The College of New Jersey, in partnership with the University of South Florida Research Development Institute, has been awarded a five-year, $3 million collaborative grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a new post-award training model for research administrators at liberal arts colleges across the country.
The Primarily Undergraduate Institution Management Excellence in Research program will develop a model to strengthen the research enterprise at predominantly undergraduate institutions such as TCNJ.
“The adoption of the PRIMER model will improve grant award management systems and support increased institutional research activities by producing a better trained workforce to support the research enterprise,” said Amy Cuhel-Schuckers, grants and sponsored research director at TCNJ.
The partnership will result in an easily accessible online hub of curated training modules, documents, and publications that can be used as a template for replication at other institutions.
“PRIMER will deliver stackable micro-credentials designed to upskill career research administrators, grant managers and PIs. The future of the field are life-long learners, continuously honing their skills,” said Sandra Justice, USF Research Development Institute director.
TCNJ’s School of Science and School of Engineering will serve as case studies for the program in order to develop a best-practice model that can be shared with NSF and used as an instructional guideline for institutions of similar size across the country.
Karen Miller, controller, and Heather Mayan, assistant director of proposal, award, and compliance administration, will be the co-principal investigators for the grant. Judi Cook, executive director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Jeanette Vega director of financial grant administration, and Tina Albertson, grant accounting specialist, will also be heavily involved in the development and execution of the project.
— Luke Sacks