The Administrative Core is the formal and central framework for support, oversight, and planning for the Duke University Superfund Research Center?s (DUSRC?s) research, events and activities. The Core also provides for coordination among the Center?s research projects and cores. As such, lines of accountability are clearly established and defined. This fundamental organizational component serves to monitor scientific progress, ensure quality control, manage budgetary and operational issues, and assist in coordinating research translation, outreach, and training functions. The Administrative Core also serves as the interface between the Center, the Superfund Research Program, NIEHS, and other organizational entities at Duke and constitutes the primary mechanism for sharing information or resources with stakeholders, the general public, and investigators at other institutions. The organizational plan of the Center consists of direct reporting lines from Project and Core PIs to the Center?s Director (Richard Di Giulio) and Co-Director (Heather Stapleton). The Administrative Core itself provides a structure for assimilation of this information and the dissemination of findings among Center Investigators, students, researchers and staff via monthly Center-wide research discussion meetings, trainee chalk talks, weekly seminars and bi-annual symposia, annual External Advisory Committee meeting, and an annual two day retreat. As a result of such frequent connections and the constant exchange and linkage of research results, the Center is able to assimilate findings, further foster collaborations, and innovate at an agile pace. Weekly Center emails, frequent website and social media updates related to research, new publications, and training events, as well as blog posts created by the Research Translation Core all play an essential role in the internal and external dissemination of the Center?s findings. In conjunction with bi-annual Center website profile updates for all Investigators, trainees, and staff, the Center Administrative (Eve Marion) works with the Training Core to ensure the completion of NIH CareerTrac Database trainee updates twice a year (July and January). The Administrative Core is also the central hub for responding to NIEHS and university reporting requirements. The Center Administrator works with the Center Director and Deputy Director to continually educate and advise the Center?s investigators, trainees and staff, and provides foundational and ongoing programmatic support that includes Duke and NIH systems training. In addition to regularly communicating with the Center?s Investigators, trainees, and staff, the Center Administrator works closely with Duke?s Business Managers, grant administrators, Office of Research Support, and Office of Sponsored Programs staff to ensure an integrated system of fiscal oversight and compliance that is responsive to both Federal and Institutional regulations.
The DUSRC Administrative Core serves the overall Center and its research mission by providing foundational support and oversight of all Center initiatives. The Center?s focal research theme is ?early life exposures ? later life outcomes? and through established management procedures and protocols the Administrative Core provides the essential stewardship framework to support Investigators and trainees in their effort to determine risks associated with developmental exposures and the development of approaches for reducing exposures and/or ameliorating the effects of exposures. In conjunction with the Research Translation and Community Engagement Cores, the Administrative Core coordinates its outward flow of information in response to stakeholder and community needs. It also provides critical logistical support to the Training Core.
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