Chris Brown, who recently retired as vice president for research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is leading a $2.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop the nation’s first for-credit undergraduate and graduate curriculum in research administration.
The initiative, called Filling the Gap, is delivering academic programs and certificates in research and grant administration to 21 universities in the United States, including six in Alabama, and one in Namibia.
“Research and grant administration is vital to navigating the complexities of funded research,” Brown said. “Our field is facing a shortage of qualified professionals and a lack of formal training. Researchers at the bench or in the field may have great ideas; but to achieve success, they need the administrative support to drive ideas forward. This program addresses this challenge and supports institutions that want to increase awareness of research administration careers and develop a skilled workforce in a growing profession.”
The curriculum developed by Filling the Gap includes course material across several areas of research and grant administration, including the fundamentals of research administration and grant management, grant proposal development and submission, budgeting and financial considerations, compliance and ethics, and technology transfer.
The courses will prepare students for careers in research administration, clinical research, lab research, social science research and research-focused public policy.
“Currently, research administrators must learn their profession on the job because no complete, formal, recognized academic career path exists,” Sarah O’Brien, program director for the NSF GRANTED program in the Office of Integrated Activities, said. “The NSF recognizes the need to prepare the next generation of research administration professionals in this critically important field. Filling the Gap is creating the academic pathways needed to prepare students for this essential profession and build the workforce that supports research and innovation.”
The NSF funding will last through 2027, allowing institutions to access the curriculum developed by Filling the Gap at no cost for the duration of the grant. The Society of Research Administrators International will then assume maintenance and distribution of the material for a nominal fee after the grant ends.
So far, 21 institutions are in the planning stages of developing research administration programs, while UAB, the University of South Alabama and James Madison University have launched curricula in research administration over the past year.
At UAB, the collaboration with Filling the Gap has led to the creation of a research administration and management minor through the university’s College of Arts and Sciences.
“We are very excited about this partnership, as well as the opportunity to offer such a unique program to our students,” Robert Blanton, professor and chair of UAB’s Department of Political Science and Public Administration, said. “Research administration represents an exciting career path for students from a variety of majors and academic backgrounds. UAB is also a great home for this initiative, as we have a wealth of resources that can be utilized for students, including mentoring and internships as well as potential job opportunities after graduation.”
In addition to funding curriculum development, the NSF grant will provide partner institutions with a marketing toolkit and social media campaign for student recruitment developed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and New Mexico State University.
Filling the Gap also will support partner institutions with experiential learning opportunities, including internships with universities, industry, government and nonprofits. Universities also will have access to 12 experienced research and grant administration professionals who can serve as adjunct instructors of record for institutions that currently lack the appropriate faculty.
“This effort was born out of the frustration in hiring and retaining a knowledgeable research administration workforce,” Lynne Chronister, retired vice president for research at the University of South Alabama and program director for Filling the Gap, said. “This NSF-funded program opens up the opportunity for students to gain knowledge and skills for a viable career in research administration in all sectors involved in the research enterprise.”
