Amber Glanfield is a Research Administrator in the Research Office in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (CCE), Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Amber's role is to provide administrative and strategic support within the School.
Background
Amber originally trained as a research scientist, her PhD field of study was molecular parasitology, and she is familiar with issues relating to the regulatory compliance environment in a research facility.
After a 3-year Postdoctoral Research Assistant (PDRA) post Amber moved into a Research and Governance support role at QIMR Berghofer, one of Australia’s largest Medical Research Institutes, where she liaised with State and Federal Regulators and provided advice and support around regulatory issues in the areas of quarantine, Biosafety Level (BSL) 2 and 3 compliance, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), and controlled drugs.
After moving to Northern Ireland, she took a role in the Regulatory Affairs department of an In Vitro Diagnostic company, preparing technical reports, advising management, and again working with regulators worldwide (eg. US FDA, MHRA, TGA) to ensure the products could be registered with the local Health Departments and legally distributed.
In these roles it was vital that Amber understood the science involved and that she kept up-to-date with regulatory changes, so that she could communicate effectively with regulators and provide the correct advice.
The skills that Amber developed in these posts have helped her to understand and navigate all the red tape so that researchers can spend their time on their core priority of research.
Current roles and responsibilities
Amber’s current appointment in Queen’s is Research Administrator in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (CCE), and involves providing administrative and strategic support within the School, working closely with the Director of Research and the Director of Postgraduates, and managing clerical staff within the School Research Office.
Her duties include compiling data and reports for the Directors and Head of School, promoting grants calls, providing application support, managing contracts of PDRAs, and dealing with research-related queries.
Amber’s own research skills and experience as a PhD student and PDRA help her to understand the specific challenges and pressures that researchers face around grant funding, research costs and career progression.
Amber’s work in Regulatory Affairs has helped her consider the “big picture” when dealing with research outcomes and impact outside of the lab, and has given her the skills to help academics and Postgraduate Researchers navigate the Research Degree Program Study Regulations and various funding/studentship regulations day-to-day.
Contribution to specific research initiative or project
Amber played a crucial role in REF 2021 preparations, and as the School was split across two REF Unit submissions (Chemistry and Engineering), she provided support to both CCE REF Unit champions. Amber collated data to support the REF Environment statements, undertook compliance checks for Impact Case Studies, and worked closely with the Reasearch and Enterprise REF Team and REF Champions to ensure communication and engagment, and to meet key deadlines.
Amber has also worked hard to provide a better and more supportive student experience for the Postgraduate Researchers in CCE, which has resulted in a significant increase in the student feedback (PRES survey) approval around “Research Culture”.
Amber has created a School handbook containing key information on degrees, milestones, admininstrative processes, contacts and avenues for support and services both within CCE and beyond. Amber works closely with the Director of Postgraduates to run career information seminars with panel members from both Industry and Academia each year to give students an opportunity to learn more about available careers; and Amber has acted as another point of pastoral care and has actively signposted students to relevant advice and support.