Global perspectives: Cottingham selected for NCURA fellowship
As the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Director of Research Program Development, Contract & Grant Administration, Erika Cottingham enjoys working “at the center of ideas, people, and systems.”
“The college’s research portfolio is broad, ambitious, and impactful,” she said, “and my work allows me to support that mission by helping faculty and leadership navigate the structures that make funded research possible.”
Cottingham’s commitment to helping CVM faculty mirrors her dedication to professional development. Thanks to a competitive global fellowship offered by the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA), Cottingham will have the opportunity to observe, learn from, and exchange ideas with colleagues from one of Europe’s leading public universities. This summer, she will spend three weeks at Politecnico di Milano, a 40,000-student technical university in Milan, Italy, while focusing on research administration and global research best practices.
“I hope to gain a deeper understanding of how research administration is structured and operationalized within an international context, particularly within the European research ecosystem,” she said. “This includes exposure to different funding models, compliance frameworks, institutional governance structures, and approaches to supporting faculty and large-scale research initiatives. Beyond technical knowledge, I value the opportunity to build professional relationships, challenge my assumptions, and bring back insights that can inform more globally aware, adaptable, and collaborative research support practices in U.S. higher education.”
In addition to earning a NCURA 2025-2026 Global Fellowship, Cottingham will begin a term in May as the organization’s Region III chair-elect. Founded in 1959, the NCURA is a non-profit professional society that works to advance research administration through education and professional development programs. The organization includes more than 9,000 members representing 1,100 universities, colleges, research institutes and teaching hospitals in 40 countries.
Cottingham, who joined the College of Veterinary Medicine in April 2024, draws on more than two decades of experience in higher education research administration. Previous roles include service as director of Columbus State University’s Office of Sponsored Programs, consultant for Shared Services Research at the Morehouse School of Medicine, manager of Basic Science Administration Services at Emory University, and associate director of Research Services & Outreach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
During her time with the CVM, Cottingham has appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with faculty exploring everything from neurologic, genetic and metabolic diseases to canine olfactory capabilities.
“The most meaningful aspect of my work is knowing that strong research administration directly influences outcomes,” she said. “When proposals are well positioned, compliance is sound, and infrastructure is aligned; research has a greater chance to thrive. While my contributions often happen behind the scenes, they play a critical role in sustaining the college’s research momentum and ensuring that projects move from concept to impact responsibly and efficiently.”