Newsroom
This role will further enhance university collaborations at the institute
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — Nonprofit research institute RTI International has selected Tamara Terry as the director of academic research engagement in its University Collaborations Office (UCO). In this role, Terry will implement strategic framework and operating plan goals. She will also co-develop strategy for academic research engagement programs and execute programs and initiatives with universities, including RTI’s founding universities, the UNC System and Duke University.
“Since its founding a decade ago, the UCO has built bridges and partnerships between RTI and universities to better the lives of people in North Carolina and around the world,” said Katie Bowler Young, senior director of UCO at RTI. "Tamara’s experience facilitating university relationships and her enthusiasm and dedication to our mission will enhance our ability to achieve our strategic objectives.”
Terry first joined RTI as a telephone interviewer in 2000. Most recently, she has co-led a strategy to increase engagement with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), served as the relationship manager for RTI’s partnership with North Carolina Central University (NCCU), and collaborated closely with the University-Industry Demonstration Partnership on HBCU engagement. Terry is transitioning from her role as a senior research survey scientist and will use those skills to build academic research engagement in the UCO.
“I’m excited and honored to move into this role,” Terry said. “I’m passionate about our university collaborations and believe in the promise of what we can do when we’re driven by shared values and working together toward common goals.”
Terry also serves on RTI’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Leadership Council as the domestic community outreach chair and serves on several external community boards. In fall 2020, she was appointed as the first inclusion and equity chair for the American Association for Public Opinion Research. In all her roles, Terry works with key internal and external collaborators to support strategic initiatives that drive equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
The UCO was established in 2014 to promote awareness of the institute’s services and capabilities on university campuses and to facilitate connections and relationships that improve the human condition. Today, its focus is on leveraging university collaborations to advance RTI's growth in impact, scientific stature, innovation and financial strength, while enhancing RTI’s visibility through the UCO’s role to convene universities. Other responsibilities include administering bilateral and multilateral partnerships, such as the $5M+ Forethought Research Collaboration Challenge.
