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The Secret Life of a Research Administrator | Sean Scott

“The Secret Life of a Research Administrator” column is meant to facilitate more personal connections between SRAI members through the Catalyst newsletter. If you would like to share with the community or know of someone who will, please submit your article here.

Growing up, when I used to tell people that I lived in Paris KY, unless they knew the great horse farms in the area, they were not impressed.  But when I would tell people I lived in Bourbon County KY, well then, they were quite interested!  That made a strong impression on me, and it wasn’t until I was older that I could truly appreciate why they were so interested.  Kentucky Bourbon is the finest on the planet and has gone from being relatively unknown outside the Commonwealth to a worldwide audience.  Living in this region, I enjoyed an unparalleled education in bourbon, and was able to watch as the industry grew and take shape into the juggernaut it is today.

Drinking and talking bourbon has become one of my passions.  I loved sharing with others and meeting new people through their appreciation of bourbon.  I used to go to the University of Kentucky faculty club (I say used to as it was a victim of the pandemic), as it was the only place on campus you could get a drink.  It didn’t take long for me start teaching the bartenders things, who then told management who asked if I would host a bourbon tasting for them.  I had never done one before, but I loved bourbon, and presenting, so I said sure.  That was several years and more than a dozen tastings ago!  Word began to spread and soon I did tastings for Aramark and their chefs, and then some companies…it was crazy!  When the pandemic hit, I was able to do a couple virtual tastings, which were cool, but not the same.  I’m currently in negotiations to go to New York to do some tastings for some private companies, and in-person tastings will resume at a local restaurant in June so I’m extremely excited!  The SRAI Annual Conference this year is in New Orleans, a city also closely associated with.  Some even say Bourbon Street is where bourbon got its name.  Come find me at the conference and I’ll explain why they are wrong.  I’ll be the one drinking bourbon.

Authored by Sean Scott, CRA, Director of Research Operations, College of Public Health
University of Kentucky