Kudos Korner | Catherine Thompson
SRA International members rock! As research management and administration professionals, they never stop improving, learning, achieving, or earning new heights of success. We love sharing good news and offering a well-deserved slap on the back for recent personal and/or professional achievement. In keeping with that sentiment, please join us as we congratulate Catherine Thompson on her new position!
SRA International is a professional networking community of learners. One way to gain knowledge and expertise is to share our stories of successful achievements with our peers and colleagues. Often research managers/administrators are cast in the role of promoting, supporting and applauding others. While this may be gratifying in many respects, it is also healthy to have pride in one’s own accomplishments. Kudos Korner offers SRA International members a wonderful and respectful venue for sharing and “bragging.” Have Something to Share in Kudos Korner? Submit your article here.
New Position
Catherine Thompson, CRA
Office of Pre-Award Administration
University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development
SRAI member since 2001
Have you ever wondered if professional development through SRAI can enhance your career? Look no further than Catherine Thompson, an avid SRAI member since 2001! Catherine started her career in research administration in 1998 in the Department of Radiology in the UVA School of Medicine, and after becoming indispensable there left her comfort zone for the challenge of the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. As part of a careful examination of school and building namesakes that has been ongoing at UVA, the School was renamed the “School of Education and Human Development”. Along with a new name came a new focus on research funding and professionalization of the research enterprise. Catherine called on the skills, experience, and tools she has gathered over years of attending SRAI Chapter, Section, and International meetings. She developed a textbook-perfect body of policies, procedures, and guidance documents that prove that research administration is both an art and a science. She has been granted signatory authority for the institution and has assumed the responsibility to sign and submit proposals. She is now heading a professional office that has seen a dramatic increase in award funding and research status at the University.
Catherine is an active volunteer and supporter of SRAI. She has served two terms as the Secretary of the Virginia Chapter and has managed the chapter list serve for 10 years. She has rarely missed a SRAI meeting of any kind, where she has earned certificates in Clinical Trials, Research Law, and Research Development. She has developed an online training course for new administrators and is a co-founder of CoRA (Community of Research Administrators), a pan-University professional development organization. Her future plans are to continue to mentor new staff and develop more training courses.
Look for Catherine at the next in-person SRAI meeting, hopefully coming soon!.
Authored by Angela Behrend, Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator
University of Virginia
#Membership#Catalyst#April2021#KudosKorner#SRAIMembersRock