Administration helps with the nitty-gritty of day-to-day processes which can seem ordinary, but without which, research cannot be performed.
"Administration helps with the nitty-gritty of day-to-day processes which can seem ordinary, but without which, research cannot be performed. This can include simple things like the purchasing of chemicals and molecular reagents for experiments or ensuring safety protocols and processes are in place for the researchers, to more complex issues like liaising with regulatory bodies like HSA, MOH, and IACUC/IRB panel. I feel without this and the support of the institution's administration in providing the needed infrastructure, it would be next to impossible for any research to take place.
As a senior research associate, sometimes it is challenging to be the link between researchers and administrators, who often have wildly different perspectives on how things should be done. What makes sense to one, often times seem terribly illogical to the other. I find that in cases like this, the solution is to understand the processes on both sides and then work out an acceptable compromise between the parties concerned.
Recently, one of our papers was accepted by the journal Nature Medicine, and I was very glad to know that at the end of the day, my efforts were a very integral part in ensuring this success."
Koh Liang Kai
Senior Research Associate, DMS Lab of Cancer Epigenome
National Cancer Centre Singapore
Tags: Administrator, Research
