Research Partner Network

Operating within the portfolio of the Vice-President (Research and Innovation), the Research Partner Network (RPNet) provides UofA researchers with institution-wide, researcher-focused, competition-specific, hands-on research development support, including best practices in research proposal crafting and application development, requirements related to external funding sponsors, and streamlining of the research development and administration continuum. The overall goal of the RPNet is to increase the success of UofA research proposals and reduce administrative frustrations for grant applicants. Contact your applicable Research Partner to access the following supports:

  • Strategic advice: Peer mentoring, aligning research proposals with funder requirements, grant laddering, academic content, knowledge mobilization/translation, and research data management.
  • Grant-crafting: Group sessions to improve grant genre literacy and grant writing proficiency.
  • Grant application development: Proposed research project/program concept assessment, proposal peer review, editorial review, occasional research assistant and graphics support.
  • Research team and sponsor relations development: Facilitation of networking opportunities between researcher-colleagues and between researchers and funders.
  • Grant support coordination: Engagement with relevant and complementary units at the University of Alberta to enhance proposals.

Research Partner Network Directory

Currently, the Research Partner Network consists of a Director, three Senior Research Partners (one for each college), and four Research Partners who assist with institution-wide research grant development and offer faculty-specific support. Below are the directory links and affiliated research areas/specializations of each current Research Partner. Please reach out to the Research Partner that is most closely aligned with your own research goals/interests for more information on the specific grant development supports available to you:

  • Julie Stephens MSc. Director, Research Partner Network
  • Kelly Maher MSc. Senior Research Partner, Natural & Applied Sciences
  • Mark Taylor MSc. Senior Research Partner, Health Sciences
  • Heather Young-Leslie PhD. Senior Research Partner, Social Sciences & Humanities  
  • Gareth Corry PhD. Research Partner, Health Research and CIHR Competitions
  • Grant Kemp PhD. Research Partner, International, and Engineering and Natural Sciences Research (starting Aug 2023)
  • Robin Love, MSc. Research Partner, Clinical Research
  • Chris Kazala MSc. Research Partner, Industry and Applied Partnerships
  • Lan Chan-Marples MEd. Research Partner, Community-Engaged Research
  • Terra Garneau PEng. Research Partner, Industry Partnerships 
  • Sylvia Ijeoma Madueke PhD, Research Partner (Starting June 2023)
  • Angela McCormick BComm, BEd. Research Partner 
  • Ayantika Mukherjee, AbD, Research Partner, Creative Arts and Research-Creation
  • Craig Taylor PhD. Research Partner, Humanities & Social Sciences Research and major SSHRC competitions. 

Research proposal development Supports

  • Events: Boot camps, information sessions, workshops
  • Events and deadlines calendar 

RPNet Future Plans

Efforts are currently underway to further expand the RPNet so as to continue building towards our ultimate goal of developing a fully integrated research model which seamlessly integrates services across all faculties, colleges, college Offices of Research, and the VPRI portfolio. These expansion efforts include adding another Senior Research Partner to the network who will support stand-alone faculties to ensure they receive the same levels of support as the three colleges, as well as adding additional Research Partners who will allow us to expand the research grant development and faculty-specific support provided to researchers. Among other things, this could include:

  • Additional training opportunities for researchers
  • Help with innovation and technology transfer
  • Specialized research development support (topic and sponsor-specific) for:
    • interdisciplinary, large-scale team grants;
    • CFI and CRC applications;
    • Clinical research;
    • international research activities;
    • fine arts research and creative works; and/or
    • Indigenous-led and Indigenous-engaged research.

Finally, we are also adding several new Research Administration Specialist positions to the current Research Partners Network structure. These specialist roles will directly help researchers navigate the administrative environment and connect to resources, and will provide direct, hands-on support for researchers with administrative tasks (e.g., preparing budgets for research applications). 

These new roles – 16 positions total – are expected to be added within the coming months. Anyone interested in joining the RPNet in any of the previously-described capacities is strongly encouraged to apply. We also encourage you to check back here periodically for further updates on the development of the RPNet.