Look Up and Smell the Roses: Impact and Meaning of RA Work
Research administrators are involved in meaningful and impactful work that supports and improves the lives of others. This is easy to miss when engaged in the daily grind and never-ending paperwork. Always take time and reflect on the impact this work has on our institutions and society.
Realizing the Impact of the Work
The value of higher education continues to be a topic of discussion for policy makers, the public, and other stakeholders. Education, research, discovery, and knowledge creation are a big part of what universities and colleges do, and RAs often have a front seat to the research enterprise and its impact. That new grant award that an RA previously submitted may be a perfect example of work that is seeking to make a difference in society. Those scientists and institutions, and by extension RAs, who worked on the development of the COVID-19 vaccines are a recent example of related research work that helped save lives. Multiply this by all the scientific, technological, and societal advancements being made and you quickly realize the impressive impact the work can have on our society. Read the next proposal you help submit; you may be inspired by the progress you support routinely in your RA work!
Getting to Know Your PIs
Certainly, reading proposals and the associated articles is a good way to learn about the work of the principal investigators (PIs) you support as an RA. Visiting the lab or attending presentations given by the PIs you support can be a more tangible way to learn about their discoveries and the impact of the work. There is no shortage of opportunities to hear about the work going on at research institutions. Take advantage as a person on the front lines of knowledge development to witness the impact the work you support is having in society. While visiting the labs, attending a presentation, or indulging in a demonstration, talk to your PIs about their work and what it means. In turn, this will help you realize the importance of the work you do as an RA.
Those budget allocations, lab orders, document submissions, compliance protocols, and graduate student paperwork you reviewed and processed takes on new meaning when you see that without your skilled support, essential discoveries could be delayed. Taking time to appreciate that your work contributes to the betterment of society can be a powerful antidote to burnout and frustration, so be sure to give it a try. Remember to take time to look up and smell the roses you helped plant in the garden of life!
Authored by Jose Alcaine, PhD, Director of Research Services, Affiliate Faculty
Virginia Commonwealth University
SRAI Distinguished Faculty
Authored by Jessica Schiller, Ed, Research Project Manager, Notre Dame Research
University of Notre Dame
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