CARA | ACAAR

Member Testimonials

Joining the Canadian Association of Research Administrators (CARA) was more than just a professional step for me—it was about finding a community that truly understands the complex, behind-the-scenes work of supporting research in Canada. As a new member, I’m seeking connections with peers who know what it means to navigate shifting policies, manage intricate compliance processes, and support researchers in securing funding and moving discoveries forward. CARA offers not only a variety of practical tools through conferences, webinars, and shared resources, but also a sense of belonging to a national network that values growth, collaboration, and impact. For me, it’s about investing in my development while contributing to the bigger purpose of advancing research that has the power to change lives.

Miriam Santos Dutra
McGill Centre for Translational Research in Cancer (MCTRC)

I enjoy being a CARA member for the ongoing learning opportunities and value the discussions with other members.

Casey Harding
Saskatchewan Health Authority

I joined CARA a few months ago because I was interested in pursuing the Research Administration certificate through Mohawk College. I was pleasantly surprised by the great community CARA has. I have also taken advantage of some of the learning opportunities offered by CARA. As someone involved in clinical research for many years, it has been interesting and useful to learn about the other aspects of research administration, through my CARA membership.

Simona Meier
University of Saskatchewan

My CARA membership has been invaluable as I pursue the Research Administration Certificate at Mohawk, with financial assistance making it possible to achieve this career milestone. The free webinars and wealth of information provided have been especially helpful as I am new to the research field, supporting my growth and development as a Research Coordinator.

Heather Poechman

I have only been a member for a short time, and I am really looking forward to the conference in Fredericton. I can already see the value in being a member.

Michele Tingley
University of Calgary

Being a member of CARA has been an incredibly experience. The community is experienced and supportive, offering numerous opportunities to get engaged, build skills through professional development and connect through networking activities. I really enjoy engaging with so many of the CARA members at the CARA National Conference which has expanded my network. Having been engaged with CARA for many years, I have personally taken advantage of the resources provided by CARA, which have significantly enhanced my understanding of research administration and continue to help me stay updated with the latest trends and best practices in the field.

Mike Folinas
University of Toronto

ACAAR/CARA is unique in that it provides a focus on the Canadian research experience and the funding programs offered by Canadian granting agencies unmatched by any of the other research administration organizations, while also being open to sharing information and expertise on non-Canadian sponsors. Also, some of the webinars are offered free by CARA/ACAAR to its members and are quite timely and helpful, and even the ones that aren't free for its members are offered at a very good price point.

Edmund Gin
UBC

Last year I made a career switch from Clinical Researcher to Grants Administrator. Joining CARA and taking advantage of the vast community resources has made my transition an easier one. Attending the 2024 annual conference helped me get a grasp on the basics of research administration and also make new and valuable connections in the field (I even ran into some old friends!). I am excited to attend the 2025 conference and further expand my knowledge in this wonderful field of work. Thank you, CARA, for providing such a welcoming space for career advancement!

Maria D. Pasic
Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

The best thing I did to advance my career was to join CARA. I met experts, leaders and new friends. I gained skills, nuanced my strengths and collaborated on creative solutions with peers across the country. CARA is where you belong and grow your research administration career!

Jamie McInnis
SAIT

Joining CARA has been a game changer for my career. The learning offered through webinars and the national Canadian Conference on Research Administration has been incredible, but the most valuable thing to me is the peer network. I have met so many colleagues who are doing fantastic work across Canada, and we often work in collaborative spaces that CARA facilitates. I would recommend CARA to anyone in the research community!

Gwen Thompson Hill
Royal Roads University

I joined CARA in April 2025 but this is not my first interaction with CARA. I have participated in a number of webinars with fellow colleagues to discuss and share knowledge about Horizon Europe. The spirit of sharing and giving in this network is quite evident and I look forward to my first CARA conference in May.

Michele La Vie
Simon Fraser University

I have been a CARA member since I started my research administration career in 2008. I have benefited greatly from participating in insightful webinars, and have given back, too, by delivering some webinars for CARA members. Participating in the annual conference is the most impactful benefit. The opportunity to speak directly with funding program staff is valuable. Picking up tips and templates for my own use that colleagues have generously shared has helped to make me an effective research grant facilitator and administrator.

David Bruce
St. Francis Xavier University

As an early career research administrator, joining the CARA has been invaluable. Through CARA, I’ve had access to professional development opportunities, up-to-date information on best practices, and meaningful networking experiences. The connections I’ve made have helped me build a strong resource network that I can rely on daily. I am grateful for the support and community CARA provides at this stage of my career.

Carly Byers
Nipissing University

I have been working in research administration for three years and joining CARA and attending the national conference as well as online learning sessions has been critical to my growth in my role and expanding my perspective and making me more innovative.

Leslie Cove
University of Waterloo

I joined CARA shortly after taking a role as a Research Officer at a small institution. The webinars helped me to navigate the many aspects of Research Administration and learn from other institutions. I also was able to attend the national CARA conference and made many connections with others working in small institutions. Having access to CARA from very early on in my career in research administration was an essential part in my professional development.

Jeremy Kruizinga

CARA provides an array of platforms, all aimed at furthering professional development for and by Research Administrators. As a CARA member since 2012, I gained professionally, in perspectives, knowledge and skills, and continue to do so, to this day. Through its webinars, conferences, books and courses CARA allows a greater, faster professional and individual growth, than anyone would on their own.

Pierre-Jean Alarco
Polytechnique Montreal

I have been a CARA member for many years, and it has been instrumental in my career growth! The webinars provide great subject-specific learning opportunities, and have allowed me to transition from learning to providing the information as a webinar presenter myself. It has helped to increase my confidence with public speaking. The networking opportunities are incredibly valuable as well, especially the national conference.

Lauren Gogo
Hamilton Health Sciences

CARA has been an invaluable resource for me during my 17 years in research administration. If I ever have a question during my day to day work, I can ask the listserv and usually get several responses from this supportive community. I regularly attend the ongoing and topical webinars. And the conferences are a wonderful chance to connect with colleagues from across the country engaged in the same work. All in all, it’s an indispensable membership for me.

V. Rogers

Working in research ethics, I wanted to be able to broaden my skillset to be able to expand my role and abilities to transfer into leadership roles. With that, I knew I’d need to have an understanding of many areas of research administration beyond ethics, however was not gaining this experience directly in my role. The Research Administration certificate allowed me to gain an understanding of areas of research administration I didn’t previously have, including the funding environment, contracts, and more. I have since been able to successfully leverage this knowledge to expand my role and responsibilities at work – and I get to use my knowledge each day!

Emma Markoff
Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences

Yesterday I had the happy privilege of graduating with Honours from the CARA supported Certificate in Research Administrationat Mohawk college, and I wanted to take a moment while the experience is still fresh and uncrowded by life's inumerable concerns to say, Thank You! Thank you for the CARA for the continued support and advice throughout the program which I was able to complete just 12 months after I began. Thank you also for the incredible volume of highly relevant industry-related content and direction that the course supervisors were able to pack into the different modules. Thank you also for the accompanying seminars and offered books. Lastly thank you for the support you were able to offer meduring the last term of my program in the form of the Dr. Frances Chandler Bursary. For me the bursary represented a very welcome helping hand at a difficult time.I look forward to building a career in research administration and a continued association with CARA, and I can honestly say that CARA have my sincere gratitude for the generosity and support.

Anonymous Student/Graduate

CARA provides stakeholders in the research community with the opportunity to engage with Canadian Research Administrators, creating an effective two-way channel for updates, information dissemination, and feedback from this valuable community.

Shawna Sadler
ORCID Engagement Manager, Americas

There are many tangible benefits associated with volunteering with CARA such as possibility of getting a national award, featured in Volunteer Spotlight of CARA Connections, getting a pass to a paid webinar. Few talked about the intangible benefits that we do not experience unless you are part of this wonderful supportive community. Obvious ones include broadening my professional network (with research administrators from your region or across Canada) and making me aware of administrative issues, i.e. administrative burden, impacting our profession. My CARA experience taught me to look beyond my own role and to gain a better understanding of the big picture, i.e. about how institutions operate as a whole, for me to perform better at work. I also appreciated the ongoing supportive messages from various research administrators to each other amid the outbreak - CARA truly exemplifies a community of practice with tools and services benefiting its entire membership.

Anita Chiu

Research involves collaboration not just with immediate co-workers but with other researchers in Canada and the world. To me, the spirit of collaboration includes sharing my knowledge with others who have the same interest in promoting quality research. The Research Administration Certificate offers a comprehensive list of courses designed to cover the main topics associated with the production of high-quality research projects, and it deserves to be promoted and recognized as a valuable resource.

Deborah Parfett

People should consider what members of the CARA community they would like to get to know better, as this community is a valuable resource. Volunteers can lead SIG groups to engage with members on specific topics, volunteers can engage with leaders in our field to build career networks, or volunteers could build new friendships with people who share common interests. In addition, a community works best when everyone contributes - everyone has a voice, an opinion, a unique point of view. For CARA to be most effective we need all of our members to consider how they can use their gifts and experience to help others!

Erica Conte

Volunteering benefited me so immensely that it is hard to articulate. First, I met fantastic people within my field and created relationships that will far outlast the time I spent volunteering. Second, I got more involved with CARA as a whole and was able to make several connections across the country that I had no idea I would benefit from later in my career. Third, my overall knowledge of my own field was increased exponentially. I was able to make inroads with colleagues and funding sponsors. Our sharing of knowledge, processes, and creative solutions helped me to grow within my own field. I now knew “who” to call when I needed answers and I was able to be someone that others could call on. Fourth, my confidence increased. Putting myself in the uncomfortable position of giving presentations, greeting people, and generally forcing myself outside of my comfort zone allowed me to continue my growth as a Research Administrator and as a human being. Fifth, I had a lot of fun, dancing, drinking, and dining. Staying up late and going on adventures with new friends in strange cities.

Tom Barber

I wanted an opportunity to meet more people and learn from some of the very best nationally. The different committees and groups that I have been a part of have allowed me to meet so many amazing individuals and learn from them. These opportunities only arose because of my volunteering with CARA!

Jenna Millar

Volunteering with CARA has provided me with various networking opportunities. I enjoy working collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal (eg. evaluation of the RA certificate program). If I can gain new knowledge in the process, all the better!

Naomi Bedek

CARA is my teacher, because I am always a student. Each day, I walk into the school with more confidence, knowing how to make linkages between student success and research ethics. I have learnt the nuances of research processes through following CARA’s webinars on how to work together with a multicultural and multigenerational workforce. So far, the best lesson I’ve learnt is through writing the grant proposal. Just refining the appropriate funding agency, forming a team, exploring the need and writing the project description has been the most enlightening journey of self and the student community. When the school receives its grant to start an outdoor classroom, they too will thank CARA for making this happen for their students and the nearby community.

Sarah Musavi
Ottawa Catholic School Board

I chose CARA as my professional association for the many educational webinars it offers, the annual networking opportunities at both national and regional levels, and the opportunity to learn from other research administrators nationally and regionally through the CARA emails and through the mentorship program.

Lily Liew
UBC

CARA has done a great job at knowledge translation in research administration!CARA’s webinar process is easy for speakers to use and connect with the attendees. CARA provides a slide template and the use of a webinar platform without any fuss as to ownership of content, which remains with the speaker. The ability to archive content allows for it to continue to be available and for a speaker to choose when to update it by re-presenting the material (such as after a couple of years or when applicable regulations change).I’m always happy to present CARA webinars. I appreciate the community and knowledge that I had access to when I was an in-house research administrator and I love being able to contribute to the CARA community now as an external lawyer with my own firm.

Michelle Moldofsky
LL.B., LL.M. Moldofsky Professional Corporation

The Mentorship Program which is a part of the CARA certificate program, is a very important part of the program.I am enrolled in the CARA certificate program, with one course remaining.In addition to the course materials and the diverse experience and points of view of my fellow students, I have benefitted greatly from the Mentorship Program.Being paired with someone in a different role than my own has become another learning opportunity.Together, we decided what we wanted from our mentor/mentee relationship and how it would work.Some of the benefits I have received include: feedback on course assignments, sharing (and learning from) our experiences, a listening ear for workplace issues and concerns, and receiving great advice (personally and professionally).I look forward to our talks because I know I will learn something I did not know before.I really appreciate knowing there is someone out there who has a keen interest in me, my job and my professional development – and who volunteered for it.Thank you Anna!!

Murray Daku
University of Regina

As a research administrator early in my career, I benefitted from attending CARA’s (formerly CAURA’s) annual and regional meetings, sharing new administrator, networking and collaboration resources with colleagues from across Canada. In more recent years, I have had the honour of presenting at the annual conferences and delivering webinars on research ethics administration and human research accreditation and oversight. CARA is a dedicated grass roots led organization that provides advocacy, education, certification and networking opportunities to its members and continually supports research administrators and the promotion of research and protection of research participants across this country.

Alex Karabanow
University Health Network Chair, Accreditation Council
Human Research Accreditation Canada

I first became a CARA member in 2017. I have changed employers since then and now find myself surrounded by a number of engaged CARA members at the University of Saskatchewan. Most recently, I attended a webinar that another member hosted on campus and was re-introduced to the Research Administration Certificate program. I was skeptical about my ability to complete the program with my busy schedule. But, with the encouragement of other CARA members I began the program January 2020 and, I feel fully supported. Being a CARA member has given me the resources to continue my education and drive to reach my professional goals. I am excited to become more engaged and partake in more CARA events moving forward.

Britney Duncan
Research Coordinator, University of Saskatchewan

I greatly enjoyed my time enrolled in the CRA through CARA and Mohawk College. The instructors were leading experts in their field and the course materials were relevant to my professional development. Being matched with a mentor was the most enriching aspect of the program, my personal and professional development benefited greatly with the mentorship. The CRA provided me with the tools and resources to further my career and professional development.

Lukie Yuan
University Health Network

Last summer, I successfully graduated from the first cohort of the online Certificate in Research Administration program in partnership with Mohawk College. During my time in the program, many positive opportunities for discussion and networking emerged. I learned a wealth of information from my peers in Research Administration, and from others who were new to the field through weekly online discussions and course assignments. This continual stream of new knowledge has helped me grow in my career. In my opinion, these course discussions are the "goldmine" we need to tap as research administrators in a field that is constantly faced with change. The program also inspired me to take on a mentorship role at CARA; I'm very proud and happy to serve in the role of a CARA mentor and provide guidance and knowledge to the next generation of CRA students. Thank you for providing this valuable professional development opportunity!

Elizabeth Russell-Minda
Research Development Officer, Western University

We at Pisces Research Project Management Inc, appreciate how CARA creates a collaborative community for information sharing. Through their webinars, extensive library and informative conference presentations, our company has learned many valuable skills to help us continue to grow.

Dr. Kes Morton
Pisces PRM, Executive Director of Casrai

As a long standing member of CARA, I have been astounded by the transformation of the association from a small professional development cohort to a dynamic professional community, with an expanded scope to include hospitals, funding agencies and colleges, engaging the full spectrum of Research Administrators across Canada. CARA’s partnership with Mohawk College has elevated and exposed the profession of Research Administration as a satisfying career path, filled with rich opportunities. Through CARA, I have expanded not only my professional network, but my opportunities to grow and learn alongside my fellow Research Administrators.

Katie Porter
Hamilton Health Sciences

Being a member, and past board member of CARA, has contributed to my success and overall understanding of the research administration realm. My employer was also pleased to see me engaged with CARA because it made me a more informed employee and ultimately a better support to the researchers in my faculty. It also allowed me to learn what was happening all across Canada, and to forge some really great friendships.

Frances Chandler

Having a poster competition is a great and hopefully growing aspect of the CARA national conference. I believe that sometimes topics/projects are better suited to a poster presentation style vs a concurrent session, so having that option is wonderful. I like doing poster presentations because you get an opportunity to chat in depth and network with like-minded individuals. Often in concurrent sessions the Q&A is cut short due to the length of the presentations, so you plan to find those people later to ask them questions, but at a busy conference that often doesn’t end up happening. As well, one often has to miss some sessions they would like to attend due to competing times, and with posters, people can view at their own leisure in addition to the set poster time. Finally, people have different preferences and comfort levels for presenting, so having a few different options make the opportunities accessible to more people.Having the opportunity to present information on the research program planning activities I’d been involved in with new researchers was not only fun, but the interest in the poster during and after the conference validated what I think is an important planning aspect for researcher success. Due to the interest, I adapted it into a webinar presentation this past spring for CARA, which also added to my skills. Winning the poster competition was an achievement I could add to my resume, and the cash prize covered the cost of the poster printing and helped with some of the travel costs, which are often beyond institutional PD funding. I look forward to doing more poster presentations at future conferences.

Patricia Tait

I have enrolled in two courses from the Research Administration Program offered by CARA. The quality of teaching, the course material and the discussions have been invaluable. I highly recommend this program for anyone interested in this field as well as for people already working in Research Administration. Receiving a bursary really made it possible for me to enrol in the 2nd course and I am really grateful to CARA for this opportunity. I look forward to advancing my career through this certification.

Crystal Noronha
MSc Research Assistant McGill University

I enrolled in the Developing Funding Proposals course with Mohawk in order to learn more about how to be a successful grant writer. As a recent graduate and new hire at UBC, I knew that this knowledge would be an asset to me in my unfolding career.What impressed me most was the focus on applied and collaborative learning as I was required to develop, critique, and submit a grant proposal to a funder and engage in on-line and face to face engagement with others across Canada. The guidance and support that we received from each other, and Dr. Chandler, provided all of us with the opportunity to meet, learn, and apply new skills and techniques in our own work settings. These connections and new skills have proven invaluable to me as I am delighted to say that I submitted my proposal and it was funded!I would highly recommend this course, and the entire program, to anyone involved in this field particularly since it is delivered by leading industry experts in the field of research administration in Canada.

Kristin Smart

The courses that I have taken so far in the Research Administration Certificate program have been very interesting and exceedingly useful. Through discussions with my peers in the program, I have learned so much about the topic areas as well as how common issues are handled at other institutions. The instructors have been really well organized, engaged, and responsive to suggestions. I have also very much appreciated the involvement of international students in the program. They have brought a different and interesting perspective to the discussion topics. Overall, I am very happy with the way the program is organized, the course content and relevant assignments, the instructors, and the Mohawk College elearn platform.

Jacqueline Dockray

Research Administration Certificate program is an excellent match to my interest, as I am interested in a career in research development. The course contents are highly valuable in terms of building upon my expertise. Furthermore, this program provides a platform to communicate and share knowledge andexperience with the professionals in diverse institutions in Canada, a fantastic opportunity to learn from each other. This program is doing wonders to me - I commit to contribute to the CARA community and wish success of the program.

Sanjukta Choudhury
Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Saskatchewan

These weekly classes are highly relevant to my work interests. I can tailor the assignment topics to my own professional development needs and source from my work experiences, knowledge, and current projects.For me, the best part of these courses has been the hundreds of insightful discussions about research development and administration issues my peers and I share. Learning how these are dealt with at other institutions has been invaluable, as are the connections I’ve made with colleagues from a range of research institutions, across the country and abroad.

Gen Clark
Research Facilitator

Certification in the Research Administration program provided me a great opportunity to learn about various facets of research administration (pre- and post-grant) that are useful in my daily work setting. It has empowered my knowledge about the field in general. I may not have got a chance to explore those topics in-depth on my own if I was not taking this course. It was especially a very valuable experience for someone like me who transitioned form the other side of the table (research) to the research administration world. It has allowed me to connect with expert CARA colleagues and mentors who facilitated my journey to the finish line. Overall, it was an absolute fantastic experience!

Anita Sharma
Research Grants Development Officer, Thompson Rivers University

Excellent course, practical content and instructors are quick to respond to any questions.

Toni Tidy about the Contracts & Reporting Course
Research Administration Certificate

The Research Administration program offered through CARA/Mohawk College is a wonderful learning opportunity for both new and existing administrators in the profession.Research is unique, complex and always evolving. This program offers administrators the knowledge needed to understand all aspects of research administration from both the pre award and post award side. The online aspects of this course has been beneficial in providing flexibility in time management. As a working mom, I found this valuable to be able to listen to lectures and read the material when it best suited my schedule. In the short time frame I have been enrolled in the program, I already have gained a greater understanding of the challenges and complexities institutions face in the research environment. I look forward to learning more throughout the duration of the courses.

Simonette Wood
Research Administration Certificate

I have been fortunate to enroll in the Research Administration College Certificate sponsored through the Canadian Association of Research Administrators - at first out of curiosity to what my employees might gain from the experience. But to my delight, there are nuggets of wisdom and shared experience that are of benefit to all. Many of us get narrow in scope with one or two functions within the project cycle, and in regards to funding sources and opportunities while this opportunity broadens one's understanding of the project life-cycle and opportunities while learning through other's shared success and failures. I would highly recommend active participation in this professional development opportunity for researchadministrators at all levels.

Dr. Greg Anderson, PhD
Research Administration Certificate

Taking part in the Certificate in Research Administration has already been a great help in my current role. The applied nature of the assignments allow me to use them in my daily work, and relate my work to the course material. In addition, the course work provides the opportunity to explore all areas of research and aspects of research administration, which I hope will be a resource for future career opportunities.

Theodore Konya
Certificate in Research Administration

Truth be told, I bought the CARA publication because I contributed to the particular e-book,Career Journeys: Leaders Share Different Career Journeys in Research Administration, the third in this CARA initiative, so perhaps the purchase was fuelled by a bit of narcissism on my part. After reading through it, though, I was honoured to be included in this group of “leaders,” which I don’t think truly applies to me and is probably a detail I missed when I sent my contribution, and to be among a grouping that pretty much all have PhDs, something in which I am also lacking. But what impressed me about this publication is the diversity of people’s backgrounds and the variety of career paths that led them to their current post, something that I personally find fascinating. The recurring thread for those featured was that, for the most part, none had intentionally pursued a career in research administration, but all the various paths led them to this common ground. I also like that each entry had the writer’s distinct voice and personal story. I would recommend the book to anyone who is interested in learning about others’ career paths, and who might want to find inspiration for how the amalgamation of various past experiences contributes to an individual’s overall evolution in employment.

Carla DeMarco
University of Toronto

I have enjoyed my volunteer service to CARA. During the past two years, I have presented seven webinars for CARA. They provided an opportunity to learn the nuances of Canadian research administration and, importantly, to meet interesting colleagues through the online medium.I hope to continue my relationship with CARA by preparing further webinars on topics of interest to a broad CARA audience.

Dean Smith, Author, Managing the Research University, University Finances and How University Budgets Work

The Certificate Research Administration looks like a really exciting course. It looks quite intensive. The units look very interesting and very applicable to my position. The system is so easily laid out for students and the requirements are clearly stated. I really appreciate that the course is so well organized.

Karen Mosier
University of Saskatchewan

Being part of CARA has been a very positive experience for me - I’ve learned, loved and grown in research administration a lot since I’ve become a member. Conferences are wonderful platforms for networking, sharing experiences, identifying pain points, discussions of various topics from ethics to metrics and getting first-hand information on TriCouncil changes/updates.

Nur Eisma
UBC / C&W Coordinator, Pre & Post Awards | Office of Research Services (ORS) & Child & Family Research Institute (CFRI)

I have been a member of CARA since 2003 and I have been involved as a presenter, session organizer, on the executive, as a CARA representative at tech transfer and export control conferences and even as a talent show host! I have attended INORMS and brought the experience of CARA to our research admin colleagues at ARMA in the UK and ARMS in Australia. Participating in CARA has always provided me with a sense of community. I have put questions up on the list serve, responded to questions when I felt I had anything relevant to say and I have folks I know I can call when I have questions that I am not yet ready to write down publicly. CARA helps me and my colleagues maximize the impact if our services for our researchers and our institution.

David J. Phipps, Ph.D., MBA
Executive Director, Research & Innovation Services | Division of Vice-President Research & Innovation Office of Research Services YORK UNIVERSITY

Through CARA I have met several Colleagues who I can also count as friends. The best part of CARA is networking with counterparts at other Institutions and sharing common issues and solutions. Networking through CARA greatly enhanced my knowledge from day 1.

Angela Zeno, BA, CPA, CGA
Manager, Research | Accounting York University

Through CARA, I can access highly educational webinars on very relevant topics. I am connected to an online community of research administrators, funders, and consultants from across Canada. It has been a very effective platform to pose questions and find solutions.

Deepak S. Gupta, D. Sc., P. Eng. (AB)

Long before there was any formal professional development available for research administrators in Canada there was CARA. CARA was, and is, a network of people who are generous with their time and expertise. When we are all pressured by time, and challenged with new and difficult situations, having this group of peer experts has been invaluable. Truly we have much to learn from each other and CARA as it is evolving continues to provide a forum of this to happen.

Sandra Crocker
Associate Vice-President | Carleton University

Further to my survey responses: I would like to add my thanks to all the CARA staff for your exceptional planning and professionalism, as well as the warmth you bring to communications with your membership. Not only do I find the activities and opportunities CARA presents useful for deepening my understanding of the research administration ecosystem, I truly appreciate the rich opportunities for personal and professional growth in the field, and for helping me feel like part of a community. This is as much imparted through the design of your programs, as by your exceptional response time and even kindness from each member of the CARA team. Moreover, the attitudes and good citizenship of an organization sets the tone for its participants. The collegiality and team-spirited helpfulness that is expected and delivered to relationships between CARA members is a byproduct of your good service. I am grateful for CARA and all of you.

Guita Lamsechi, PhD MI
Queen's University

As a long-time member of CARA (and previously of CAURA), I can attest to the advantages of CARA membership. Over the years I have gained valuable knowledge and skills, shared best-practices, made connections with research administrators and sponsor personnel, received the latest updates from various sponsors, and made friends and had fun with colleagues along the way. In particular, the CARA national conference provides great learning and networking opportunities.

Leslie Copp

The Canadian Association of Research Administrators

Latest CARA Events

Grant Writing - Part 1: Introduction

Grant Writing - Part 2: Intermediate

Grant Writing - Part 3: Advanced

Grant Facilitators' Journal Club Series 2025-2026

MITACS Working Group

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