Name: Carolina Pizarro
Position: Senior Grants Specialist
Office: Grants & Sponsored Programs
Institution: Barry University
What attracted you to this work?
For a long time I have been attracted to higher education. My background is as a lawyer and I have a master’s in management. When I was looking for my next chapter, I considered ways to combine these two skills. When I found this grants position a year and a half ago, it seemed like the perfect fit.
I love the idea of giving back, working together with PIs who are finding cures for disease and helping disadvantaged children. Also, these faculty really need us. They’re good at their science, but they need someone to help do this other thing around support for submitting grants.
What’s your favorite thing about your work?
One of the things I like the most is that we always have new things to learn, and every day is new!
I’m also very people-oriented, so I enjoy talking to faculty and learning about their research. We end up being a team toward achieving a particular goal, in this case, a grant submission.
What’s a handy tool in your tool kit?
First is the Uniform Guidance, which I have printed to reference on my desk. I also find it very useful talking with my coworkers, asking them questions and brainstorming. I have mentors outside the university as well, who are great resources. Finally, listservs have been very helpful, such as CLASP’s one. I browse several of them.
What’s your wish for improving your work?
I’m still pretty new to research administration, so every training or webinar I try to participate in, which my supervisor encourages.
How could our organization take steps to improve?
I really enjoy the monthly meetings. I always learn by listening from others’ questions and ideas.
I would benefit a lot from having more networking events and workshops on different topics. I mostly do pre-award, but I am interested in learning more about post-award as well. I think it is good to have an idea of the grant cycle from beginning to end.
What role could you see playing someday in the Florida Alliance?
Perhaps I could see joining the Communications & Networking Committee, to learn from them and find ways to collaborate and help find connections across the state.