Communications & Community (COM)

I am a project manager at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), where I have spent five years coordinating large-scale international research consortia. With a background in biochemistry, I combine both scientific understanding and operational expertise to global health projects.
A highlight of my work has been serving as Coordinating Project Manager for the DRTB-HDT project — a six-year, EU-funded clinical trial on drug-resistant tuberculosis, uniting ten partner institutions across Africa, Europe, and Central Asia. This role deepened my appreciation for the richness that comes from collaboration across cultures, systems, and scientific traditions.
I am drawn to international research for exactly this reason: the opportunity to work alongside people from all corners of the world, navigate diverse professional contexts, and build the shared trust that makes ambitious science possible.

I am a research and innovation management professional with more than decade of experience in EU-funded R&I programmes, technology transfer, and strategic capacity building. Throughout my career, I have worked extensively on Horizon Europe and international collaborative projects, supporting universities, research centres, and innovation ecosystems in developing sustainable impact-oriented research and innovation strategies. My motivation for joining the International Research Managers organisation stems from my strong belief in the critical role research managers play in shaping excellent, responsible, and globally connected research environments. I am particularly interested in contributing to international knowledge exchange, strengthening collaboration across institutions and countries, and engaging with a professional community that promotes best practices in research management, innovation, and technology transfer. Through my work on large-scale initiatives such as Horizon Europe Teaming, Twinning, and MSCA projects, I have gained experience in proposal development, governance design, stakeholder engagement, complementary funding strategies, and impact planning. I have also actively contributed to strengthening institutional research capacity and integrating technology transfer and commercialisation into research infrastructures and innovation ecosystems. I hope to further develop my professional competencies and international network and also to contribute my expertise and experience to collaborative initiatives, peer learning activities, and the advancement of the research management profession globally.

I hold a PhD in Biomedical Sciences and have worked as a researcher in the field of cardiovascular research for the past 20 years. I am currently a Senior Scientist at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) in Madrid, Spain.

Over the last eight years, first at IRCCS Neuromed in Italy and now at CNIC, I have become increasingly involved in project management activities, particularly in large population omics projects. These experiences have given me the opportunity to oversee many aspects of project execution, including grant management, identification and coordination of scientific partners, and collaboration with multiple departments within the institution, such as commercial, legal, fiscal, and laboratory teams.

My interest in project management has grown steadily to the point that I actively sought specific training opportunities in this area. However, I realized that there are very few programs available and not exactly specifically tailored to research project management. Although my experience may not yet be as extensive as that of other candidates for these positions, I am genuinely motivated to learn, grow, and contribute to this field. I hope not only to advance professionally myself, but also to help other researchers who find themselves navigating similar challenges.

I was born in Cedar City but spent my formative years in Tennessee. I’ve since returned to Cedar City, where I currently serve as a Sponsored Program Manager for Southern Utah University’s SPARC Office and the Health and Wellness Center. In this role, I manage a campus Suicide Prevention grant and support faculty in the College of Health Sciences and the School of Business and Aviation in identifying, applying for, and managing grant funding throughout the full lifecycle.

Prior to joining SPARC, I worked as a Project Navigator on a U.S. Department of Labor grant focused on cybersecurity and clean energy, where I partnered with employers to place apprentices within their organizations. Before that, I served as a Grant Compliance and Quality Assurance Manager for a nonprofit supporting adults with disabilities, where I helped individuals gain employment and develop life skills for greater independence.

I hold a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from Southern Utah University. Outside of work, I enjoy reading, baking, spending time outdoors, and being with my husband, daughter, and our two dogs.

Senior Research Project Manager at KTH, passionate about bridging science and structured project management. With a PhD in Molecular Genetics and more than 10 years of experience, I focus on enabling researchers to succeed by managing complex projects efficiently.

I am a research project manager at the Duke Office of Research Initiatives at Duke univerisity, where I provide project management support and educational programming to help researchers navigate the complexities of conducting research at Duke, as well as support the implementation of the Office for Research and Innovation's strategic priorities.

Emily Case has been with the University of Notre Dame since 2018. In her role as RPM, she provides support to SpectrumX and the Wireless Institute and serves as the Chief of Staff for SpectrumX. Prior to this role, Emily served as a Grants Program Manager where she was responsible for providing post-award financial management assistance to faculty engaged in sponsored research. Before coming to Notre Dame, Emily worked in development and grant writing at The History Museum in South Bend and for The Foundation of Saint Joseph Health System. She is a 2012 graduate of Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in History and English. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Nonprofit Administration at the University of Notre Dame.

I am an International Research Manager at INiBICA, the Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation of Cádiz, where I support clinicians and researchers in developing research ideas, building international partnerships, and preparing competitive proposals for European and international funding programmes. My work covers both pre-award and strategic project development, with a strong focus on biomedical and health research, Horizon Europe, international collaboration, and the professionalisation of research management.

I have a background in infectious diseases and virology, and I am particularly interested in strengthening research project management as a recognised profession, improving support structures for researchers, and promoting collaboration between RPM professionals across institutions and countries. Through INRPM, I would like to contribute to building practical resources, sharing good practices, and supporting a stronger international community for research project managers.

I am a PhD in International Relations from Corvinus University of Budapest with a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Universidad Externado de Colombia. I also hold a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from Universidad Santo Tomás. My areas of specialization are international cooperation, regional integration and European Union-Latin America relations. I have experience as a university lecturer and researcher with expertise in qualitative research methods, academic project development and international studies.

I have been an administrator for over 12 years and have been serving as a Research Development Officer for the past year and half. In my current role, I assist with grant management activities from pre-award to post-award stages: I identify and disseminate funding opportunities, support Principal Investigators in grant proposal development, facilitate funders’ due diligence process, review grant agreement and activate grants.
I am passionate about research development, collaboration, and supporting initiatives that promote institutional growth and impact.

As the Director of the Program Management Office (PMO) at the University of Colorado Boulder, I lead and inform strategic execution of research programs across campus. With more than 18 years of experience spanning government, industry, non-profit, and higher education in program development and management, project management, and business operations, I am passionate about connecting with the research project management community and partnering for joint development and fellowship. I focus on driving efficiencies, fostering collaboration, and ensuring compliance across complex, multidisciplinary teams ensuring the focus is on our ability to meet outcomes and impacts. I lead a team that supports research project strategy and execution while helping shape broader institutional approaches to research program management, partnering closely with university leadership, faculty, and administrators to advance project and campus goals. I also contribute actively to the broader research project management and research administration community through presentations, professional development, and community-building efforts (NCURA/SRAI/NYC RAD Series/UIDP to name a few), including as co-founder of the International Network of Research Project Managers. I am a co-PI and PM for an NSF GRANTED planning grant focused on research project management survey and data analysis to discover potential interventions in the RPM field. I also served on the EARMA PAPM core team and several groups including survey/studies, complexity tool, and global RPM certification before the PAPM was reorganized - work that I would like to continue. I am currently leading an effort, with other RPM colleagues, within SRAI to launch the first RPM certificate and within NCURA to create a new dedicated RPM theme group. I hold an EMBA and am certified as a PMP, CRA, and Prosci Change Practitioner, and am committed to strengthening communication, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement to help our RPM community research teams achieve high-performing, compliant outcomes.

Sylvia Antwiwaah Sarbah is a Research Development Officer at the University of Ghana, where she is currently based within the Research and Innovation Directorate. Serving in the Grants Management and Research Support Unit for the College of Education, she possesses extensive experience in the administrative coordination of institutional funding; notably, she is the Schedule Officer for the University of Ghana Graduate Research Fund and has done this since its inception in 2024.
Her professional background includes a significant tenure as a Principal Administrative Assistant in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, providing her with a comprehensive understanding of higher education governance and institutional rapporteurship. Sylvia is deeply committed to the professionalisation of research management across Africa and is an active member of professional bodies such as SARIMA, and WARIMA. Her recent work focuses on enhancing capacity building and mentorship for research managers, alongside fostering equitable international research partnerships. She is currently pursuing professional recognition through the International Professional Recognition Council to further contribute to the global research administration community.