Please join us in welcoming Melissa Bryant to the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries as UEIS Sponsored Project Administrator. Prior to joining the Libraries, Melissa was Research Administrator with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.
We asked Melissa, who uses she/her pronouns, a few questions about herself, and her plans for her new role.
What are your goals for this year as our new UEIS Sponsored Project Administrator?
UEIS - the University Libraries, ETC (Entertainment Technology Center), IDeATe (Integrated Design, Arts, and Technology) , and the CMU Sustainability Initiative – is an amazing group! There is exciting innovation taking place within UEIS, innovation with the power to positively impact our community, our world, and our collective future. I look forward to playing a role in obtaining and managing funding for such worthwhile efforts.
My overarching goal is to make submitting for sponsored project funding less intimidating. There are abundant opportunities for funding available for research and project development, but the steps required to seek and obtain this funding can seem overwhelming. I intend to streamline proposal submission processes by providing pathways to answer common questions, clarifying sponsor requirements, and developing new ways to overcome any perceived obstacles to success. My role is to cut through challenges and allow our UEIS Team to focus on and achieve their big picture dreams.
How has your prior experience prepared you for this role at the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries?
My experience is in both pre-award sponsored project proposal submission and post-award account management. Having this end-to-end knowledge allows me to assist award-seekers with every step of their journey, from identifying the initial funding opportunity to closing out their successfully completed project.
My background in finance gives me the know-how to properly manage both sponsored project accounts and UEIS grant and endowment funding. I have experience with both federal grants and non-federal grants from funding agencies of all sizes and have managed both large collaborative awards and awards which were smaller in scope.
What projects are you excited to tackle in your first few months?
I intend to build upon the positive changes which have already taken place with the creation of UEIS. In these first few months, I plan to begin refining processes and workflows and developing user-friendly resources to assist with the grant proposal submission process.
I also hope to meet one-on-one with faculty and staff members to identify their specific funding wants and needs. Knowing their areas of interest will help me to connect our researchers with the best and most feasible opportunities. I have already received some excellent suggestions and feedback. Collaboration is the key to our shared success. Let’s get out there and make funding happen!
What do you like to do outside of work?
Since moving cross-country from Dallas to Pittsburgh three years ago, I have enjoyed discovering all the arts and culture that our city has to offer. I am a dedicated cinephile and was pleased to find such an amazing film scene here. Additionally, I enjoy live music of all genres, including rock, blues, traditional/folk music, gospel, and “old school” country.
My own creative outlet is writing fiction, particularly prose pieces, short stories, and novellas. While I also enjoy writing long-form, I embrace the unique challenges of creating flash fiction and micro fiction. There is power in creating an evocative scene to tell your story with minimal words and within strict parameters.