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SRAI Journal of Research Administration

Volume LVI, Number 2

From the Editor's Desk

Author

Jennifer E. Taylor, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Rush Medical Center and University

The Journal of Research Administration (JRA) is the premier scholarly publication in research administration and management. We publish timely, essential work that enhances the knowledge base for research administration and supports research administrators worldwide, making JRA a crucial resource for career development as well as to grow the overall knowledge base for the field. Our contributors share best practices and innovative strategies to help research administrators worldwide navigate challenges and seize opportunities in our fast-paced, ever-evolving field. By publishing peer-reviewed scholarly articles, contributors not only advance their own careers but also elevate our profession.

I am pleased to introduce you to the nine original articles in the current issue—a number that reflects our growing submission pool of incisive manuscripts at a global scale. Articles in this issue have come to us from the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and Japan. The first set of studies published in this issue focuses on the needs, nature, and challenges of the research administrator workforce, as well as an exploration of factors that shape their job satisfaction. The uses and utility of artificial intelligence (AI) are the focus of the next two articles. (AI and the complexities surrounding its use, not only by research administrators but also by faculty and other investigators, have increasingly been the focus of JRA submissions. These two timely articles serve as a preliminary venture into AI, joining the broad array of issues and topics JRA has covered in its more than five and a half decades of publication.) We next turn to manuscripts that provide our readers with critical lessons learned  in the ongoing and ever-evolving work of research administration. These lessons prioritize the enhancement of research culture across institutions, providing insights that will improve the effectiveness of research administrators as they address essential tasks.

More specifically, the first article, entitled “The Needs and Challenges of the Research Administrator Workforce,” comes to us from Dr. Jennifer Woodward from the University of Pittsburgh, At-Large Board Member and Distinguished Faculty at The Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI); and Evan Roberts, Executive Director at SRAI. In their manuscript, they discuss the findings and recommendations from an ambitious three-phase National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded GRANTED conference. The three phases began with a set of regional focus groups made up of research administration leaders and human resources professionals who identify themes related to organizational structures in which research administrators function, as well as workforce practices. Insights from these focus groups led to a national survey encompassing diverse institutional types, conducted among individuals with more than 1,200 distinct job titles. As part of a final workshop, senior practitioners reviewed the survey results and provided recommendations that emphasized the importance of developing a national job classification system for research administrators.  

Next, a team spanning multiple Japanese Universities, including Dr. Shin Ito at the University of Tokyo, Hiroaki Hanaoka at the University of Osaka, Norihiro Hirata, Ph.D., at Shinshu University, and Makiko Takahashi, Ph.D., provides us with a study entitled, “What are the Crucial Factors Explaining Job Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction in RMAs? Statistical Analysis Based on the Japanese Survey.” This work offers a detailed examination of approaches to enhance job content satisfaction and reduce employment dissatisfaction among research managers and administrators in Japanese Universities, as well as a fascinating comparison to these issues in the United States, as discussed in the prior manuscript by Woodward and Roberts.  

Finally, Olanrewaju A. Wilhelm and Olumide Odeyemi of the University of Tasmania follow up with, “A Qualitative Content Analysis of Job Advertisements for Research Funding Managers-Related Positions in Australian Universities.” In this study, the authors share their perspective on job roles and requirements for research managers in Australia, further contributing to a better understanding of the core elements that comprise the work of research administrators in that country.  

When these first three articles in this issue are viewed in combination, they reflect an invaluable multinational perspective on the work and roles of research administrators, as well as the factors that impact their satisfaction and retention.

Our following two articles focus on a growing aspect of research administration processes: artificial intelligence (AI). In their contribution, “Advancing Research Administration with AI: A Case Study from Emory University,” Lisa Wilson and her colleagues Benn Konsynski, Ph. D., and Tubal Yisreal at Emory University discuss an effort to develop an AI model tailored to support research administration operations. They share practical insights and experiences that resulted from their work, including feedback and evidence indicating the model’s potential to streamline tasks and enhance productivity.  

A team of authors from Arizona State University provide a reflective inquiry that reports on the experiences of a working group at the university.  In their submission, “Reflections on AI Implementation in Research Administration: Emergent Approaches and Recommendations for Strategic and Sustainable Impact,” authors Amber Hedquist, Max Castillon, Megan Cooper, Valerie Keim, Tasha Mohseni, and Kimberly Purcell describe a process in which they developed, integrated, and iterated artificial intelligence solutions into their daily work as research administrators. They go on to offer specific recommendations tailored to research administrators as they attempt to integrate AI into their work.

We hope that these initial AI-related manuscripts in JRA will stimulate further consideration and research regarding the uses of this rapidly growing technology in the field of research administration.

The remainder of this issue presents a set of manuscripts examining the efforts of research administrators in enhancing key aspects of their core tasks. In “Building a Culture of Grantsmanship at an Urban Community College via Internal Funding Opportunities,” Dr. Sofia Oviedo and colleagues Yoel Rodríguez, Ph.D., and Antonios Varelas, Ph.D., from Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College, share their efforts to increase the volume of faculty and staff funding applications at an institution in which such efforts have not typically been emphasized. They describe the development of an internal funding and professional development program that appears to have resulted in increased motivation to apply for new grant opportunities, improved grant writing skills, and overall awareness of grant opportunities among the target groups.

The following two manuscripts are international submissions. The first is from our Canadian neighbors to the north. Jacqueline M. I. Torti and colleagues Kevin Oswald, Farah Friesen, Mariam Hayward, and Lorelei Lingard from Western University and the University of Toronto offer a unique perspective on creating and enhancing the culture for seeking funding. They examine the evolving roles of professional research staff (PRS) in Canadian universities, specifically their contributions to grant capture and the structures that influence their recognition. Critically, the authors found that essential elements in research settings perpetuate the invisibility and undervaluation of PRS work, as well as the negative consequences that result from this.  

In the following paper, “Streamlining Grant Management: Lessons from Process Mapping in Research Administration,” Ninette Kotzee and Prof. Elda du Tout of the University of Pretoria explore the implementation of process mapping within a grants management unit. The purpose of these efforts was to enhance efficiency in grant management and ensure adherence to the compliance requirements of US federal agencies. The study employed a multi-element approach that combined process mapping, activity-based costing, and a governance framework to identify areas for improvement in the post-award grant phase and to provide recommendations for institutions undertaking similar projects, particularly those that benefit foreign entities with limited resources to support research initiatives and monitor compliance. The paper offers an integrated approach to create a roadmap for greater efficiency in research administration.  

The final article in this issue is contributed by Angela Navarrete-Opazo and colleagues at Advocate Health Cheryl Lefaiver, Mercedes Robaina, Jessica Kram, Vida Vizgirda, and Laura Wrona, The study, “Research Authorization and Protocol Review (RAPR): A Centralized Research Review Model for Advocate Health Midwest,” describes a) process to streamline the review and authorization of research conducted within a health center, encompassing a broad range of research efforts, including clinical trials, nursing, and academic research in various areas.

I hope you enjoy this issue, which I share with mixed feelings because it will be the last regular issue on which I serve as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Research Administration. I will close out my term as editor-in-chief with our upcoming special issue on Clinical Trials. By the time the special issue is published in 2026, I will have been in a leadership role for the Journal for about eight years. In 2018, Nathan Vanderford, then editor-in-chief, invited me to serve as deputy editor. In early 2021, I began my term as editor-in-chief. I would like to thank Dr. Vanderford for his support and mentorship during my tenure as deputy editor, as well as all my predecessors as editor, who provided me with the opportunity to carry forward their stewardship of a publication that has been growing and thriving for over 50 years. I have been in this role for a bit longer than is typical, as we were transitioning to implement the new electronic portal system for processing submissions, which is now fully operational. It has been an honor to serve as editor-in-chief as we enter the second 50 years of scholarly publishing, and I have many people to thank.

It is hard to overstate how much the Journal’s success depends on the members of the editorial board, who dedicate countless hours to review manuscripts thoroughly and provide thoughtful, respectful feedback to our authors. No editor could ask for more than the outstanding contributions they have made to the Journal, and I am deeply grateful to them. Personally, the opportunity to get to know them and call many of them my friends has been a true privilege. Of course, the impact and quality of any Journal relies on the submissions it receives. We have been extremely fortunate to receive contributions from many extraordinary, insightful, hardworking authors who have chosen to publish their work with the Journal over the years. On behalf of the Journal and SRAI, I would like to thank you and encourage you to continue considering JRA as your preferred outlet for your work.

I also want to thank the SRAI staff who have worked with me as partners and are essential to the Journal’s success. Gina Snyder was invaluable as my staff counterpart for most of my tenure as editor, and more recently, Saleha Malik, who I am confident will provide the same critical support to the new editor as she did for me. This unsung team of SRAI staff members perform the hard work of editing and preparing each issue, pre-publishing articles SRAI journal website, and coordinate communication efforts so we may share this important work with the wider community. Thank you to Director of Technology Jim Mitchell, Executive Director Evan Roberts, and those who served as SRAI presidents during my term, along with members of several key committees, who have all made significant contributions to the ongoing excellence of the journal. I also want to highlight the vital work of the Author Fellowship Committee, including Amy Cuhel-Schuckers, who led the committee early in my term, and Holly Zink, who has since taken on that role, as well as all the Author Fellow Advisors, for their vital work in supporting the Author Fellows as they develop and publish their first scholarly articles. Many other individuals deserve thanks and recognition for their contributions to the Journal’s success over the years. I regret that recognizing each one would make this letter much longer than it is possible, but please know how grateful I am for your essential contributions.

The JRA has continued to grow and strengthen its position as the leading scholarly journal in research administration today. We are receiving increasing numbers of manuscripts, and I am pleased to note that the number of exceptional international submissions we publish continues to grow. Over the past few years, we have implemented a significant upgrade to the Journal’s infrastructure by introducing our ScholarOne electronic portal for processing submissions and reviews. As part of this effort, we conducted a thorough review and revision of the author guidelines, which will need further refinement as the types of manuscripts we receive evolve and new concerns and requirements arise in our field. We have also developed a standard “composite review” process over the years, in which the editor incorporates feedback from the editorial board to share with authors for revision. We have established a tradition of publishing occasional special issues centered on critical topics in research administration, which are often particularly relevant or underrepresented in the manuscripts we receive. New initiatives, such as providing Digital Object Identifiers (DOI), are being pursued. These will continue to develop as SRAI and the Journal work to address the complex and expanding requirements confronted by research administrators. During my tenure as editor-in-chief, as have others in this role, I have participated in recognizing our “Editor of the Year” awards as well as the “Rod Rose” awards for outstanding manuscripts. These tasks have been particularly difficult every year because of the excellence of our editorial board members and the manuscripts we receive; there are many more deserving candidates than we can recognize. I apologize for the many we have missed.

I thank SRAI for trusting me with the stewardship of JRA; it has been a great privilege. Leaving a role that has been such a significant part of my daily thoughts is difficult. However, I look forward to more sleep, some extra free time, and, most importantly, watching what I am sure will be the continued growth and impact of the journal under Holly Zink’s leadership. I will return to serving as an editorial board member once the Special Issue on Clinical Trials is ready for publication. Holly and I joined as members of the editorial team, where she first served as associate editor, working with Dr. Vanderford, and later as Deputy Editor, serving as a true partner and friend during my term as editor-in-chief. I cannot think of a more experienced or talented choice as my successor. I wish her, the editorial board—which I will continue to serve—and the entire team involved with JRA continued success as they move forward to serve our field amid the many new and ongoing challenges in research administration.

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