Numerous individuals from across the span of the University of Nevada, Reno connect with the Sponsored Projects group to move sponsored research, scholarly and creative projects forward administratively. The Sponsored Projects Academy helps all involved better understand how each contribution fits into the extended process, from proposal development through to project closeout.

Developed and hosted by Sponsored Projects, part of Research & Innovation, the six-week academy has been completed by 112 faculty and staff since its launch in 2019.

The fall 2021 cohort included:

• Kayla Armbruster, Grants & Projects Analyst II, Office of Medical Research, School of Medicine
• Hillary Barrera, Accounting Assistant, Pharmacology, School of Medicine
• Amanda Cane, Research Development Specialist, Research & Innovation
• Jill Fontana, Administrative Assistant IV, College of Education & Human Development
• Jennifer Grove, Administrative Assistant II, Pathology, School of Medicine
• Helen Harriff, Administrative Assistant III, School of Social Work
• Zach Howarth, Administrative Assistant III, Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities, College of Education & Human Development
• Sarah Jager, Administrative Assistant III, Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities, College of Education & Human Development
• Jeaneen Preston, Administrative Assistant III, Office of Medical Research, School of Medicine
• Gloria Sharlein, Subaward Specialist, Sponsored Projects, Research & Innovation
• Natalie Todd, Grants & Projects Analyst I, Office of Medical Research, School of Medicine

“A large network of talented and skilled professionals comes together to advance science, discovery and creativity at this University,” said Mridul Gautam, vice president for research and innovation. “I’m pleased to see the level of pride and interest, and applaud the Sponsored Projects team and the program participants for committing to this training.”

“Knowing who else on campus does the same thing you do on campus creates another contact to turn to for questions,” Erika Waday, Sponsored Projects manager of education and outreach and coordinator of the Academy, said of the growing, professional network. “We all have the same goals. Everyone works together to make it happen.”

The Sponsored Projects Academy includes weekly, three-hour sessions and features up to 20 guest presenters. The program explores the research-project lifecycle through proposal preparation and submission, award acceptance, account setup, project management, effort reporting and project closeout. It covers the role of Workday and introduces important resources available through Research & Innovation such as the departments of Research Integrity, Animal Resources, Environmental Health and Safety, and Research and Proposal Development Services. An addition to the fall 2021 program was a presentation by Erica Hall, project/program manager, a new role established within Sponsored Projects in March 2021.

For more information or to sign up for a future Sponsored Projects Academy, contact Erika Waday.