LevelUP: Propagating Professional Proficiency
It has been almost 2 years since SRA International first contacted me about contributing to a new research administration training platform. Having started my career with a research team lacking in research administration expertise, I can relate to the challenges early and mid-career professionals face developing the essential skills necessary to achieve professional excellence. LevelUP gave me the opportunity to give back to the community and share some insights gathered through a lot of trial and error.
When this program was originally explained to me, I thought about one of my favorite components of our profession: the diverse nature of the roles and responsibilities in research administration allow for a robust career with endless opportunities. This program was designed to help those looking to build a foundation, but also those looking to expand their knowledge and professional expertise into specialized areas outside their current responsibilities. Increased knowledge adds value to the contributions we make in facilitating research, and at least as importantly, expands our potential and capacity for the future.
Principles in Pre-award Research Administration is a labor of love by the module authors and was personally a valuable learning experience. I had to be relentless early in my career finding answers to general questions and best practices (long before I knew SRAI existed!), let alone resolving complicated, nuanced challenges. This module was designed and written to help individuals avoid those pitfalls, understand the key concepts and practices in pre-award administration, and learn useful tips and tricks in finalizing and submitting grants and contracts.
Whether learned through trial and error, mentoring, or hard-earned experience, we have incorporated our most useful insights into a single module so that early and mid-career professionals can start with a LevelUP on us and their peers. I encourage you to check out our module and wish you continued success propagating professional proficiency in your careers!
Authored by: Evan Roberts, CEO
SRA International
#Catalyst#October2019#LevelUP