While NMSU’s groundbreaking research often snags the most attention, there’s a core team making sure that research is properly submitted and supported by research guidelines.
Michelle Gavin is a valuable member of that team. She is a research integrity coordinator, a position she has held since 2011, in the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance. Her vast knowledge and experience in the computing industry spans from corporate business to government sectors, and involves higher education and national defense security with Department of Defense and Department of Energy projects and contracts. She joined NMSU in 2003 to support IT initiatives within the Physical Science Laboratory and the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Graduate School.
Since joining NMSU, she has been involved in several STEM-related outreach and education programs, as well as NMSU committees. She was co-chair of the NMSU Outcomes Assessment Committee and participated in the University Outcomes Assessment Council, and was a representative in Campus Planning, Space, Loss Prevention, Loss Control and Online Training committees.
Along with Ed Zenisek, a research IT software developer, Gavin designed and developed Maestro, the electronic workflow review system that became operational in January 2013. NMSU researchers utilized Maestro for about 11 years to process more than 7,700 submissions to the Institutional Review Board and the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance. The Maestro team also supported Arrowhead Center activities, including the Launch program in 2015-2016, for which the Maestro team was selected to receive the $25,000 equity investment award. The Maestro team also incorporated a team of graduate students working on a related project for their MBA Capstone class and the Aggie I-Corps in 2018. They worked with two students who produced a “Go” decision to move forward to compete for the NSF I-Corps program.
In 2022, Maestro was replaced by Streamlyne, a cloud-based software system for Research Administration and Sponsored Projects.
As research integrity coordinator, Gavin provides IRB application process support as well as Streamlyne administrative and end-user support to the research community and the IRB committee.
“The most enjoyable part, and yet sometimes most challenging, is working with researchers, helping them accomplish their research and being compliant with regulations ensuring that the human participants are protected,” Gavin said. “The interaction I have with the research and committee community is incredibly rewarding.”
IRB Chair Joe Tamaka said Gavin “is a tremendous asset to the IRB and the university. I don’t know how we would have managed the transition to Streamlyne IRB without her hard work. Now, almost two years in, she continues to go out of her way to assist researchers in navigating the IRB review process.”
Gavin graduated from NMSU in 1986 with a degree in business computer systems. During that time, she participated in NMSU’s internship and co-op program and interned with IBM for three separate semesters at IBM’s Tucson, Austin and Dallas locations.
It was after her third internship at IBM in 1987 that she was offered a full-time position in Dallas at its new software development laboratory, where she worked on many projects and help various positions involving global collaborations.
In 1995, Gavin returned to New Mexico to work at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, where she gained knowledge and exposure to the national security defense sector. While at Sandia, Michelle took advantage of Sandia’s corporate education plan and obtained her MBA in 1996 specializing in management of information systems from the College of Santa Fe.
Anyone with questions about the IRB process or needs helps in using the Streamlyne system may contact the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance at 575-646-5461 or email ric_admin@nmsu.edu.