Administrative Core

Summary The Administrative Core (AC) of the UNM CHANGES (Climate and Health Allied Network for Geospatial and Environmental Science) Center is tasked with the ambitious objective of not only coordinating and leading the center, but also creating integrative structural organization for two separate campuses: UNM Main and UNM

Health Sciences Center. The long-term goal of the UNM CHANGES is to become a national leader in Climate Change and Human Health research, with a regional focus on solving issues impacting our vulnerable communities. The goal of the present application is to establish a centralized and effective AC that provides

managerial, fiscal, and organizational support for the scientific objectives, mentoring activities for our junior investigators, and coordinating activities and output for our cores and projects. The rationale for the AC is to ensure the long-term success of the UNM CHANGES Center and begin the establishment of a cross-campus

model for the integration of research units needed to address the complexities of human health impacts of climate change. This success extends beyond independent research projects and it requires effective and integrated training, communication, organization and team science approaches that the AC will provide. The

Administrative Core, therefore, has three specific aims. Specific Aim 1 will be to provide scientific direction and organizational support for the UNM CHANGES Center. The leadership of the AC will drive scientific objectives and provide strategic planning as well as managerial and fiscal oversight. The AC will establish an External

Advisory Committee (EAC) of internationally recognized experts in biomedicine, cancer biology and toxicology to ensure high productivity, innovation, and success of the Center. Additionally, through its advisory committees and leadership team, the AC will provide vision for the strategic development of our Cores to

ensure that capabilities remain both state-of-the-art and tailored to the needs of our center members and external partners. In Specific Aim 2, we will manage core facility utilization and data generation, storage, analysis, and dissemination. The AC will provide coordination, management and evaluation to ensure that our

Center generates quality data that is publicly available. Establishing and executing a high-level data infrastructure and management plan will ensure high quality research products, broad utilization of the Center’s research output, and optimal information for dissemination and implementation. Lastly, in Specific Aim 3, we

will promote innovation and expansion of research on climate change and human health. To expand the quality and impact of research related to climate change and to ensure sustainability of the Center, the AC will advance 1) campus-wide, team science-focused pilot projects; 2) recruitment and mentoring of new PIs that

leverage the geospatial and data science resources to address broader impacts on human health; 3) high profile seminars and remote engagement with local and regional healthcare providers as well as research institutes, centers and departments; and 4) effective center evaluation strategies.