We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Chelsea Crawford joined the department this month to lead research development strategy, partnering with the chair, vice chair of Research, department and CWRH leadership team, and faculty to devise strategies and activities to maintain and enhance the department’s research mission and funding portfolio. Crawford will work in collaboration with all faculty to develop research proposals as well as promote research mentorship for junior faculty and interested fellows to secure extramural and intramural research funding.

She will work hand-in-hand with faculty, CWRH leadership, pre- and post-award teams, and financial leadership to ensure fiscal stewardship. Crawford looks forward to developing deep partnerships with faculty through the reinvigoration of the Research Review and Monitoring Oversight Committee to encourage research productivity and accountability.

Crawford earned her Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from UAB in 2014 with a focus spinal monoamine modulation of chronic urinary bladder pain. After completing postdoctoral training in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, she led research development efforts in the Center for Exercise Medicine, where she contributed to a myriad of proposal submissions and managed over $30M in extramural funding. In her role as the director for Research Development in the vice president for Research Office, Crawford directly supported extramural research planning and proposal development across all schools/college at UAB. She played a key part in laying the groundwork and growing the Research Development Office through establishing partnerships and providing services to research teams, leadership, and faculty. Crawford collaborated with services across campus including CCTS and Training Grant Support Office and led grant endeavors which resulted in over $25M from funding agencies such as NIH, NSF, and DoD, as well as from non-profits such as American Heart Association, Pew Charitable Trust, and Michael J. Fox Foundation. Crawford also help acquire new software solutions, such as Pivot and Dimensions, that add ease and automation to research planning and tracking.