Our mission
The Northwestern University Research Administration Professionals (NURAP) brings together NU staff from across the university with the aim of improving institutional cohesiveness in research administration and fostering professional excellence among its members. As scholarly inquiry becomes increasingly collaborative, NURAP endeavors for a diverse membership of research support professionals in departments, divisions, centers, schools and central administration units. With an emphasis on operations and organizational management, NURAP will provide an educational forum to discuss current policies, exchange best practices/ideas and network. In this way, NURAP will strengthen the enabling infrastructure as described in The Highest Order of Excellence: A Planning Framework 2005-2010 (Northwestern, 2005).
The Steering Committee
NURAP is led by a steering committee responsible for the administrative, programmatic,and fiduciary aspects of the organization. The steering committee members are:
- Katherine Mustea, President, Financial Ops, Accounting Services for Research and Sponsored Programs
- Darlene Peterson, Vice President, Audit and Advisory Services
- Alden Chang, Secretary, FSM, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Joseph Boes, FSM, Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Julia McPherson, FSM, Neurology
- Lori Palfalvi, FSM, Department of Medicine
- Daniel Rademacher, FSM, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Sara Sylvan, FSM, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Reid Wellensiek, WCAS Research Administration
- Andrea Zakrzewski, OR, Office of Sponsored Research, Evanston
Steering Committee minutes can be found here.
Standing Subcommittees
The steering committee membership is further grouped into four standing subcommittees, responsible for creating the strategy and accomplishing the activities of the organization. The subcommittees are:
Programming (Lori Palfalvi)
Information (Alden Chang)
Membership (Dan Rademacher)
Continuing Education (Joseph Boes)
Members are welcome to participate in the meetings of the subcommittees and join as ad hoc members.