MT Campbell recently earned her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute. This certification required 35 hours of professional training, an application process, and passing a test. She looks forward to implementing what she learned "to provide first-rate support to research faculty in managing their grant projects."
Where did you grow up?
My early childhood was spent in New York/New Jersey and my high school and college years were spent in southern California. Somehow, I ended up in the middle of Illinois 17 years ago.
What year did you begin working for the iSchool?
I joined the iSchool in February 2018 as a project coordinator for the Center for Informatics Research in Science and Scholarship (CIRSS) and Research Services.
Where did you work prior to the iSchool?
I began working for the University at the Beckman Institute in 2007 to implement a community-focused research project called Senior Odyssey, which led to my interest in research administration and project management. Long before that, I worked as a government securities broker on Wall Street after getting my MBA.
What do you do at the School?
I provide faculty with administrative and management support for their funded research projects. I assist in proposal development; the planning, executing and tracking of specific project activities; monitoring financials and student support; and navigating the many tiresome details that distract from their important work. It involves lots of planning, keeping track of things, and good-natured nagging.
What do you like best about your job?
Every day is different, and everything is collaborative. I'm part of multiple teams on interesting projects that need different things from me at different times, so I'm always learning something new. Also, my colleagues in the School are absolutely fabulous, which makes the iSchool the best place to work on campus, hands down.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Now that life is feeling somewhat more normal, I'm looking forward to taking lots of road trips to spend time with family and old friends who are scattered around the country, especially my two-year-old grandson who has not been properly spoiled. Otherwise, I'm a bit of homebody—book clubs, scrapbooking, and pretending to be a great chef are my main pastimes.