University of Oklahoma staff member Andrea Deaton has been selected to receive an international award for excellence in research administration. Deaton, OU associate vice president for research and executive director of the Office of Research Services, will be honored by the Society of Research Administrators International with the Mid-Career Award of Excellence, which recognizes SRA members who have excelled in expanding the knowledge and tools of research administration.

“Andrea Deaton is receiving this important recognition, at the international level, for her many accomplishments at OU and, in doing so, she has delivered this recognition to OU more broadly,” said OU Vice President for Research Kelvin Droegemeier, who noted that Deaton has been instrumental in expanding OU’s research initiatives and contributed to the work involved in the University achieving the Carnegie Foundation Very High Research Ranking.

She is responsible for ensuring the continuity of daily operations of all pre- and post-award functions related to the administration of sponsored research and creative activities for OU’s Norman campus and related programs at OU-Tulsa.

Deaton, who will receive the award during the 2012 SRA Annual Meeting in October, said, “I am honored to receive this award when there are so many deserving members who have made significant contributions in the field of research administration.”

Deaton is a Certified Research Administrator and an active member of SRA. She served as the SRA Southern Section President in 2008-2009, is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Research Administrators Certification Council and is trained as a Civil-Commercial and Employment mediator.

The SRA serves research administrators around the world in all settings, including universities, hospitals, nonprofits, government and for profit companies. Society leadership cites diversity of its members and their areas of interest within research administration as a key strength of the organization.