Meet Dr. Richard Bowen

Dr. Richard Bowen is no stranger to the classroom, the laboratory, or to sponsored programs.  A Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, his research focuses on diseases carried between animal and human populations.  In addition to his research, Bowen directs the Animal Models Core for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases and is currently involved in sponsored research with Ceva USA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), Merck, Merck Animal Health, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

When I sat down with Dr. Bowen to ask him how he manages all of his projects, along with the accompanying compliance regulations, he shook his head and nodded toward Maura Link, accounting technician in the Animal Reproduction & Biotechnology Laboratory (ARBL).  Through his sponsored projects, Bowen collaborates globally with research colleagues, and with sponsor and CSU research administrators, like Link, who work to ensure his projects are successful.

Enter Maura Link 

Roughly three years new to research administration, Link shared on how she “learned on the fly” with Dr. Bowen and with other sponsored researchers at ARBL.  “At times it’s hurry up and go,” commented Link on how they may be in a holding pattern on a project, then rushing to get a contract in place a minute later.  “It’s all about communication,” she continued,  “Communication with the sponsor, with ARBL post-award accounting techs, with college administration, and with the Office of Sponsored Programs.”

Link went on to share how she interacts with Dr. Bowen and others in ARBL on the pre-award side of things, helping submit proposals.  “I have worked really hard on getting the PIs [Principal Investigators] out here to come to me as soon as they are thinking of doing a proposal.”  Link shared the challenges faced in a deadline intensive position with so much to learn.  Even with her background as an accounting technician in the Department of Human Services, Link had to learn the nuances of sponsored research.  “When I first started at CSU, Dr. Bowen was listed as sub-recipient on three DARPA proposals and also submitted as a prime to the same DARPA announcement. I remember being absolutely shocked that I could not access a list of other departments that had submitted DARPAs to ask questions about little details and such… I am so thankful for the RAMAround forum and listserv.  It really brings us all together as a large team, rather than several islands bumping into each other, and being able to put a face to a name is a great asset.”

Link concluded by saying she loves working as a research administrator and hopes to get further connected with research administrators here at CSU through venues like RAMAround and with professional organizations like NCURA and SRA.

Managing Sponsored Research…Together

For many of us, whether we are faculty researchers or the administrators who provide assistance, “learning on the fly” in research administration is the norm.  Luckily for us, there are organizations, like the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) and the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAInternational), that offer webinars, workshops, and sessions on sponsored research-related topics. 

At CSU we are fortunate we can share our knowledge and experience through forums like RAMAround, the RAMAround listserv, campus-wide workshops, Lunch & Learns, and other trainings geared toward sponsored program administration.  These venues provide a great place for learning and sharing so we can manage sponsored research…together.

Look for topics of interest to be posted here as well.  Up next: Changes to the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).

A warm thank you to Dr. Bowen and Maura Link for sharing with us on how they work cooperatively to manage sponsored research here at CSU!

Watch how faculty researchers and administrators at the University of Michigan manage sponsored research…together.