For the second year running, the NSW Health Research Administrator Appreciation Day and Research Administration Awards have acknowledged the pivotal staff supporting and advancing medical research, to improve patient treatments and outcomes.
Every clinical trial that is available in NSW public health organisations is assisted with the support of locally embedded Research Administrators. To recognise their important work, the Office for Health and Medical Research held the second NSW Health Research Administrator Appreciation Day (RAAD) and announced the winners of the annual NSW Health Research Administration Awards.
“These awards are just one way of showing our immense appreciation of Research Administrators in local health districts across NSW,” said the Hon. Minister David Harris in his welcome to the event. Minister Harris also recognised the important role this workforce plays, in “ensuring that patients across the NSW Health system have access to the highest quality research and evidence, from clinical trials to new ways of providing care.”
Supporting research for better patient outcomes
In 2025, ‘the spark behind every discovery’ was the major theme of the NSW Health Research Administration Awards, which featured four different categories to recognise areas of customer service, innovation and leadership.
Once again, the initiative was driven by the Research Ethics and Governance Unit (REGU), within the Office for Health and Medical Research. The team created the awards in 2024 to recognise that Research Administrators are often the ‘unsung heroes’ providing essential support for all clinical trials.
Celebrating throughout September
Since 2015, 25 September has been the official globally recognised National Research Administrator Day. To mark the occasion and acknowledge the dedication and diligence of the more than 100 Research Administrators across the NSW public health system, a host of activities has been organised throughout September by REGU.
These events have showcased the Research Administrator workforce and profiled the importance of their pivotal roles in supporting high quality clinical research across the State. These events highlight NSW Health as a premier location for people to take up a career opportunity in Research Administration.
A career with many paths
Research administration is a career pathway that attracts people from a diverse range of disciplines and backgrounds to support ethics and governance activities.
Acting as a key liaison link between funding bodies and health sector organisations, Research Administrators support strategic planning and manage research activity tracking. They support, assist and progress research applications, reports, ethics and research governance submissions. In the process, they ensure compliance with research policy, regulations and procedures while also ensuring adherence to patient safety and clinical trial conduct guidelines.
The work requires excellent verbal and written competencies, attention to detail, proficiency in data entry and management, the ability to acquire, analyse, interpret and impart information (with teaching and mentoring sometimes included in the role). Diplomacy, interpersonal and relationship-building skills are also a must.
Research Administrators work in the Research Office of NSW local health districts, specialty health networks and affiliated health organisations. Many also hold management positions in ethics, governance, research operations and research development.
This year’s Award winners
The 2025 finalists for the NSW Health Research Administrators Awards were named on the 22 August, via LinkedIn. On 10 September, during the Ethics and Governance Roundtable, the following category winners were announced:
Excellence in Research Support and Customer Service: Diana Stephens, Mid North Coast Local Health District
Empowering Research Administrators Through Leadership: Pamela Blaikie, St Vincent’s Hospital Network
Outstanding Innovation in Research Administration: Streamlining Oversight in Low-risk Ethics (SOLE), Hunter New England Local Health District
Emerging Talent in Research Administration: Colette Robinson, Western New South Wales Local Health District
