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Ruth McCaffrey

ruth mccaffrey

Research Strategy Coordinator 

Radcliffe Department of Medicine  

Tell us a bit about your role

My role is broad and very varied and has evolved a lot since 2012, when RDM was formed. I am part of the Senior Management Team in RDM, working closely with the then Head of Department (Prof Hugh Watkins) and the Head of Administration and Finance (Mrs Lynn Clee).  As such I contribute to the departmental research strategy and provide strategic advice on funding related matters. 

A large part of my role involves development and management of all research facilitation within RDM, leading a small team whose role is to advise and support all researchers regarding funding opportunities, funding policies and grant applications. In particular, we provide a lot of support around fellowship applications.  

I am also responsible for providing support for career development and training within the department, supported by the RDM Career Development Committee. This role varies widely from supporting researchers applying for university titles (RoD, AP, URL), to helping researchers build their CVs, to providing training courses, running career days and helping researchers explore their options beyond academia. 

I helped establish the very successful Novo Nordisk – Oxford fellowship programme in 2013 and was Programme Manager until recently, when one of my team took on the role. This has given me huge expertise in working with an industrial partner.  

Other aspects of my role include coordination and delivery of REF within RDM, being part on the Athena Swan Self Assessment Team with responsibility for implementing many aspects of the action plan, and helping to form an identity and build a collaborative community within RDM. I am a mentor in the RDM Mentoring Scheme and I am a Harassment and Bullying Advisor as well. 

Having a strong scientific background and extensive experience in research funding and administration, helps me interact effectively with researchers and administrators alike

What is the most meaningful aspect of your work?

Supporting researchers to help them to secure funding and develop their careers, both inside and outside of academia. 

I also really enjoy bringing people together to establish new collaborations and networks and building a sense of community

Can you tell us about something you've done, contributed to that you're most proud of?

I am most proud of the support I have provided to researchers, to help them advance in their careers – over the past 14 years I have supported senior postdocs to secure their first independent fellowships, build their research groups, become PIs, and get URL and AP titles. These researchers in turn are now keen to develop the careers of researchers within their teams and to support colleagues across the department.

What changes would you most like to see in the Medical Sciences in the next 100 years?

I would like to: 

  1. see more women move into senior leadership roles in the scientific community; 

  2. help transform the research landscape so that a career in research becomes an attractive proposition to everyone; and  

  1. help change the research culture to one where everyone is respected and treated with dignity and is supported to progress.