Growing any research program requires strategic planning, strong institutional support, and a commitment to staff development. In our February 2025 webinar, Dr. Andrea Buford from Oakland University shared her experiences in research administration and provided actionable insights on how to foster a thriving research environment. With her background in research development at Northern Illinois University and her current role as Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) at Oakland University, Dr. Buford has implemented successful strategies to expand research portfolios and build staff-centric research support systems.
This blog captures the key takeaways from her discussion, including lessons on developing mentorship programs, streamlining administrative processes, and securing external funding in times of uncertainty.
Building a Staff-Centric Research Office
Whether working within a higher education or healthcare research environment, Dr. Buford emphasized the importance of shifting from a traditional research administration model to one that centers staff and faculty support. At NIU, the research office was restructured to position research development specialists within faculty suites, fostering close collaborations. This approach allowed faculty to engage in meaningful conversations with specialists who understood their academic disciplines, leading to better alignment of research goals with funding opportunities.
At Oakland University, Dr. Buford carried forward this faculty-first philosophy by implementing policies that support researchers and minimize bureaucratic obstacles. Key actions included:
- Revising policies to make research processes more streamlined and efficient
- Ensuring infrastructure growth aligns with research expansion to maintain compliance and operational effectiveness
- Advocating for staff and faculty needs in administrative decision-making
The Power of Mentorship: Implementing a PI Academy
A standout initiative at Oakland University was the implementation of a Principal Investigator (PI) Academy. Recognizing that emerging research institutions often lack mentors with extensive external funding experience, the academy aimed to fill this gap.
The PI Academy included and supported:
- External mentorship: New staff were paired with top researchers in their fields from outside the university. These mentors provided guidance on securing funding and developing research careers
- Structured training: Over the course of a year, staff participated in workshops covering grant writing, career planning, and research strategy
- Long-term impacts: Many graduates of the PI Academy went on to secure significant external funding, contributing to the overall growth of the university’s research portfolio
Dr. Buford noted that as more staff receive funding and establish themselves, they naturally become internal mentors, reducing the need for external mentoring over time.
Overcoming Administrative Challenges
One of the key challenges in research administration is navigating institutional policies that were not originally designed with research in mind. Dr. Buford shared examples of outdated policies that inadvertently hindered research activities, such as restrictions on tobacco use that conflicted with cancer research protocols.
To address these challenges, she recommended:
- Regularly reviewing and revising university policies to ensure they support research initiatives
- Establishing open communication channels between research administrators and faculty or staff to identify pain points
- Advocating for research-friendly policies at the institutional level
Funding Strategies in Uncertain Times
With ongoing political and economic uncertainties affecting federal research funding, Dr. Buford advised institutions to take proactive steps to safeguard their research programs. Strategies include:
- Diversifying funding sources by seeking industry partnerships and philanthropic grants
- Protecting the most vulnerable individuals in research programs, such as graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, by ensuring continued funding
- Encouraging teams to explore new funding opportunities and assisting them in identifying potential grants outside traditional federal sources
Final Takeaways
For institutions looking to expand their research programs, Dr. Buford’s experiences at NIU and Oakland University highlight the importance of several key growth-enablement strategies:
- Adopt a staff-centric approach by designing research support offices that facilitate staff or faculty success rather than create administrative burdens
- Invest in mentorship through structured programs like the PI Academy that accelerate researcher and administrator development and increase research funding
- Simplify administrative processes by continually reassessing policies to remove barriers to research
- Diversify funding sources to reduce reliance on federal funding by exploring industry and private funding avenues
- Advocate for research support by ensuring organizational buy-in and a commitment to expanding research infrastructure alongside funding growth
By fostering a supportive research environment, research organizations can empower teams, secure more funding, and ultimately advance the impact of their research initiatives.
If you’re interested in starting a PI Academy or learning more about research development strategies, Dr. Buford encourages reaching out for guidance. In addition, the Cayuse Community provides an excellent platform for research professionals to connect, share insights, and collaborate on best practices in research administration. It serves as a hub for networking, discussing challenges, and exchanging ideas with peers who are navigating similar journeys. Whether you’re looking for mentorship, funding strategies, or operational improvements, engaging with the Cayuse Community can help take these discussions further and support the growth of research programs at organizations of all sizes.
