Administrative Core

PROJECT SUMMARY The Administrative Core serves as the backbone of the Charleston Alcohol Research Center (ARC), providing the organizational framework necessary for effective management of all administrative, research, and educational activities connected to the ARC. As the centralized hub of the ARC, the Administrative Core functions to coordinate activities of all components within the ARC, including three basic research projects, two clinical research projects, the Shared Resource Core, and the Pilot Project Core. The Administrative Core is responsible for the day-to-day management of all facets of the ARC to ensure it operates in a smooth, efficient, and productive manner. To accomplish its goals, the Administrative Core provides: (a) scientific and administrative leadership along with infrastructure that fosters cohesion and integration of multidisciplinary translational research efforts; (b) management and support for all Center activities including decisions about resource allocation and mechanisms for internal and external oversight and monitoring of progress, (c) administrative support for all fiscal matters and reports, (d) infrastructure for facilitating communication both within the Center and outside the Center to the scientific community, and (e) central coordination of training opportunities, professional development, and scientific enrichment activities, as well as educational outreach efforts that project the ARC as a regional and national resource. The Center Director, Scientific Directors, and the Administrative Core staff have a long-standing and well- established working relationship, having provided effective stewardship of the ARC for many years. The scientific leadership team blends expertise in both basic science and clinical research, reflecting the ARC’s philosophy of embracing translational and interdisciplinary research. The Administrative Core facilitates communication among ARC investigators through internal web-based links on the ARC website, as well as regularly scheduled Executive and Steering Committee meetings where scientific or operational issues are raised and discussed. The Administrative Core also coordinates meetings with the external Program Advisory Committee, which provides critical feedback on scientific progress and direction. Collectively, these critical functions enable the Administrative Core to play a central role in: (1) fostering multidisciplinary and translational research efforts that are thematically-focused on the topic of treatment and treatment implications; (2) enhancing research collaborations and facilitating use of state-of-the-art experimental approaches; (3) attracting new (especially early-stage) investigators into the Center that serves to invigorate its research efforts; and (4) providing a stimulating environment that enriches training opportunities and professional development in alcohol research.