Julia Barzyk, Ph.D.
Julia Barzyk brings over 10 years of hands-on experience managing a portfolio of basic research in geoscience and civil engineering at the U.S. Army Research Office. She directed all stages of the funding process, including writing topics for large ($6M) investments.
She has extensive experience with the following:
Prior to serving as an ARO program manager, Julia worked in publishing services, managing a team of editors who performed editing of scientific manuscripts written by non-native English speakers in advance of submission to leading journals.
Julia holds a B.A. in Geology from the University of Rochester, an M.S. in Geological Sciences from the University of Florida, and a Ph.D. in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Chicago. She lives with her husband and their two teenagers in Durham, North Carolina.
Our Team
Merab Mushfiq, MEd, brings 10 years’ experience working in higher education, getting her start as an undergraduate international student, with focus on student affairs and professional development. She serves as the Associate Director for Cross-Border Initiatives for the Society of Transnational Academic Research (STAR) Scholars Network. Merab holds a BS in Chemistry, Pre-Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and Technology from Western Carolina University and an MEd from Wilfrid Laurier University. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Education at York University. Merab manages operations and scheduling, performs funding opportunity searches, and assists clients in strengthening the educational component of proposals.
James K. Parker, PhD, served for 14 years as a program manager at the U.S. Army Research Office, where he managed a $10 M/year portfolio of basic research in chemistry. Jim has extensive experience with DOD funding vehicles including single investigator awards, YIP/ECP, PECASE, SBIR/STTR, DURIP and in writing, evaluating and managing MURI topics. Jim also brings expertise in NIH submissions in diverse biomedical areas that he acquired at Duke University’s Department of Surgery, including for R, K, F, T, and P awards.
Jim earned a PhD in Physical Chemistry from University of Mississippi and a BS in Chemistry from Marquette University. He was awarded a National Research Council postdoctoral fellowship at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory where he spent two years, and he held a research fellowship position at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Jim has worked on contract research programs for the U.S. Air Force and has served as PI on basic research projects, attracting research funding and publishing in peer reviewed journals. Jim works one-on-one with clients, providing feedback on assignments, supporting proposal preparation, and providing personalized coaching on the research funding process.
Laura has 15 years’ experience editing manuscripts and proposals and is a certified Editor in the Life Sciences (ELS). Laura holds a PhD in Biochemistry from Duke University and a BS in Chemistry and Mathematics from North Carolina State University and was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University. Laura performs thorough, fully manual, English-language editing of clients’ proposals after a draft has been through content-related revisions with a program coach and Julia.
Program Coaches are research development professionals with STEM PhDs and extensive experience supporting faculty. Clients are matched with a coach based on discipline and/or the target sponsor(s). Also, we regularly engage professionals with specialized technical or sponsor-related expertise to further support clients. For example, our network includes those with program manager experience at the Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health and with specialized expertise in preparation of NSF CAREER proposals. If consultation with these experts is indicated for a client, it is provided at no additional cost.
Our Values
This is what we care about above all else.
Change as
Opportunity
Take
the Risk
Information
for All
Follow
Your Calling
Prepare
for Action
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