Administrative Core

Project Summary of the Administrative Core (AdminC) The Administrative Core is the heart of the Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan (CEHNM) and is responsible for the strategic vision, communication, finances, evaluation, and the coordination of CEHNM?s committees, facility cores, community engagement core, working groups, and meetings. The 33 full members and 8 associate members of the CEHNM have their primary affiliation in 14 departments at the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Physicians & Surgeons, and the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. The Director and Deputy Director provide scientific and administrative leadership on a daily basis. The Administrative Core organizes seminars and the quarterly Center-wide meetings, including an all-day annual retreat. It also assists all the CEHNM committees, which include the Executive Committee, the Internal Advisory Committee, and the External Advisory Committee. It manages the CEHNM?s budget, supervises the utilization of the CEHNM facility cores and the funding provided by the Dean of the Mailman School, and prepares annual progress reports. The Administrative Core also works with the leader of the Pilot Project Program to organize the announcements, and to receive and review pilot project applications. Productive interactions with the Internal and External Advisory Committees have led to funding of the most promising pilot projects. The Career Development Program is also now housed within the Administrative Core. Our career development strategy has been highly successful in bringing in new investigators and cultivating their careers toward independent status and in attracting senior investigators into environmental health sciences. In the next grant cycle, we will support six junior investigators with career development awards and a mentoring team that will assist them to pursue new creative paths and enhance cross-discipline experience. Assessment of productivity, effectiveness and quality of CEHNM?s activities are also managed by the Administrative Core. We perform regular, systematic assessments based on qualitative and quantitative information, online surveys, and key informant in-person interviews of members, community partners, and stakeholders. Through scientific and public health advances, additions of new members, and new leadership, the Core continues to successfully oversee all CEHNM?s activities. The reputation of the CEHNM has increased at the University and in New York City, as a result of press releases, newsletters, and public forums. The Administrative Core continues to serve as the focal point of a vibrant environmental health research community at Columbia University.