Event Recap | Funding Faculty Research - Navigating Columbia's Research Resources

Funding Faculty Research - Navigating Columbia's Research Resources event poster

About the Event

This session provided an overview of Columbia’s research funding landscape featuring presentations from University Corporate & Foundation Relations in the Office of Alumni and Development; Office of Sponsored Projects Administration; the Office of Research Initiatives and Development; and the Industry Relations Group at Columbia Technology Ventures. Colleagues from these offices discussed their distinct roles and how they work with faculty to support academic research.

Resources

 

Speakers

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Greg Culler

Greg Culler is the Executive Director of Research Partnerships and Initiatives within the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research (EVPR). Greg works across disciplines, schools, and campuses to foster interdisciplinary research collaborations and manages partnerships with federal agencies and labs, industry, and other academic institutions. Additionally, he oversees all aspects of institutional nominations for limited submission programs, EVPR seed funding programs, and program analysis focused on Columbia's success securing extramural research funding. Prior to joining the Office of Research Initiatives and Development in 2007, Greg was a project management consultant with Fortress Investment Group (2006 – 2007), and Lord Cultural Resources (2005 – 2006). Previously, he was a Project Manager in the Columbia University Oral History Research Office (2002 – 2005) overseeing collection and archiving of oral history interviews for the September 11 Projects. He holds an MA from Columbia University, and a BA from Arizona State University.

 

Head shot of Dimitra Koutsantoni with dark shoulder length hair

Dimitra Koutsantoni 

Dimitra Koutsantoni, PhD, is the Executive Director of University Corporate and Foundation Relations at Columbia University. Dimitra works with Columbia University academic and administrative leaders and faculty to develop and deepen partnerships with foundations and corporations in support of university strategic initiatives, programs, and faculty research. Prior to that, she served as the Director of Research Administration at Columbia University Irving Medical Center where she led the administration and management of the Department of Pediatrics’ portfolio of grants and clinical trials.  Dimitra has also held research administration and foundation relations positions in Columbia’s Sponsored Projects Administration and Business School. Before coming to Columbia in 2010, Dimitra headed up research development and knowledge transfer at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City University London. A social scientist by training, Dimitra holds a PhD in Sociolinguistics and has published a research monograph, peer reviewed journal articles, and higher education policy papers.

 

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Gwen Nero

Gwen Nero, PhD, serves as director of the Industry Relations Group at Columbia Technology Ventures supporting corporate partnerships for the Columbia Climate School and Pandemic Response Institute. Prior to joining Columbia as staff, Gwen served as director of corporate affiliates, business development, industry outreach, and innovation at UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography. At Scripps, Gwen developed and led Scripps Corporate Alliance, a program that facilitates collaboration between Scripps and corporate members as well as startBlue, an ocean accelerator funded by the Economic Development Administration and Department of Energy. Gwen has served on the boards of TMA BlueTech and Ocean Visions and on the Entrepreneurial Advisory Committee of NYC Tech Connect. Gwen has taught for The National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (NYCRIN NSF I-Corps) program and served as program manager for incubator Harlem Biospace. Gwen holds a bachelor's in physics from Barnard College and master's and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Columbia University.

 

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Stephanie Scott

Stephanie Scott is Director of Policy and Research Development in the Office of Sponsored Projects Administration and is responsible for educating and updating the Columbia University and Columbia University Irving Medical Center communities on policies and procedures impacting the day to day management of proposals and awards. She has over twenty years' experience in all aspects of pre-award sponsored projects administration, and has led many special projects involving the implementation and change management of major policies and systems. Stephanie has conducted many training initiatives on complex topics such as, but not limited to, the Uniform Guidance, federal public access policies, the Fly America Act, and researcher disclosures. She is the former co-chair of the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) Communications Committee and former co-chair of the FDP Subawards Subcommittee. She holds a Master's Degree in Epidemiology, is a Certified Research Administrator (CRA), and is a member of member of the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA).