a higher education institution, from a VPR at an R1 to the newest, most entry-level departmental research administration. I am also very interested in diversity and inclusion initiatives, and not simply because I currently work at the largest HBCU in the U.S.: I want to ensure that all are represented and have an opportunity to voice their perspectives and that as a discipline and an organization we appreciate and utilize the richness of the diverse viewpoints among both existing and potential NORDP members.

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee

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.

Kimberly Eck is one of three new elected NORDP Board Members in 2018. We thank Kimberly for her service to NORDP!

Who: Kimberly Eck, MPH, PhD, Director of Research Development
Where: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Number of years in research development: 9
Length of NORDP membership: 4

What’s your history in RD? When and how did you enter the field? What kind of RD work do you do?

I started in RD in 2009 working for a small consulting company with clients in the healthcare and public health sector. Like many RD professionals, I had never heard of “research development” and didn’t know I was a research development professional until I had been working in my role for several years. After several years of consulting, I moved to higher education and found my niche. Today, as the Director of Research Development at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I lead a team that specializes in interdisciplinary teaming, long-range planning, and supporting major, multi-million proposals. I have taken a major leadership role in a university-wide cluster hire and grand challenge initiative and am increasingly involved in supporting our university centers and institutes.

What’s your history with NORDP? How have you engaged with the organization (committee work, conferences attended/presented)?

During the past year, I served as the Chair of the Southeast NORDP Region (SE NORDP). In this role, I led the region and SE NORDP Executive Committee in becoming an officially-recognized affinity group, launching a regional meeting series, and creating a regional RD job shadow experience. I’ve also regularly presented at the NORDP conference with colleagues and contributed to committees. I’ve really enjoyed presenting my original research with a great group of collaborators that I met through NORDP.

What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP (new colleagues, connections to institutions where you previously had no point of contact)?

Being a part of NORDP has allowed me to develop a nation-wide network. I know so many people at so many institutions throughout the country that I would have otherwise never met. In particular, working with my collaborators on research projects and my fellow SE NORDP Executive Committee members has been very rewarding. It is great to have a group of professional colleagues to learn from, bounce ideas off of, and share frustration with. I love catching up with colleagues every year at the NORDP conference.

What inspired you to run for a position on the NORDP board?

I am passionate about the field of research development and NORDP. Over the next four years, I hope to help NORDP continue to grow and serve its members. 

What initiative are you most excited about in your new role as a board member? 

I have often commiserated with fellow research development professionals about the lack of understanding and consistency in titles, roles, and responsibilities. There is a new initiative that I am planning to propose that relates to cataloging and describing the typical titles, roles, and responsibilities of research development positions. This a complex task that builds on the original research conducted by myself and colleagues and will require substantial input from the NORDP community. Ultimately, I hope to lead a working group to create a set of guidelines that will be useful to NORDP as well as human resources, administration, and institutional leadership.

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee

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.

Jill Jividen is one of three new elected NORDP Board Members in 2018. We thank Jill for her service to NORDP!

Who: Jill Jividen, Assistant Director for Research Development
Where: Medical School Office of Research, University of Michigan
Number of years in research development: 4.5
Length of NORDP membership: 4.5

What’s your history in RD? When and how did you enter the field? What kind of RD work do you do?

I finished my PhD in literature just before the recession hit in 2008 and the academic job market dried up. After teaching as an adjunct for two years, I took a position as a research administrator in the U-M Medical School, where my background in editing and writing appealed to leadership and researchers. I spent a year learning the basics of NIH grants, then moved to the School of Information, where I worked on NSF and foundations proposals.

I landed my first RD position without really knowing what the field was. I sought out a couple of mentors who did RD work; they connected me to NORDP, and, locally, we started to build a grassroots RD community to share resources and best practices. One of those mentors recruited me to her position as she retired. In my current role as Assistant Director for Research Development, I coordinate a junior faculty mentorship program (the R01 Boot Camp); connect faculty to funding opportunities and resources; present grant writing workshops; provide editing; and manage limited submissions.

What’s your history with NORDP? How have you engaged with the organization (committee work, conferences attended/presented)?

My mentors introduced me to NORDP. I went to my first conference two months after starting that first RD position. It was an eye-opening experience, and I was inspired by the creative problem-solving that our peers undertake to support faculty. I have attended every conference since 2014. I began volunteering at the conference registration desk and as a session scribe at the conferences. I gradually increased participation, joining the Member Services Committee and now the board. I feel grateful to have the confidence of my peers—that they know I’ll work collaboratively to ensure that we have a high-quality organization that provides resources and benefits to all members, at every stage of their RD careers.

What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP (new colleagues, connections to institutions where you previously had no point of contact)?

While I’ve enjoyed and benefited from the relationships I’ve built with my amazing colleagues across the nation, NORDP has actually helped me build relationships on my own campus. We have a large research enterprise, spread across the city of Ann Arbor, as well as in Dearborn and Flint. NORDP has inspired us to connect with the hundreds of people who support research, in various capacities—to generate and share ideas, and to inspire interest and investment in RD activities. We are currently planning our 3rd annual “mini NORDP”—a half-day conference where we can present best practices and successful models, and really showcase the innovative programs and resources that are being developed and used in our diverse Schools and Colleges. NORDP also has helped build relationships with other in-state institutions and provides us a point of contact to share knowledge and resources with our local colleagues.

What inspired you to run for a position on the NORDP board?

I am passionate about RD and NORDP; I joke that I’m the campus “evangelist” for RD—touting the value of this field and organization to anyone who will give me a platform. I’ve had successes in rallying people around a common cause on my campus, and I want to bring that enthusiasm and momentum to the national level. I think that good things come from connecting people around knowledge and ideas. Serving as a board member will allow me to do more to improve member resources and benefits, thereby improving the value of the organization and keeping members engaged.

What initiative are you most excited about in your new role as a board member?

One of my projects will be to overhaul the member resources page to best serve both new and more advanced members. I’d like to collaborate on an onboarding tool kit that will offer incoming members a strong starting point for engaging with NORDP. I want to offer members practical resources that will guide them at their own institutions, in their own work and careers. I also hope to contribute to current initiatives like NORD, to encourage research on research, and dissemination of these results, all in an effort to continue to grow the RD field nationally.

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee

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.