Projects
Research Administration Professional Development Program
Building a Year-Round Learning Program for Research Administrators
Research administration is constantly evolving. Sponsor expectations change, institutional procedures shift, systems are updated, and staff need dependable ways to build and refresh their knowledge.
To meet that need, I developed and coordinated a year-round professional development program for research administrators at Texas State University. The program supported continuous learning on topics including proposal budgeting, cost principles, compliance, subawards, research systems, audit readiness, and other areas identified through recurring questions and staff needs.
I managed the program from planning through delivery by identifying topics, developing content, coordinating subject-matter experts, scheduling sessions, supporting presenters, and maintaining materials and recordings for future reference and onboarding. The result was a structured learning environment that helped staff strengthen their knowledge over time rather than relying on one-time training events.
What I value most about this work is building a sustainable learning culture — one that supports continued growth, consistency, and confidence across the research administration community.
Budget Development Learning Pathway
Budget Development Learning Pathway
Designing a Multi-Level Budget Development Curriculum
Proposal budgeting is one of the most technically demanding areas of pre-award research administration, and learners enter the process with very different levels of experience.
I developed a progressive Budget Development Series with Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced workshops designed to build competency over time. The curriculum combined policy interpretation, sponsor cost principles, institutional practices, worked examples, and hands-on exercises.
I also developed targeted modules addressing specific needs, including NIH Modular Budgets, USDA budget formats, travel estimation, and other recurring budgeting challenges.
My instructional approach emphasizes practical application: demonstrate the process, work through an example together, then allow participants to complete a comparable task and discuss their results. Companion reference materials provide alternate ways to revisit the same information after training.
Budget Development Toolkit & Standardization
Turning Complex Budget Requirements into a Standardized Toolkit
Proposal budgets bring together sponsor requirements, institutional policy, complex calculations, and multiple cost categories. When those elements are handled inconsistently, even small errors can create unnecessary rework for research administrators and faculty.
I designed and implemented a standardized budget-development system for Texas State University's Office of Sponsored Programs that brings institutional requirements, calculations, and common proposal costs into a consistent, user-friendly framework. The toolkit supports development and review of personnel, fringe benefits, travel, supplies, subawards, indirect costs, and other common budget components.
The project combines my research-administration expertise with advanced Excel skills and a strong interest in usability and process improvement. My goal is not simply to automate calculations, but to make requirements easier to understand, reduce avoidable errors, and help users build budgets with greater confidence and consistency.
I continue to refine the toolkit in response to policy changes, user feedback, recurring questions, and lessons learned through actual proposal development. This iterative approach allows the tool to evolve alongside the work it is designed to support.
Research Systems & Just-in-Time Learning
Making Research Systems Easier to Navigate
Research administration systems are often where policy, process, and technology collide. Effective systems training therefore requires more than showing users where to click.
I developed and delivered training on institutional research administration systems, including Kuali Research Proposal Development and SAP, with an emphasis on both system mechanics and the business processes behind them. My goal was to help users understand not only how to complete a task, but why each step matters and how it connects to the broader research administration workflow.
I complemented live demonstrations and hands-on practice with concise job aids and reference materials designed for use at the point of need. These resources provided just-in-time support for users actively completing a task, while more detailed guidance allowed them to revisit the underlying process when additional context was needed.
My approach to systems learning combines instruction with practical performance support: help people understand the process, give them opportunities to practice it, and provide clear guidance they can return to when they are doing the work independently.
Cross-Functional Learning & Research Administration Community
Making Research Systems Easier to Navigate
Research administration systems are often where policy, process, and technology collide. Effective systems training therefore requires more than showing users where to click.
I developed and delivered training on institutional research administration systems, including Kuali Research Proposal Development and SAP, with an emphasis on both system mechanics and the business processes behind them. My goal was to help users understand not only how to complete a task, but why each step matters and how it connects to the broader research administration workflow.
I complemented live demonstrations and hands-on practice with concise job aids and reference materials designed for use at the point of need. These resources provided just-in-time support for users actively completing a task, while more detailed guidance allowed them to revisit the underlying process when additional context was needed.
My approach to systems learning combines instruction with practical performance support: help people understand the process, give them opportunities to practice it, and provide clear guidance they can return to when they are doing the work independently.
AI & Process Improvement
Exploring Responsible Automation in Research Administration
I explore automation and generative-AI tools to identify practical ways research administrators can reduce repetitive work, improve consistency, and spend more time on activities that require professional judgment.
My interest is not technology for its own sake. I focus on identifying appropriate use cases, understanding limitations and risk, and evaluating how emerging tools can support—not replace—the expertise of research administrators.
My approach emphasizes thoughtful adoption: start with the work that needs to be improved, determine whether technology actually adds value, and keep human judgment, accountability, and usability at the center of the solution.
