That spirit of partnership took center stage at the annual Office of Research Administration (ORA) Symposium, where the Department of Public Health Sciences played a key role in advancing discussions on research operations, compliance, and process improvement across the Miller School of Medicine.

The symposium brought together administrators, faculty, and staff from across the University to exchange best practices and strengthen the infrastructure that supports scientific discovery.

“The symposium was designed to share best practices and updates with our research administration community,” said Lionel Vera, executive director of research administration.

Administrators in the Department possess a wealth of experience, including experience in central administration, which enables them to communicate effectively with our central team in a relatable and precise manner. This greatly facilitates collaboration and boosts our confidence in the department’s understanding of research processes.”

The Department of Public Health Sciences was the only department contributor to this year’s symposium, with Margie Jimenez, Graces Cespedes, and Yanira Blanco Oliveras as representatives. Their participation reflected the longstanding commitment to operational excellence and cross-campus collaboration. Together, they shared insights on grant lifecycle management, compliance readiness, and sponsor communication topics central to ensuring the success of complex, multi-investigator projects.

Vera emphasized that departmental engagement is essential to advancing the University’s research priorities.

“Department administrators have a perspective that central administrators may not necessarily have,” he said. “Many of the efforts are designed to improve the tools and processes for department administrators, so who better to inform that work than the end users themselves?”

Reflecting on the experience, Margie Jimenez, M.A., CRA, department assistant chair, said the symposium reinforced the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between departments and central offices.

“Events like this help us strengthen relationships, identify shared challenges, and align our processes to better support faculty and investigators,” Jimenez said. “At the Department, collaboration is at the heart of what we do, whether it’s managing proposals, project fiscal management, resolving compliance questions, or ensuring that every project meets sponsor and institutional requirements.”

She added that the Department’s participation also provided an opportunity to showcase administrative expertise and highlight how departmental insight can shape university-wide systems improvement.

“It’s rewarding to see our practices contribute to larger institutional goals,” Jimenez said. “The symposium gives us a platform to exchange ideas and reinforce our shared commitment to research integrity and operational excellence.”

Looking ahead, Vera noted that the Department will continue to play an active role in ORA’s efforts to improve tools, reconcile data, and validate new reporting systems.

“The Department of Public Health Sciences has always been a fantastic partner,” he said. “Its leadership and willingness to collaborate make it an important model for university-wide initiatives.”

The symposium served as a reminder that research excellence depends as much on collaboration and infrastructure as on science itself, a principle the Department of Public Health Sciences continues to exemplify across every stage of the research process.

Written by Deycha Torres Hernández, published on October 22, 2025.