Administrative Core

Project Summary – Administrative Core Project Summary – Administrative Core. The Administrative Core provides leadership, long-term direction, and financial management to allow the Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) to enhance the nutrition and obesity research of the UNC NORC’s exceptional research base. Given the Center’s size and complexity, the Administrative Core is critical to coordinating and integrating UNC NORC activities and keeping the many components of the UNC NORC functioning optimally. The Core provides the needed infrastructure to UNC NORC members so that they can effectively compete for external funding. The Core plays an important role in coordination across the UNC NORC to ensure efficiency and to leverage opportunities for interdisciplinary work. The Core also facilitates the effective execution of the Pilot and Feasibility (P&F) Program and the Enrichment Program, including substantial efforts in nutrition education, notably for medical students and physicians at UNC and across the nation. Importantly, the Core facilitates and monitors accurate and appropriate allocation and collection of Center finances. In addition, the Core effectively presents the accomplishments of UNC NORC members to UNC administration such that University leadership has dramatically increased the investment of permanent State funds for nutrition and obesity research. The Directors of the Administrative Core, Drs. Elizabeth Mayer-Davis and Saame Raza Shaikh, are experienced administrators with demonstrated scientific and administrative leadership abilities. Drs. Mayer-Davis, Shaikh, and the Administrative Core oversee all UNC NORC research cores to ensure the productivity, effectiveness, and appropriateness of their activities. The Core recruits members for the research base and ensures their membership eligibility. The Core manages strategic planning by the Internal Advisory Committee and coordinates with the External Advisory Committee. The Administrative Core has demonstrated a strong record of success providing oversight to the UNC NORC and supporting an outstanding research base that successfully competed for $144.7 million in nutrition and obesity research funding and generated 912 high-quality publications.