This text is part of the special notebook Relève en recherche
Rereading grant applications, putting researchers in contact to help them collaborate, helping a postdoctoral student stuck at customs, offering ideas for the development of a research project… The daily life of research agents is rarely monotonous. They devote their time to facilitating scientific research, but their role is little known, sometimes even within universities. Spotlight on this shadow work, which will be the subject of a workshop on October 25 as part of the Acfas Emerging Research Days.
It is difficult to list all the tasks of a research agent, which vary according to the needs of the faculty or research center and even the personality of the person occupying the position. “My job is to oil the gears,” summarizes Karl-Frédérik Bergeron, research and planning agent in the vice-deanship of research at the Faculty of Sciences at UQAM. “A lot of what we do aims to facilitate interaction with the university machine. »
A sense of initiative is essential, as well as the ability to identify the changing needs of research staff. “Sometimes, researchers tell me about a research project, and I suggest colleagues from other departments with whom they could collaborate,” explains the former biologist. I also invite organizations to come and present their programs to help teachers obtain grants. »
Added to this are more administrative tasks, to help students obtain a visa or facilitate the submission of a grant application. “Sometimes, accounting people receive requests for reimbursement, but do not understand what this expense was used for,” notes the research agent. I have to translate for them. »
Curiosity, flexibility, patience
So, how do you become a research agent? Don’t look in the list of university programs: there is no training that will lead you to this role. “It’s learned on the job. When you start, it’s difficult to know if you’re doing a good job,” says Jean-Benoit Cormier-Landry, scientific coordinator at the Interuniversity Research Center on Science and Technology (CIRST).
However, it is useful to have a good understanding of the university machine. “During my doctorate in literature, I was lucky enough to have a contract as editorial secretary for a scholarly journal,” says the scientific coordinator. It helped me understand how a university works, how the bureaucracy is structured. You can do a master’s degree and a doctorate without ever knowing that there is a research support service! » Even though he now works far from his field of study, these skills come in handy every day.
Another asset: creativity. “You have to be able to create meaning and coherence with disparate elements,” he adds. When it comes time to analyze a research project or grant application, I can see opportunities for collaboration. » The down-to-earth side should not be too far away, however, because after a day spent discussing research trends and projects that could be set up, we may be called upon to maneuver the bureaucracy of the institution.
Professional multitasking
“Several support employees told me that they had difficulty communicating with students regarding pronoun questions,” recalls Mr. Bergeron. They were uncomfortable assuming the gender of their interlocutor. I convinced my superiors to organize a workshop on gender diversity. » Scattered throughout universities and research centers in Quebec, research agents have the opportunity to add their personal touch to their work, “to the extent that it helps those involved in research”.
This flexibility brings a difficulty: making their role clearly understood by their colleagues. “I often have difficulty explaining what I do on a day-to-day basis,” confirms Mr. Bergeron. But the teachers who know me know how to put my skills to good use. They really appreciate the work we do in the shadows. » This is why he makes sure to meet all the new professors, to both explain to them what he can offer them, but also to learn more about their research and store the information in his mental database. “It can make networking easier. »
Both professionals agree that their work is essential. “It takes someone who does things that people don’t have time to do,” observes Mr. Cormier-Landry. » In short, without them, scientific discoveries would simply happen more slowly.
Preparing for post-doctoral work
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