Do you know what a research administrator is? If your answer is “no,” you’re not alone. However, research administrators play a vital role in supporting faculty members and ensuring UTMB continues to work wonders in the prevention, detection and treatment of illness and disease.

Anyone who has participated in sponsored research knows that budget development, grant application preparation and submission, contract negotiation and regulatory processes can be confusing and never-ending. UTMB’s more than 180 research administrators help faculty navigate these areas so researchers can focus their energy on research. They also protect our institution and ensure that research dollars are spent wisely.

“Whether it’s helping to get grant applications out the door or get the money spent once research money is received, research administrators are here to help both pre- and post-award,” said Toni D’Agostino, associate vice president for Research Administration at UTMB. “We sit in an odd place where our customers are both federal sponsors as well as faculty. Our job is to be the go-between and understand what faculty members need and translate that into the correct language or approach so that the sponsoring entity will grant approval. Research administrators really provide a lot of support so the faculty member can then do the science.”

For UTMB’s 2015 fiscal year, the institution brought in more than $115 million for research. In NIH funding alone, UTMB’s awards exceeded the previous federal fiscal year, with a total of more than 145 awards and $72 million—which is better than how some sister UT Health institutions faired and a great accomplishment under the current federal budget situation.

UTMB has two areas of research administrators on campus—some work in central administration, comprising Research Services and Grants and Contracts Accounting, and others are in specific departments, working closely with principal investigators or lead researchers for a particular project.

David Hileman is a department administrator at UTMB who works with Internal Medicine, Neurology and the Sealy Center on Aging. His staff of three research administrators works directly with investigators daily to develop grant proposals and manage awards.

“Research administrators are vital in obtaining and maintaining our sponsored research,” said Hileman. “In fact, over the past three years, our group has helped our areas submit nearly 400 proposals.”

As a way to show appreciation for research administrators, UTMB held a special dessert social in the Rebecca Sealy building on Sept. 25, which is National Research Administrator Day. D’Agostino said it’s important to show appreciation for all research administrators who work behind-the-scenes in a challenging but rewarding environment.

“We have such great faculty who are doing incredible things. The science is amazing and everyone has a really great story, so that’s what makes it so exciting for us,” said D’Agostino. “I’m not a science-minded person, but it’s really rewarding to build relationships and help faculty get the tools they need so they can do the science leading to these tremendous discoveries.”