Dissertation in Practice Defense for Lisa Vento

Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Time: 10 - 11:30 a.m. ET

Zoom Link: Available upon request. Contact Lisa Vento at LAV67@pitt.edu

Dissertation Title: "Addressing High Turnover Among Female Research Administrators through GRACE, a Social Network for Support and Collaboration"

Dissertation Description: High turnover among female research administration staff represents a significant problem of practice within higher educational institutions, particularly at my institution. Research administrators perform core responsibilities that are integral to the institution’s research infrastructure. They are responsible for navigating complex funding landscapes, ensuring compliance, and facilitating the full lifecycle of research projects. Over the past two decades, research administrators have faced expanded workloads, increased compliance demands, evolving policies, and heightened professional stress (SRA International, 2022), all of which contribute to documented high turnover rates across the field (Welch & Brantmeier, 2021). Within this context, higher education institutions face persistent challenges in retaining qualified female research administration staff. High turnover disrupts institutional knowledge, burdens remaining personnel, and impairs the university’s research infrastructure. This Dissertation in Practice applied the methodology of improvement science, using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, to iteratively address this problem. The proposed change idea was the establishment of GRACE (Grant and Research Administrators for Collaboration and Empowerment), a social network designed to foster support, collaboration, and professional development among research administrators across all roles supporting pre-and post-award management, finance, research development, and compliance. GRACE included representatives from the university’s seven colleges for informal meetings aimed at increasing shared knowledge, strengthening a professional network, and enhancing an inclusive environment. Data collection, including semi-structured interviews, open group discussions, and observations, were conducted to understand the perceived impact that GRACE had on support, collaboration, and empowerment of female research administration staff. This intervention was anticipated to enhance job satisfaction and retention among female research administrators. Qualitative methods data and analysis identified themes related to job satisfaction, professional development, and workplace environment and culture. Key findings highlight the need for colleague support, professional development, and inclusive workplace practices. The creation of a more inclusive and supportive work environment for female research administration staff is critical to improving staff retention and the growth of a knowledgeable workforce.

Dissertation Committee: Dr. Jill Perry (Chair), Dr. Rosa Acevedo, and Dr. Maria Tomprou