OSU researchers featured on international podcast

Friday, November 3, 2023

Media Contact: Harrison Hill | Senior Research Communications Specialist | 405-744-5827 | harrison.c.hill@okstate.edu

The impact of Oklahoma State University’s research investments can be found worldwide, but sometimes the university gets the opportunity to discuss its process.

Later this month, Jennifer Clausing and Dr. Kurt Rouser from the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology will be featured on the Society of Research Administrators International podcast titled “Shop Talk” to talk about their roles as a sponsored programs research administrator and principal investigator, respectively.

“The Society of Research Administrators International is a massive, international-based organization that represents research administrators around the world," said Julie Swaringim-Griffin, an OSU assistant vice president for central sponsored programs administration who also serves on the committee for the show. “The podcast started in 2021 as a way to get Research Administration voices out in the open.”

The podcast features research administrators from a variety of institutions and backgrounds. It focuses on letting those professionals tell their stories to aid others in their careers so they can build and strengthen relationships in their departments. This is where OSU comes in to provide its expertise to fellow researchers.

“We have over 40 sponsored programs personnel (at OSU), and each of them are well positioned to build close relationships with faculty,” Swaringim-Griffin said. “Ultimately, a research administrator or sponsored programs specialist helps support faculty in submitting their grant proposals, routing for approvals, developing budgets and budget justifications and a multitude of other responsibilities. Our sponsored programs offices campuswide are highly valuable to the research enterprise.”

In November, the host will ask questions about how the relationship between a principal investigator and a sponsored programs administrator works, which is where Rouser and Clausing came in. It gives OSU a platform to discuss how the institution’s research process works, specifically in CEAT.

“For this podcast, we picked a faculty member (Dr. Rouser) and a sponsor program specialist (Clausing), who have a good relationship, and who can speak on how they built the relationship over the years,” Swaringim-Griffin said.

Rouser’s research areas include thermodynamics, aerospace propulsion and power, gas turbine engines and pressure gain combustion. Clausing’s job includes helping Rouser and other CEAT research specialists gain funding and the resources they need for their projects.

Shop Talk is available for SRAI members on the last Thursday of each month. Membership information is available on the SRAI website.

Story By: Abigail Cage | abcage@okstate.edu