A Fond Farewell to Paula McIntyre
After a decade of service, our fantastic Post Award Operations Manager, Paula McIntyre, bids farewell to the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research (OIBR) to begin an exciting new chapter in her career with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Paula’s research administration journey with the University of Georgia (UGA) started fifteen years ago when she worked on an extramurally funded sponsored project as an Administrative Specialist in the Institute on Human Development and Disability within the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Throughout the past ten years with OIBR, Paula contributed significantly to all aspects of financial management at the Institute. Paula had a knack for all things numbers and quickly took on more responsibility and greater challenges. Paula was energized at the prospect of new systems and better methods for data tracking. During the PeopleSoft OneSource transition, she jumped on board with the Change Champions to be a part of the system development and to pilot and test functionality. In addition to her never-ending quest for better reporting methods, cleaner data, and clearer policies, she was one of the most intelligent, organized, helpful, and pleasant people with whom we worked.
Paula demonstrated a knack for teaching and mentoring others. Helping others to learn and excel and grow in their careers came easily to her and brought her joy and personal satisfaction. She has mentored countless business persons in grants accounting across campus and, we have no doubt, that the university community benefitted greatly from her time here.
For several years, Paula served as the OIBR human resources manager. In this role, she was the primary HR contact for dozens of sponsored research projects. Her responsibilities included navigating the complexities of employment administration and offering guidance on UGA HR policies and procedures.
In the realm of financial and post-award management, Paula’s expertise was a great benefit to the Institute. Paula managed our state accounts, sales, and service accounts, as well as her project caseload while leading the post-award team. She listened closely in BSAG and RADG and OneSource meetings for upcoming changes in policies and procedures and worked hard to ensure compliance in all areas, providing valuable insight to both colleagues and faculty. Her collaborative approach, kind and helpful demeanor, and eye for detail enhanced the efficiency and success of OIBR’s fiscal affairs. Paula’s mentorship and hard work contributed to a culture of excellence within the organization, and she leaves in place a terrific post-award team.
As Paula embarks on a new chapter in her career, we are filled with gratitude for the time we shared with her. We greatly appreciate her invaluable contributions, hard work, dedication, and service to the Owens Institute and UGA. We wish Paula all the best in her new position!
In a groundbreaking initiative led by Principal Investigator (PI) Assaf Oshri, a Distinguished Scholar at the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research (OIBR) and an associate professor in Human Development and Family Science at the University of Georgia (UGA), three innovative grants have been awarded to investigate the intricate interplay between early life adversity and adolescent drug use vulnerabilities. Let’s delve into these projects and their significance, as well as OIBR’s role in their development and execution.