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Contacts and Assignments

Director of Research Development

The Director of Research Development is responsible for maintaining a compelling vision for the Office of Research Development and its role in advancing research across all UCSC divisions; for implementing that vision in programs, resources, and results; and for leading the ORD staff in effective and efficient work that is consistent with the mission of the ORD and the research enterprise of the University. Working with divisional leadership, OSP, Corporate and Foundation Relations, and other stakeholders within and outside of the Office of Research, the director's role is to improve efficiency and quality in the research enterprise, and to help fulfill the research ambitions of university leadership.

Heather Bell

  • Phone
    831-459-3266
  • Email
  • Office Location
    • Kerr Hall, 415A when on campus; hybrid
  • Mailstop Office of Research

Research Development Specialists

Research Development Specialists help position UCSC for emerging funding opportunities, and provide support for UCSC researchers in opportunity scouting, proposal scoping, pre-award consultations, hands-on proposal development, proposal review, coaching/mentoring, and early career training/outreach. Research development specialists also serve as liaisons to UCSC's academic divisions and provide strategic services and collaborative resources that span across disciplinary and administrative barriers within their organizations and beyond.

Elif Demir Hilton

  • Pronouns she, her, her, hers, herself
  • Title
    • Research Development Specialist, Physical Sciences
  • Phone
    831-459-5415
  • Email
  • Office Location
    • Earth & Marine Sciences, A402 when on campus; hybrid
  • Mailstop Office of Research

Ned LeBlond

  • Title
    • Research Development Specialist, Cross Divisional Collaborations, Centers and Institutes
  • Phone
    831-459-3090
  • Email
  • Office Location
    • Engineering Building 2, 325 when on campus; hybrid
  • Mailstop Office of Research

Hardeep K. Obhi, PhD

  • Pronouns she, her, her, hers, herself
  • Title
    • Research Development Specialist, Biomedical Sciences
  • Phone
    000-000-0000
  • Email
  • Office Location
    • Physical Sciences Building, 410 when on campus; hybrid
  • Mailstop Office of Research

Karen Ruhleder

  • Title
    • Research Development Specialist, Engineering
  • Phone
    831-459-5290
  • Email
  • Office Location
    • Engineering Building 2, 549A when on campus; hybrid
  • Mailstop Engineering

Vacant

  • Title Research Development Specialist, Environmental Sciences and Studies - contact Heather Bell
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Vacant

  • Title Research Development Specialist, Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts
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