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Cayuse Champion Spotlight: Kara King, PhD, CRA

By Simon Helton posted 06-30-2021 15:34

  
The Cayuse community is thrilled to shine its Champion Spotlight on @Kara King, Ph.D., CRA, and Director, Grants & Contracts and Systems Support at Atrium Health. Keep reading below to get to know Kara better.

Kara King
Kara King

How do you interact with Cayuse products on a daily basis?
We use Cayuse 424 for proposal submissions, Cayuse Sponsored Projects for non-financial pre- and post-award administration of sponsored programs, Data Connect for reporting, and Cayuse Analytics for snapshots of our organization's proposal and award profiles. Over the years, use of the various modules in the research suite has greatly facilitated our oversight of sponsored programs and our ability to help support the Sponsored Programs Community.

What do you like to do outside of work?
I've recently taken up bicycling which I'm enjoying a lot. I attend aerobic dance classes when I can. I also like reading, listening to music, drawing, and playing video games, especially old school ones like Galaga and Pac-Man. I'm up for binge watching a great tv series too!

What do you see as the hottest trends in research today?
I see the increase in multidisciplinary collaboration as a hot trend in research. Globally, we saw how people came together to address the COVID-19 pandemic in all sectors of life and especially in the development of multiple vaccines. At my own organization, Atrium Health, I was able to participate on committees that led to new research studies and other sponsored activities related to COVID and that brought together teammates, departments, and organizations who might not have traditionally worked together as much at earlier points in time. We were able to accomplish so much and this was a trend across many organizations. We are continuing to see this trend as we submit new proposals and receive awards generally. There are different collaborations occurring that are incorporating not only traditional research departments but some of our corporate departments as well. It is expanding the types and scopes of projects we can undertake and the research opportunities we can provide. 

What do you consider most promising in the era of big data?
As a consumer, I've seen the impact of big data in everyday things like how various products and services are marketed to me and the potential benefits it can provide. I work in a health care setting, and I think one of the most promising potentials of big data is the ability for it to advance patient care. Big data can be utilized to promote various activities that affect patients including the facilitation of research activities as well as diagnoses and treatment options. There will be greater ability to provide even more personalized care.

How can an organization stay relevant five years from now?
I think one of the best things an organization can do to be relevant in five years is to keep a constant pulse on various trends and factors impacting their core mission, vision, teammates, and community. It's important to assess the culture of an organization consistently and to help ensure teammates are heard by providing opportunities for them to share how both successes and challenges might influence where an organization is trying to go. I'm a strong believer in the power of information and the impact that not knowing what you don't know can have on an organization's ability to thrive. I also think collaborating with others toward reaching common goals is essential to an organization's success. 

What app would be hard for you to live without?
My interests are broad so there are a ton of apps I really love to use. I enjoy music very much, and all kinds of it, so I would say Spotify is one of the apps that it would be hard for me to live without. I like making playlists, discovering new music, and listening to tunes I already love. I probably listen to music at some point every day!

If you could meet any historical figure, who would you choose and why?
I would choose to meet Nelson Mandela. About 20 years ago, I had the opportunity to go to South Africa to visit a friend who was enrolled in a student exchange program there. As part of the trip they planned a visit to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. It was fascinating to learn more about his life, experiences, and contributions toward peace while in the actual environment where he was held. It would be even more inspiring to hear his perspectives and how he persevered firsthand.

Thank you Kara for being a Cayuse Champion and sharing your thoughts!​​​

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