Supporting NUCATS Programming

Morgan Barrowman is senior project coordinator within the NUCATS Center for Education & Career Development. In her role, she supports investigators through career development programs and seminar series designed to help scientists succeed. 

Where is your hometown?  

Joliet is my hometown. About 30 miles southwest of Chicago. 

What led you to Northwestern?  

My degree in sociology has allowed me the flexibility to adapt to different career paths and explore my interests and strengths in the workplace. I started at Northwestern in October 2019 in the Division of Rheumatology and have been in my current role at NUCATS since March 2022. Prior to coming to Northwestern, I was a legal assistant. The idea of working in an academic setting always interested me, so the transition to Feinberg School of Medicine was an exciting one.  

What are you currently working on?   

As a project coordinator in the NUCATS Center for Education and Career Development, I assist in three different programs: 1) The K12 Career Development Program 2) The NUCATS Mentor Development Series and Certificate Program; and 3) The Succeeding with Your K Award Seminar Series.  

To put it simply, throughout the year, my primary focus is ensuring these programs run smoothly and effectively. I work closely with the K12 MPIs and program faculty leads to brainstorm improvements to our existing processes and to explore new ideas that will keep our programs engaging, relevant and impactful.  

How does your work support the research enterprise at Feinberg?  

The programs mentioned above are designed to support faculty and the research enterprise at Feinberg: 

1. The NUCATS K12 Career Development Program is a 2-year program for early-career faculty who are committed to a career in clinical or translational research. The overarching goal is to train the Scholars to be resilient leaders of interdisciplinary teams. The K12 protects 75% of the Scholar’s effort for training and clinical or translational research activities. 
2. The NUCATS Mentor Development Series and Certificate Program consists of monthly workshops that are designed to prepare faculty mentors to be effective and successful in their roles. A strong mentoring relationship is key! 
3. Succeeding with Your K award is a monthly seminar series for those who currently have a NIH K award or equivalent. This series offers a place for supportive peer-mentoring as well as didactive topics that promote ways to be successful with your K award. 

Why do you enjoy working at Northwestern?  

While it’s a sentiment I hear often, I truly believe the best part of working at Northwestern is the people. Over the course of my time here, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with a diverse group of individuals across the university. There’s always a palpable sense of support and genuine care, which creates a solid foundation for meaningful work and lasting partnerships. I also take pride in the fact that Northwestern is a recognized and respected institution, known far beyond Illinois. When I tell people I work at Northwestern, the response is always overwhelmingly positive, and that never fails to remind me of how fortunate I am to be part of this exceptional community.