Administrative Core

The purpose of Northern Arizona University’s Southwest Health Engagement & Research Collaborative (SHERC) Administrative Core is to ensure that research and career enhancement in the area of health continue to grow at NAU. The Administrative Core creates a framework for all the SHERC core components to work together efficiently and effectively, and continually and carefully monitors SHERC component activities to ensure that SHERC keeps its efforts focused on the goals of the program.

The goals of SHERC include the development of an impactful research center and the development of Northern Arizona University’s research infrastructure in collaboration with communities and through partnerships with American Indian, Hispanic/Latinx, and other health disparity populations in Arizona and across the southwestern United States (US).

Initiatives and Programs

The following initiatives and programs have been developed in support of the purpose and goals of the Administration Core.

SHERC Leadership 

The Administrative Core has assembled an experienced leadership team, led by Dr. Julie Baldwin, PI. Dr. Baldwin is responsible for the overall SHERC administration and oversight of fiscal and personnel management. SHERC Core Leadership is composed of members of the SHERC Executive Committee. The SHERC Executive Committee is advised by the SHERC Advisory Committee. The expertise of the Advisory Committee and Executive Committee members are integrated into the Administrative Core’s efforts to  promote shared visions, goals, and outcomes. 

Core Leadership Development Program

The Administrative Core will continue to build and sustain the leadership infrastructure of SHERC through a Core Leadership Development Program (CLDP). Through this innovative program, tenured faculty at NAU are invited by SHERC leadership to participate in a 2-year research administration leadership program within SHERC designed to best match scholarly interests and skills with core responsibilities. 

Evaluation System

SHERC has built and maintained an interactive, comprehensive evaluation feedback system to support data-driven decision making for program improvement and innovation. 

Collaborative Partnerships

The Administrative Core works in conjunction with the other cores to establish community-driven priorities and strategic plans for addressing a wide range of health disparities in our region. The core provides the internal institutional infrastructure and external partnerships to support SHERC targeted research projects and investigators. The core also oversees creative ways to disseminate information at the individual, community, and institutional levels.

Training opportunities

The Administrative Core offers extensive training opportunities especially designed for our early-stage investigators (ESIs) receiving funding through the Investigator Development Core (IDC) and SHERC research projects, including proposal development and manuscript writing workshops, and opportunities for investigators to participate in team science and translational approaches in health research in Arizona and the southwestern US. 

Administrative Core – Our team