I concur. We (WMU) have several faculty researchers in chemistry and
bio sciences in receipt of several NSF grants to mentor students
toward the scientific fields. These are undergraduates, but your
story Robin alerted me to post about the "seed" of research
experiences for undergrads. There is a grant writing component to
one project I worked very closely on (developing the proposal). My
name and title are listed, as are others, in the project plan for me
to present on funding opportunities--this will include scholarship
support information, too--and proposal/grant/scholarship application
writing and submission. These budding scientists are getting a taste
of research administration, I feel.

For graduate students, WMU faculty researchers indeed include them
as co-PIs on proposals and further I get to know students through
various receptions. What will their careers be following the
doctorate?

At the doctorate-level, RA as a professional tract is competing
with a lot of fields. Scholarly publication, research, research
institutes.... The RA field is so darn specialized, too; a field I
admire and a field I feel fortunate to be a member of. I get to
reach out, to instill at times, the value of working with others, to
encourage, support, coordinate, administer...all of it. Worthy-work,
you might call it.

Yes, networking is very important to culling folks into the field.

I hope it's not too obvious I have rambled on an empty stomach :-).
I like the topic a whole lot. You have me thinking about the
presentations I and colleagues put on, and how these could coincide
with our careers office or student services in some way. We need
more than cookies and brown bag lunches, I believe, as well as a
flier inviting "all students and staff".

-Gina

Gina Betcher, MFA
Grant Developer
Office of the VP for Research
TEL: 269.387-8204
FAX: 269.387-8276
EMAIL: xxxxxx@wmich.edu

>>> "Dewey, Robin" <xxxxxx@URMC.ROCHESTER.EDU> 3/14/2007 11:39
AM >>>
As I am the one who posed the question, a little about my
background
might be interesting. I'm degreed in Biotechnology (AAS) and
Applied
Nutrition (BS). I worked for years as a "lab rat", in immunology,
agricultural genetics and bio-electric circuitry. When I came to
Rochester I was hired to work in the lab, but the group had just
moved
here from Weil Medical College and were in desperate need of some
organization to get themselves back up and running. After a few
weeks my
boss posted a job for a lab/grant manager. Since I'd been doing
that for
him anyway, I seriously considered whether to change gears, and
leave
lab research completely.

From my very first day at the University a wonderful research
administrator (Brenda Kavanaugh, for those who know her) had taken
me
under her wing. When I went to her for advice, she advised that my
science background would be a unique asset for anyone in
administration.
I went to my then boss and asked for the job he'd posted, and he
thought
it was career suicide but I've never looked back and never been
happier!
I do miss the lab once in a while, but I still have friends over
there
and can go visit them at lunch if I need my "research" fix.

I think that, in some ways, is how the new administrators are
"born"...through good mentoring relationships. I never even knew
the
career existed before I started here, because I'd always been in
industry and funding sources are so different there, as everyone
knows.
I try to encourage those who are interested when I find them - but
keeping young people in Rochester at all is a challenge so it's
not
often someone comes along.

Thank you everyone for your responses - I think it's been
interesting to
see the views from the different institutions!

Robin

**************************************
Robin Dewey
Research Grants Manager
Department of Medicine Administration
University of Rochester Medical Center
601 Elmwood Avenue
Box MED, Room 3-3236
Rochester, NY 14642
Phone: 585-275-6253
Fax: 585-442-3695
xxxxxx@rochester.edu <mailto:xxxxxx@rochester.edu>

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