Research Admin Job Families: Insights from Tufts and UTRGV

NSF GRANTED

Date / Time

November 14, 2024 / 1:00-2:00pm

Location

Online

Resources

Webinar Video

Slides

Presenters: 
Kristina Chavez, MBA 
Zoya Davis-Hamilton, EdD, CRA  
Thomas B. Spencer, PhD, MBA
 

Creating job structures that fit the needs of the institution, identifying good candidates, matching their skills to roles, and hiring them quickly is a skillset that all research administration teams need. Retaining employees once hired is an additional challenge. In this presentation two institutions—Tufts University (Tufts) and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV)—share their tools and skills for communicating with Human Resources, hiring, and keeping employees in a competitive environment, both with and without formal research administration job families.

This webinar is supported by an NSF GRANTED conference award (OIA-2324239), Improving the Research and Innovation Enterprise Across the Southwest Region.   

Kristina Koch Chavez, based in Edinburg, TX, US, is currently a Director, Compensation and Talent Acquisition at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Kristina Koch Chavez brings experience from previous roles at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and UTPA. Kristina Koch Chavez holds a 2014 - 2014 GRP @ WorldatWork. With a robust skill set that includes Executive Pay, Management, Data Analysis, Compensation and Benefit, Microsoft Excel and more. 

Zoya Davis-Hamilton, Associate Vice Provost, Research Administration Enterprise, Tufts University. Established professional and leader with multifaceted experience in administration of sponsored funding, strategic planning, and change management.

Thomas B. Spencer, PhD, MBA, is the Associate Vice President for Research Operations at UT Rio Grande Valley. Before joining UTRGV, Dr. Spencer held faculty appointments at UT Dallas, UT Southwestern Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University. He has worked in Academia and Research Administration for 20+ years and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the National Council of University Research Administrators(NCURA). Thomas’ research focuses on the study and methods of research itself: Research Administration, Public Affairs and American Healthcare. The understanding of Economic, Political and Public Policy decisions as they relate to research administration, accessibility, data privacy, and healthcare services is of prime importance in modern research. Additionally, the concept of Research Administrative Burden, or the study of policy related to the “red-tape” burden of research administration for scientists, administrators and regulators is woefully underserved as a research topic unto itself. Thomas has devoted both his career and education to the investigation of these topics as they relate to Org Theory, Public Service Motivation, Ethics and Leadership.

Tags: Research Workforce Development

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