Gretta Tritch Roman, Ph.D.
- Senior Director of Research Development and Initiatives
University Park, PA 16802
- Email gst118@psu.edu
- Office 814-865-3379
- Pronouns She/Her
Areas of Expertise
- Provide strategic leadership and consultation for the development and sustainability of interdisciplinary teams
- Provide proposal development and project management services to investigators preparing complex research proposals for submission to external sponsors
- Support faculty and early stage investigators in improving their grantsmanship skills and developing interdisciplinary projects
- Assist faculty members, trainees, and staff in navigating the Penn State research support infrastructure
- Serve as a referral resource for investigators, facilitating access to institutional resources, connecting researchers with appropriate offices and staff, and matching research needs with faculty expertise
- Facilitate conversations across groups to develop strategic directions for growth/development/collaboration in building a research initiative
Education
- Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University
- M.A., The Pennsylvania State University
- B.Arch., University of Arkansas
As Senior Director of Research Development and Initiatives in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, I provide leadership in strategic research development, interdisciplinary initiative building, research portfolio analysis, and partnership development. I lead a team of research development professionals who support faculty and institutional leadership in advancing research capacity, building collaborative networks, and positioning the college for emerging opportunities. My work spans research strategy, institute and initiative development, team science, coalition building, research intelligence, proposal development, and strategic communications.
Working closely with faculty, administrators, government agencies, industry partners, and nonprofit organizations, I help identify and advance research priorities that align with college, university, state, and federal goals. I specialize in designing and supporting interdisciplinary research initiatives, developing collaborative ecosystems that connect diverse stakeholders, and translating complex challenges into actionable research agendas. Drawing on an interdisciplinary background in architecture, art history, digital humanities, and higher education, I bring a unique perspective to helping organizations align people, ideas, and resources to create impactful research programs and sustainable innovation partnerships.
