Paper: Exploration of Project Management Activities and Skill Sets in Operations of a Large Research Infrastructure Facility.
Abstract: The PMI Body of Knowledge states that “Projects require project management activities and skill sets, while operations require business process management, operations management activities and skill sets.” Perhaps unintended, this seems to understate the value of project management and skills in operations. A case study of administrative business operations associated with a US Government-funded large research infrastructure facility was undertaken to examine this proposition. A systems-based assessment framework designed to assess the health and performance of administrative business components was used and applied to a large research infrastructure construction project, and later to its operations. Qualitative methods were used to compare and contrast the business systems framework the project management principals, and the results from the application the framework. The examination identified the points of intersections, deviations from expectations and reasons for these differences. The observable impacts were also documented. The comparison showed similarities with the project management principles and the assessment framework, and where there are deviations they are typically associated with the testing of specific regulations. The assessment results and anecdotal observations suggests that the facility operations are not consistently impeded where project management principals are not applied, though in certain areas the impacts are greater. The long-term impacts cannot be fully determined in this study. There are observable benefits to the use project management principles in the administrative business operations of a large research infrastructure facility. PMI assertion may be missing out highlight the benefit of applying project management principles to operations.
Biography: Rosemary Madnick, MBA is Executive Director for the Office of Grants and Contracts Administration at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. In her current position, she is responsible for both pre- and post-award administration of approximately $127 million in annual sponsored project awards. Her experience with grants and contracts management at various institutions has provided her with more than 24 years of knowledge in research administration.
Her experience has given her distinct skills in research, development and evaluation of policies and programs as well as the know-how in investigating and analyzing problems with broad impact using data to develop sound decisions.
As a senior research administrator, she provides consultation and guidance on all aspects of sponsored program administration including development of research policies and procedures, resolution of grant and contract issues internally and externally. She has represented her institutions on site visits and with funding agencies. In addition, she is also been involved in strategic implementation of new organizational structures to support grants and contracts operations and implementation of activities requiring facilitation and change management activities. She is a member of the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP).
Past positions included Assistant Vice President, Office of Research Administration at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute where she managed the pre and post awards sponsored projects including clinical trials; Director of Grants, Contracts and Compliance at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science; and Department Administrator for University of California, San Diego.
She has been a member of National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) since 1998. She served and held a number of positions at the regional level such as Region VI LEAD Me Program Dean of Mentors and past chair of Region VI in 2012. She has also held positions on national committees including National Leadership Development Committee and (NLDC), Professional Development Committee and a number of program committees. She has presented workshops and sessions and evaluated workshops at both regional and national meetings. She is a graduate of NCURA’s Executive Leadership Program.
In addition to serving as a NCURA peer reviewer, Rosemary is part of the NCURA faculty who teach on the fundamentals of research administration. She is also a contributor for the NCURA’s Magazine.
