UW Administrator Honored by International Organization

November 28, 2011
Woman
Dorothy Yates

A national professional organization recently presented its highest award to Dorothy Yates, associate vice president for research at the University of Wyoming.

Yates received the Society of Research Administrators' (SRA) "Herbert B. Chermside Award for Distinguished Contribution to Research Administration." The award is given to those who have made long-term and significant contributions to the development of research administration as a profession.

Nominations for the award are solicited from leaders in colleges and universities, industry, government and the SRA International membership. Any nominee must have been involved in research administration for at least 15 years.

Former SRA President Mike McCallister described Yates as the best in the field.

"Dorothy is the avatar of a research administrator and her greatest contribution to the field is that she puts a significant amount of effort into recruiting and mentoring new research administrators both within the profession and SRA," he said.

"While many Chermside awards have been given to people who have developed software or processes or something closer to an ‘invention,' Dorothy has made her biggest contributions by being herself: Excellent, committed, the soul of collegiality and the consummate professional," McCallister added.

Beth Olson, a fellow SRA member and director of grants and development at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, said Yates "leaves behind a trail of supporters and beneficiaries she has assisted during her 30-year career and this award is evidence of their gratitude and the high esteem in which she is held."

Yates came to UW in 2008 after serving as vice chancellor for research administration at the University of Colorado-Denver. She previously was director of the school's Office of Sponsored Programs and held similar posts at Washington University (St. Louis) and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. She served as president of the SRA and is nationally known for her knowledge of research compliance issues.

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