I am Anja Smykowski and I work in research support. Some call me a research professional, some a research manager or administrator. There is no clear definition or distinction for what I and dozens of my colleagues do. Most of us come from a scientific background, we learned on the job: project management and design techniques, finances, data management, funding instruments.
What we all share is a strange co-dependency with science. We don’t want to do research (anymore), but we also cannot truly let it go. And on the other hand, research cannot continue without us. Any researcher who ever tried to write a data management plan or apply for European funding will know what I am talking about. Nowadays, our research ecosystem has become so complex, that you do need to work with a research professional to be successful. And it became complex for a reason, to be more open, more inclusive, more diverse and more value driven.
I started my career in research support as a project manager for funding. With literally no experience whatsoever, I was thrown into the water to support two European projects. There were two things that helped me through it and made me realise that this is the career I wanted.
First, my colleagues. Starting something without any previous experience is possible, but hardly effective. What made my work effective was the tacit knowledge that my colleagues were so ready to share with me.
The second part was the research. It was not my research, but it was research that wanted to change something, that wanted to create something that benefitted patients or people that don’t want to become patients. It was important, it was urgent, and it provided me with a mission, to be part of making valuable research visible so that it can fulfill its role in making our lives better.
In the following few days, you will be able to read about and listen to research professionals and researchers alike. You can find out how this symbiosis benefitted their field, what they struggled with and why they do what they love.
At the University Medical Center in Groningen we have a research ecosystem that fosters research professionals to play a crucial role in advancing research, you can find out more about our activities and in case you have a question, or simply want to exchange, don’t hesitate to contact us.
More information about research support at the UMCG
Contact research support: send an email
