Research Administration Team for Medford/Somerville Campus
Fall 2008, Issue 9

Under the direction of Paul Murphy, director of research administration, Christine Woodroffe, senior associate director, works with associate directors Maria Harlow and Kim Pachetti to provide research administration services to faculty and staff on the Medford/Somerville campus. The team’s overall goal is to facilitate research by assisting faculty with funding proposals, by negotiating and administering grants and contracts, and by acting as a resource for funding opportunities.

Woodroffe joined the Office of the Vice Provost in 2004. Before coming to Tufts she worked in sponsored programs at both Brandeis and Boston universities, and she has over 20 years’ experience in contract and research administration. She also has corporate administrative and paralegal training and experience. Woodroffe earned a BS in business administration/accounting from Northeastern University (Boston, Massachusetts). “One of the key things that I enjoy about the job is when you bring in faculty and they’re working hard on getting funding and that award comes in—that’s really fun and very rewarding,” says Woodroffe. “I enjoy being part of the research infrastructure growth, and supporting faculty directly in their research. I also enjoy being part of the research enterprise in general, with all the disciplines and talent we have here.”

Harlow joined the Office of the Vice Provost in 2007. She worked for Massachusetts General Hospital for 14 years as a research financial grant manager, then as a grants and contracts administrator. She also has several years’ experience in R&D business analysis, administration, and accounting. Harlow earned her BS in business administration from Merrimack College (Andover, Masssachusetts). She believes an important part of her job is to listen to Tufts researchers, hear what their needs are, and be open to their suggestions. “I like to have the investigators involved as much as possible when negotiating terms with a sponsor,” says Harlow. “I find this career to be interesting because it’s the kind of job that never gets old. I find that policies are always changing, new sponsors are always coming on board, new guidelines, new types of research.”

Pachetti joined the Office of the Vice Provost in 2008. Before coming to Tufts, she was director of sponsored programs for Canisius College (Buffalo, New York). Pachetti has over 20 years’ experience in research administration and human resources. She earned her BA in social science from Boston College and her MEd from SUNY at Buffalo. Pachetti is a certified research administrator. “There’s a good group here, collegiality among my peers, the faculty have been tremendous, people are very open and friendly,” says Pachetti. “Tufts has the feel of a nice small school with the large school appeal because of the scholarship that goes on, and the level of research. I enjoy the overall experience.”

The research administrators for the Medford/Somerville campus work closely with the administrators for the health sciences campuses in Boston and Grafton. Tufts’ research administrators

• provide proposal preparation guidance and training, including assistance with budgets and compliance issues
• assist faculty with the proposal submission process
• review proposals, grants, and contracts to ensure compliance with federal, private, and internal policies
• draft, negotiate, and manage grants, contracts, and subcontracts
• manage investigator institutional transfers
• administer all aspects of grants and contracts throughout the life of the award
• inform faculty of important announcements in research funding and of specific funding opportunities
• work closely with Sponsored Programs Accounting on all post-award aspects

Research administration areas of responsibility are divided among the associate directors by department. A list of departments and the assigned Medford/Somerville campus associate director can be found here. A list of departments and the assigned health sciences associate director can be found here.

Paul Murphy, director of research administration, can be reached at (617) 636-3819 or (617) 627-3886 (Paul.Murphy@tufts.edu).

Contact information for Medford/Somerville campus associate directors:
Christine Woodroffe (617) 627-3696 (Christine.Woodroffe@tufts.edu)
Maria Harlow (617) 627-5187 (Maria.Harlow@tufts.edu)
Kim Pachetti (617) 627-4274 (Kim.Pachetti@tufts.edu)

Contact information for the health sciences associate director:
Zoya Hamilton (617) 636-6709 (Zoya.Hamilton@tufts.edu)

For more information on research administration, please go to http://www.tufts.edu/central/research/GCProposals.htm.