Who we are
90+ employees and students
Vision
Provide best-in-class service in support of ASU’s rapidly growing Knowledge Enterprise.
Get in touch
Centerpoint Building at 660 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281
Research Administration
Research Integrity and Assurance
Organization structure
Research Operations
Heather Clark, Assistant Vice President
480-965-1427
Sponsored Projects & Research Admin System
Nick Petersen, Director – Post-Award Services
Jessica Robins, Director – Pre-Award Services
Research Compliance
Kristy Macdonald, Associate Director – Office of Research Integrity & Assurance
Nancy Henderson, Associate Director – Institutional Compliance & Regulatory Affairs
Strategic Cross-Functional Support
Deb Murphy, Director – Research Integrity
Jenny Dunaway, Content & Knowledge Strategist
Valerie Keim, Research Operations Manager
Deirdre Egan, Executive Admin
Contracting Services
Bob Weidenbaum, Contracts Manager
How we can help
- Proposal preparation and processing.
- Award negotiation and acceptance.
- Award setup.
- Project accounting.
- Post-award administration.
- Cash management.
- Cost analysis and compliance.
- Compliance with all applicable university, sponsor, ABOR, state and federal requirements, standards and regulations.
- Regulatory compliance.
Research Operations Team services
Pre-award and Negotiations
Jessica Robins, Director – Pre-Award Services
- PNT Proposals Functional Group (PFG).
- Research Advancement Services (RAS).
- Biodesign Institute Research Opportunity Advancement and Development (ROAD).
- Research Instruction & Outreach Team (RIOT).
Kristy MacDonald, Assistant Director
- Contracts.
- Subcontracts.
- Industry Agreements Group (IAG).
Email for:
- Assistance with the Enterprise Research Administration system (ERA): Review the ERA Systems page
- General questions from Research Advancement Administrators: [email protected]
- Proposals and questions from PIs and proposal teams in assigned RAS-supported units: [email protected]
The primary role of the Research Advancement Services (RAS) team is to provide pre-award research administration leadership in an environment of ambitious research growth, innovative process improvement, and gold-standard customer service.
- Develops proposals and provides guidance on award change requests for assigned units ([email protected])
- Supports units with RA vacancies, leaves, and those experiencing a surge in proposals for a given deadline, as capacity permits ([email protected], fees may apply)
- Creates materials for dissemination one-on-one and in seminar/workshop-type environments for the benefit of assigned RAS-support units (faculty, unit staff), and research advancement administrators.
- Provides guidance on “how to” questions from unit RA staff ([email protected])
- Supports the ERA by providing assistance to units with questions and technical issues regarding ERA Proposals
RAS Team Supervisors
- Elise Miller and Colleen Trompeter
Email for proposal/agreements not assigned in ERA: [email protected]
The Proposal and Negotiations Team’s purpose is to meet the request of sponsors with management of the administrative aspects of proposed projects to award and to negotiate agreements, while minimizing risks, administrative delays and ensuring compliance with federal, state, ASU terms and conditions.
- Provides advice and assistance on pre-award issues
- Supports RA staff in proposal precision
- Reviews critical proposal items
- Authorizes proposals on behalf of institution
- Reviews, negotiates and executes incoming grants, agreements & contracts
- Reviews, negotiates, and executes subawards
Email for proposal/agreements not assigned in ERA: [email protected]
The Industry Agreements Group’s purpose is to process proposals and contracts with Industry partners and serves a liaison with ASU’s Technology Transfer Office to provide recommendations and help in the decision-making process on intellectual property-related matters. The office helps mitigate risks and aims to increase the revenues for the organization while ensuring compliance with ASU’s obligation to the state and federal laws.
- Provides advice and assistance on pre-award issues for Industry proposals
- Supports RA staff in proposal development for Industry proposals
- Reviews and submits proposals to industry sponsors
- Reviews, negotiates and executes incoming industry research agreements, non-disclosure agreements and material transfer agreements
Compliance
Nancy Henderson – Assistant Director, Research Integrity and Assurance
For general questions and assistance, email [email protected] or call 480-965-6788.
ORIA provides resources to researchers to ensure research is performed with the highest ethical standards, safely, and in compliance with all applicable regulations and policies.
- Provides education and outreach on compliance areas
- Utilizes efficient processes to make compliance as easy as possible for the regulated community
- Supports institutional compliance committees for
- Human Subjects (IRB)
- Animals (IACUC)
- Biosafety (IBC)
- Conflict of Interests
- Export Controls and Security
- Responsible Conduct of Research
- Scientific Diving
Post-award services
Nick Petersen – Associate Director, Award Management
Email for questions and inquiries on post-award items or processes: Contact the AMT Customer Service Liaison.
The Award Management Team provides post-award administrative support and guidance to ASU unit faculty and staff, while minimizing risks and administrative delays; ensuring compliance with federal, state, and ASU terms and conditions; and serving as a liaison to sponsors.
- Sets up awards and award modifications
- Prepares financial invoicing and reporting to sponsors
- Submits non-fiscal reporting such IP and equipment
- Determines allowability of expenses, requesting approval from sponsor where needed
- Reviews and approves cost transfers including accounting adjustments and journals
- Processes subaward invoices and perform closeouts
- Provides post-award support to RA staff and Business Operations Managers
- Supports the ERA ([email protected]) by providing assistance to units with questions and technical issues regarding ERA Awards
For additional information about working with the Award Management Team, see the FAQ.
The Fiscal Oversight Team obtains economies of scale by aggregating post-award functions that are not award specific. FOT acts as the institutional official for the following areas:
- Audit and monitoring – Facilitates complete, precise and appropriate responses with the least amount of disruption to ongoing operations.
- Costing analysis – Oversees federal rate negotiation, recharge center support, salary cap monitoring and additional pay reviews.
- Sponsored payroll review – Reviews sponsored payroll and after-the-fact interim compensation charges based on budget estimates.
- Cash management – Facilitates timely, accurate and complete payments through collections, electronic invoicing, draws and related activities.
- Risk management – Reviews focused expenditure support and monitors subrecipients
- Closeouts – Performs award and financial account closeouts
Team structure contacts:
- Cash Management
- General Inquiries: [email protected]
- Fiscal Compliance
- External Audit Liaison: [email protected]
- Payroll Redistributions: [email protected]
- After-The-Fact Payroll Reviews: [email protected]
- Recharge Center Rate Reviews: [email protected]
- Expenditure Monitoring: [email protected]
- Subrecipient Risk Assessment: [email protected]
- Accounts Receivable/Collections/Closeout
- General Inquiries: [email protected]
Metrics
Research Operation Metrics
Calendar Year | 2022 | 2023 | Metric |
---|---|---|---|
Proposals submitted | 3,563 | 3,864 | NA |
Agreements processed | 3,396 | 3,598 | NA |
Financial reporting | 97% | 95% | >95% |
Activations | 8 days | 9 days | <10 days |
Modifications | 15 days | 20 days | <35 days |