This RPM‑Net meeting, explored real‑world case studies highlighting the unique mental load carried by project managers working within centralized academic research project management offices. Through examples drawn from diverse research environments, we examined the pressures and complexities that arise when managing time across multiple concurrent projects, navigating assignments that come by force rather than choice, escalating unethical practices, and initiating difficult conversations with investigators, leadership, and collaborators.

This peer learning session was designed for RPM-Net members to collectively explore real-world challenges. Through guided discussion and shared insight, participants helped one another uncover new perspectives, identify practical solutions, and strengthen connections across our research project management community.

This session was an open forum discussing what project management is, what it isn’t, and what services are within a centralized project management unit’s scope. Members also discuss how these services can be marketed to the university community as time-saving, value-added services and that the project management team are key collaborators for other campus units to leverage in streamlining research project support.

Session slides

In this session, Jamie Wylie, Director of Duke University’s Research Project Management Core, demonstrated how her team uses a REDCap database to manage project intake, service agreements, and feedback all in one place. She also showed how they use the resource tracking tool, Float, to assign projects, predict upcoming work, and track effort to ensure it matches the original agreement. Attendees discussed alternative platforms for managing the operational aspects of centralized project management support.