She may not have been born in Texas, but Kristin Weidman, manager of Research Administration (RA) in the Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors, got here as fast as she could. Born in Alabama, her family moved here when she was a baby – a relocation that has served to benefit Texas higher education tremendously. A graduate of UT Austin, she returned to her spiritual home in Austin just over a year ago. We spoke to Weidman about her impressive RA resume that includes time at four other high-activity research institutions before the allure of Texas barbeque got too strong and she found her way back to the University where it all began.
How long have you been at UT/OVPR, and what did you do before working here?
I started my journey working in academia 26 years ago at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. I fell into research administration accidentally, as most people do, about 24 years ago. Research administration requires good memory skills, strong project management and customer service skills, the ability to work with budgets, and the cool head required to put out last-minute fires.
I first came back to UT and Austin to work in the College of Liberal Arts and Psychology in 2008 and left in 2015 to work at MD Anderson Cancer Center. I spent five years in Atlanta working at Emory University before coming back to UT last year.
Why did you choose to work at UT Austin?
I decided to come back to UT Austin for the retirement benefits and for Texas in general, especially the delicious food. Also, being a Texas Ex, I am a very proud Longhorn and love playing a part, however small, in the success of the university.
Being a research administrator on the OVPR Research Development team was a unique opportunity. Most RA positions are in departments, colleges/schools or the offices of sponsored projects. We get to work with research teams across the university in a wide range of disciplines, so this keeps things interesting. Guidelines for research grants and contracts are ever-changing, whether the sponsors are federal or private foundations, which keeps you on your toes.
Where did you grow up? Where did you live before this?
Growing up in Texas, I would see a lot of those bumper stickers that said, “I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could.” This describes me. I was born in a small town in Alabama, because my mother taught at a university there, but we moved to the Houston area when I was 1. I grew up in the Houston suburb of Friendswood, which—fun fact—was founded by Quakers. I was convinced when I was young that Quaker Oatmeal was produced there.
I first came to live in Austin as a college freshman at UT. As much as I loved UT, I never imagined I would end up working on the Forty Acres. I went back to Houston after graduation and worked for Children’s Protective Services. It’s a line of work I am glad I pursued, and I learned so much, but in the end, it was very stressful, and I couldn’t see myself doing it long term. However, I was also a Child Advocate volunteer when I was in Austin before and would like to do that again.
“Research administration requires good memory skills, strong project management and customer service skills, the ability to work with budgets, and the cool head required to put out last-minute fires.”
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
I always like to advise new research administrators, and I appreciate that you are never expected to know everything. You’re trusted to become more familiar with the resources to find the answers and draw on your experience to make those judgement calls.
What do you like to do for fun?
Outside of work, I love spending time with my adorable 2-year-old Shih Tzu, Nacho, and my family and friends. I am fortunate to have built-in communities of friends in Austin, Houston, Atlanta, and across the country. One of the best things about my five years in Atlanta was getting to spend time with my only sibling, my sister, and her family, including my two nephews.
I have always loved architecture, especially homes, and dreamt of becoming an architect. I have a large collection of house plans, along with a mild Zillow addiction. My dream would be to travel full time and spend at least a month or two in an area at a time. My favorite places are Spain, Mexico and Italy. I studied abroad in Spain and would love to retire there. Since I cannot travel all the time, I live vicariously through European and Latin American TV series, thanks to streaming subscriptions. I also love playing and watching tennis, although I am not good at all. (I haven’t decided yet if I will succumb to the pickleball rage.) I am a huge Longhorn sports fan, despite all the ups and downs that come with being a sports fan.
It may not be everyone’s idea of fun, but I do truly love working alongside the OVPR leadership team. They have brought together so many talented individuals, and they give us the opportunity to shine at what we do best in the research arena. For me, having experiences at four different high-activity research institutions gave me the confidence that I could bring something unique to our research development team and the research teams we serve.