Leah Kindree and Karen Johnson, research project officers (RPOs) at Trent University, oversee an astonishing 500+ active projects at any given time. They work together to support all members of the research community in a wide range of responsibilities, including identifying potential sources of funding, facilitating research funding applications, and serving as an institutional resource for researchers who are interested in developing their programs of research.  The Research Support Fund covers 100% of the cost of the project officers’ positions.

A+ Customer Service
Trent researchers submit completed funding applications to the RPOs for review, who offer useful feedback and suggestions for further development. Ms. Kindree and Ms. Johnson also ensure that project budgets are appropriate and balanced, and confirm that the prerequisite certifications are in place before the project can go live. On an ongoing basis, they update researchers about new funding opportunities and deadlines, and manage a multitude of budgetary and other administrative tasks to keep projects on track.

“Our main priority is to provide excellent customer service to our clients—the faculty to whom we provide support in securing research funding, however our role also involves due diligence with respect to rigorous Agency regulations. We are constantly striving to create a balance between mandated rules and being fully supportive of research endeavours,” explains Ms. Johnson and Ms. Kindree. “Our main priority is providing excellent support to the Trent Research community, which sometimes involves problem solving and thinking outside the box.”

Learn more about the research office at Trent University.