Acree plays a key role in the process. A certified research administrator, Acree has spent 20 years in grants and contracts although she is relatively new to the School of Nursing. I did my first application in 1980 in the Department of Physiology back in the days of typewriters and multiple carbons. I see my job as creating a great presentation. I simply get excited when we get a grant out the door and even more so when it is funded.
Many schools employ an assistant dean for research or have a central office.
In our structured yet adaptable system, the role of the department chairs become leaders in the research process. She is always asking me what I need to move my research forward, and doing whatever she can to help supply it. Researchers often have specialized needs, but some can be shared. One principal investigator may need wet lab space, while another needs computer hardware, but they may be able to share a data entry assistant. Dean Nancy Langston sees her job as one of structuring a balance between the resources of the individual researcher and the school's needs.