Purpose
To support professional recognition of Research Project Management.
Responsibilities
- Provide a certification framework for RPMs.
- Formalise and implement the RPM certification application and evaluation process.
- Maintain the process of evaluating and approving certification applications.
- Arrange recruitment and training of reviewers for RPM certification applicants.
- Together with Education & Events, provide joint guidance to participants interested in pursuing RPM competence certification, including explaining how learning activities align with certification expectations.
- Promote the RPM certification.
Activity targets:
- Beginning in 2026, development of an effective and transparent review process for certification applications.
- Beginning in 2027, cultivate a wide network of trained reviewers for RPM certification applications.
- Beginning in 2027, implementation and maintenance of an RPM certification process.
Beliz OZUT
Working Groups: Communications & Community (COM) Knowledge (KNW) Recognition (REC) Tools (TLS)
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.
Cláudia Barbosa
Roles: REC Deputy
Working Groups: Knowledge (KNW) Organising Committee Recognition (REC) Tools (TLS)
Cláudia holds a Licenciatura in German/English and a Ph.D. in Multimedia in Education from the Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal. As a research manager with over 20 years, she has led R&D project management with a focus on European funding initiatives. Her extensive experience includes serving as a coordinating project manager for numerous EU-funded projects, such as four FP7, four Horizon 2020, four Horizon Europe, as well as two NATO SPS projects. In addition, she is the work package leader responsible for training activities in two MSCA Doctoral Networks. Alongside her RMA role, she conducts research on technology-enhanced learning at DIGIMEDIA/DECA (Universidade de Aveiro). Cláudia is an active member of several organisations including the Association for Learning Technology (ALT), ARMA, EARMA, and is a founding member and a member of the Board of the Portuguese Research Management Association.
Daniel Vare
Roles: OC Chair
Working Groups: Communications & Community (COM) Founders Knowledge (KNW) Organising Committee Recognition (REC) Tools (TLS)
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.
Emily Case
Working Groups: Communications & Community (COM) Recognition (REC)
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.
Hilary Bouton-Verville
Working Groups: Knowledge (KNW) Recognition (REC)
I started my career as a discovery science lab manager, where I spent about 10 years supporting early-stage research. In 2016, I transitioned into project management, and since then I’ve been focused on leading complex, multi-site research programs. Today, I oversee a team of program and data managers supporting portfolios centered on vaccine design and pandemic preparedness across multiple institutions.
I’m also working to build a Project Management Office (PMO) within the Department of Pediatrics at Duke to help strengthen how project management supports academic research. In addition, I serve as the Duke Project Management Community of Practice Liaison to the North Carolina chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI).
I am absolutely thrilled to find a group of project/program managers working in academic science with whom to network and share ideas. I look forward to learning from this group
Juan Mougan
Working Groups: Communications & Community (COM) Education and Events (EE) Knowledge (KNW) Recognition (REC) Tools (TLS)
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.
Justyna Małkuch-Świtalska
Working Groups: Knowledge (KNW) Recognition (REC) Tools (TLS)
I have been working with European researchers and scientists since 2006 as an academic trainer and science manager. In 2012, I founded the Association for PhD Candidates and PhD Career Development “PolDoc”, which existed and operated in Poland until 2024.
Between 2020 and 2025, I worked in Cracow University of Technology (CUT) as international projects coordinator, in Project Support Office. In 2022, the CUT joined the European Universities Alliance STARS EU. I took the role of the project officer then, representing CUT and helping to manage the project activities, in collaboration with project officers from other consortium institutional members.
Since 2014, I have been involved with the European Commission activities, working as advisor, projects evaluator and monitoring expert. My main role is to analyze the development of PhD programs and the evolution of research careers in the European Union. I also started to work in WIDERA calls, evaluating proposals relevant to RMAs network development. For Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, I already evaluated projects of a total value exceeding 500M €.
In 2016, I founded the Academic Trainers’ School based in Cracow (Poland). My main purpose was to help researchers to use training methods in or outside the Academia, when they transmit their specific knowledge or skills to other people: colleagues in their lab or in a project, PhD candidates or students in a research institution. Working for my own company, Science Trainer (Trener Nauki), I also provided more than 3000h of trainings to researchers and RMAs, mainly on PM and on research skills present in Vitae RDF andin ResearchComp.
I am associate trainer of three international trainers’ teams based in Cambridge (Vitae), Munchen (Enihilo) and Brussels (PM2 Alliance). Working for European institutions and for individuals, I provide training services to young researchers, helping them to develop skills related to research management and career development.
I am author of the book entitled “Research projects. Management in practice”, published in August 2020 by Polish Scientific Publishers (PWN) edition house. I am also the co-author of another book, published in September 2020, where I elaborated a competence framework for experts involved in public participation processes.
Kelly Sauerwein
Working Groups: Recognition (REC)
I am a Research Project Manager in higher education with a broad background in grant and research administration. My work focuses on project and program oversight, stakeholder coordination, and guiding research initiatives from proposal development through closeout. I have experience managing complex processes, supporting cross-functional teams, and developing organized approaches to research administration, compliance, and reporting.
Nicole Carleton
Roles: OC Chair
Working Groups: Communications & Community (COM) Education and Events (EE) Founders Knowledge (KNW) Organising Committee Recognition (REC) Tools (TLS)
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.
Nicole Quartiero
Roles: OC Chair
Working Groups: Founders Organising Committee Recognition (REC) Tools (TLS)
Nicole Quartiero joined Notre Dame Research in 2022 as the inaugural Director of Research Project Management, where she leads the Research Project Management Team and oversees strategic initiatives supporting large and complex research efforts across the research enterprise. In this role, she partners with faculty, research leadership, and administrative stakeholders to strengthen research operations, improve project execution, and advance institutional research goals. She is also a member of the Notre Dame Project Management Community of Practice.
Prior to joining Notre Dame Research, Nicole spent more than a decade working across the full research lifecycle in academic and clinical research environments, building expertise in research administration, compliance, operations, and project management. She was recognized by the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI) as a Future of the Field Rising Star in 2021 and later served as Chair of the Future of the Field Subcommittee. Nicole currently serves as a Board Member for SRAI and is a frequent national presenter and contributor focused on advancing research project management as a strategic function within the research enterprise.
Nicole earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Arizona State University and a Master of Science in Clinical Research Management. She is a Certified Research Administrator (RACC) and is currently preparing to sit for the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam in June 2026.
Nina Chatsisvili
Working Groups: Education and Events (EE) Recognition (REC)
I am currently working as a Project Manager at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences of the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, where I focus on the implementation and post-award management of collaborative Horizon Europe projects. I hold a PhD in physical chemistry as a former Marie Curie fellow. https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/c/h/n.chatsisvili/n.chatsisvili.html#Profile
Prior to this, I worked at Wageningen University in educational programme coordination, managing training activities and coordinating educational consortia across European universities. My background combines experience in both research support and education/training.
Srikanth Vuppala
Roles: TLS deputy
Working Groups: Knowledge (KNW) Recognition (REC) Tools (TLS)
I am a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and PhD in Environmental Science and Technology, with proven experience leading complex projects across IT, Food, interdisciplinary research, and healthcare-related domains. I specialise in coordinating grants and managing project lifecycles from initiation to delivery, and ensuring alignment with business and compliance objectives. With a background in the pharmaceutical industry as an EHS specialist and current experience managing technology-driven initiatives at RakFort Limited, I bring a strong mix of technical understanding, risk management, and stakeholder communication skills to deliver high-impact results.
