A Q&A With OVPR Senior IRB Reliance Specialist Rachel Cowan
This month we talk with Central Texas native and UT alum Rachel Cowan, a senior IRB (Institutional Review Board) reliance specialist in the Office of Research Support and Compliance (ORSC). She came to UT nine years ago, as an undergraduate transfer student, and has never looked back. She explains why (hint: Austin is the place to be), as well as what IRB reliance specialists do and why we rely on them.
What does your role entail as a senior IRB reliance specialist? How long have you been in that position?
My role as a senior IRB reliance specialist is to provide human subjects research support to the UT research community and to review and approve human subjects research under the federal regulations and UT policies that involves multiple sites. My duties include meeting with research teams and IRBs virtually, presenting education and outreach to the community and reviewing IRB applications. I also assist the assistant director with other reliance projects, as well as the IRB non-reliance staff when needed.
I have been in this position for a few years; however, I first started working at the UT IRB in 2019 as an IRB analyst, where I reviewed minimal risk and full board applications.
What brought you to UT and OVPR?
Actually, I started my UT era as a transfer undergraduate student majoring in health and society (with departmental honors) in 2016, accomplishing a lifelong dream of learning at UT Austin. During my time here, I served as communications officer, VP and then president of the student organization Students Over 25 at UT (now known as New Wave Longhorns). After graduation, I got a job at the UT IRB, as I had hoped! I was not ready to leave!
What is your favorite thing about your job?
My favorite thing about my job is reading about all the different research going on at UT. I also love working with researchers to help them with their applications, particularly with their consent processes. I find my work very fulfilling knowing that I am helping to make a positive difference for human subjects out there.
When did you move to Austin, and what brought you here? What do you like most about it?
I was born and raised in central Texas, in Lockhart, a town about 35 miles south of Austin. I moved to Austin once I started working at the UT IRB.
I love living in Austin because of its diversity of cuisine, its shopping and car shows, and all the green space and trees here.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy doing life with my loving and pun-tastic boyfriend, Nick. Since the pandemic subsided, we have visited various parts of Greece, France, the Netherlands, Türkiye and the United States. I love shopping with my best friends, visiting art and science museums, traveling locally to different car shows and restaurants on the weekend, and relaxing at home with our little Yorkie, Rosalind Von Borkington of Yorkshire I (Rosie for short — named after Rosalind Franklin).
And finally, most important: If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Being a major foodie, I could never choose just one thing. I love Indian curries, pho, ramen and donuts. (All the donuts.) I could also eat my weight in chocolate cake.