How has work in the Office of Sponsored Research changed since remote operations began at UW Bothell a year ago? Director Cindy Shirley answers a few questions from Maria Lamarca Anderson, UW Bothell director of communications.
Q. What would you normally be doing now and where?
A. I would be in our UW1-391 office in Founders Hall working with faculty and staff to submit proposals and receive awards.
Q. What are you trying to work on today?
A. Some new budget procedures and a couple of proposals that are going out.
Q. What adjustments have you made to fulfill your work responsibilities?
A. As I was always on the go, I was already proficient with working from anywhere: boat race, house in Kentucky, professional organization conferences, etc. With Wi-Fi, I can submit proposals and take in awards from anywhere. And most anyone who needed it already had my cell number.
Q. What are you doing to care for yourself or for others?
A. I am trying to work out often, cook and eat fairly well — and keep the house clean, doorknobs, light switches, etc. I also meditate with a group a couple times a week and then on my own.
I’ve made sure all my vaccines are up to date, such as the flu and shingles. My dad had shingles around age 55, and it bothered him for the remaining 20 years of his life. It’s not something you want.
I can’t wait to get the COVID-19 vaccine. I am a person with co-morbidities and a love of travel (though maybe less than years past), so it would not do well for me to contract the virus.
Q. Do you have a change of perspective to share?
A. For me to have been home now for almost a year with no traveling, I have realized that I may not be as fond of my on-the-go lifestyle as I thought I was. My doctor had mentioned more than once to slow down, but I never did. It took a worldwide pandemic! Through the summer, I was kind of stir crazy, but I learned that a slower pace is not a bad thing.
That slower pace has just been for my personal life, however, not my professional one. I have never been busier at work. I love being part of UW Bothell and watching all the research going on around the coronavirus. Our researchers are impressive!
