Career Panel – Research Development Profession
Ever wonder what is research development (RD) and how your training has prepared you to enter this dynamic and growing profession? Looking to use your “academic” and other skill sets in new and exciting ways to enable innovative research at Stanford and beyond?
Join a Panel Discussion with Research Development Professionals!
August 28, 2025 @ 2-3PM (zoom)
Register [ Click Here]
What is Research Development?
Research Development activities can include Strategic Research Advancement; Communication of Research and Research Opportunities; Enhancement of Collaborative/Team Science; and Proposal Support Functions. Learn More.
Stanford has a community of practice for Research Development called RD Community @ Stanford. Learn More.
Are you a postdoc? Consider applying to the RD Postdoc Certificate. Learn More.
Meet the Moderator:
Amber Moore, PhD is a trained immunologist whose goal is to connect individuals with the resources they need to excel holistically. Dr. Moore is leading the Grant Writing Academy’s new faculty-focused strategies for belonging and activities including new bootcamps, workshops, and resources development.
Meet the Panelists:
Vinita Bharat, PhD is a Research Development Strategist/grant Writer in the Office of Pediatric Research Development. She is committed to continuously improving application content and research capacity by providing comprehensive training to faculty and administrators. She assists fellows, trainees, postdocs, and junior faculty with individual grantsmanship for the lifecycle of various proposals. She leads “Tackling your K” and “Tackling your F and LRP” clubs in the Department of Pediatrics. She has served as a Grant Coach at Grant Writing Academy at Stanford. She is an experienced research scientist who has a deep interest and passion for research development and science communication. She is an acclaimed science communicator; her online platform Fuzzy Synapse has been featured in several international media releases. She aims to contribute to research development to increase participation, engagement, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in STEM fields.
Justin Crest, PhD is Associate Director of Team Science in Department of Pediatrics at Stanford University. Justin is an experienced research scientist who has a passion for collaborative team science. He has recieved support from NIH, W.M. Keck, and the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation for his multidisceplenary projects. At Stanford, he facilitates faculty and trainees to strategically position their grants and research goals in order to maximize funding success, while also encouraging new collaborative research within Pediatrics and campus-wide.
Madison Priest, PhD is Assistant Director of Research Development for the Humanities, Arts, and Interpretive Social Sciences at Stanford University. She leads and implements the Stanford Research Development Office’s services for these fields, supporting faculty with proposal development and funding strategy through 1:1 consultations, long-term proposal support, writing workshops, and events. Madison received her PhD in English from the CUNY Graduate Center, where, in addition to her coursework and research, she taught undergraduate writing courses and worked with faculty and students as an Instructional Technology Fellow. Between graduating and starting at Stanford, Madison also worked as a grant writer at a local nonprofit, where she secured significant federal, state, and foundation funding.
Brandi Stephens, PhD is a Research Development Specialist for the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine with a PhD in Physiology with a particular focus on cardiovascular health and disease. During her PhD, her research was independently funded by the American Heart Association demystifying racial disparities and the development of hypertension in women. In her role, Brandi assists fellows, junior faculty and faculty members with 1:1 grant support to discuss progress, write and review drafts and strategize to develop highly competitive proposals. She also has expertise in health equity and diversity in cardiovascular health.
Carolyn Trietsch received her PhD in Entomology with a focus on insect taxonomy and museum science and realized her love of science writing and communication. She joined Penn State’s Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Office, where she worked on large, multi-million dollar interdisciplinary proposals for four years. She now brings her experience to Stanford’s Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. As a Research Development Strategist, she works with faculty 1:1 to provide grant support, write and review drafts, and strategize to develop highly competitive proposals.
Meet the RD Postdoc Certificate Trainee:
Albina Ibrayeva received her MS and PhD from University of Southern California, Los Angeles USA. Her graduate work was focused on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the decline of hippocampal activity with age. In her postdoctoral studies she focuses on understanding how different immune challenges accelerate neurodegeneration and cognitive decline during physiological aging. Albina values the importance of building collaborative relationships, empowering researchers to effectively present their ideas, and making a positive impact through diverse projects. She is committed to assisting others and focusing on ethical and responsible coaching, which contributes to the creation of a supportive community that fosters academic growth and research innovation.