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Research Development Review: The NORDP Journal

Research Development Personas: Beyond the Case of Many Hats

Abstract

Research Development (RD) professionals are often described as wearing “many hats”—a metaphor that reflects the diverse roles and responsibilities they assume to support faculty and institutional research goals. However, this framing does not fully capture the nuanced, relational, and strategic ways RD professionals engage with stakeholders. This article introduces the concept of RD personas to describe six approaches to support used by RD professionals: Consultant, Coach, Collaborator, Connector, Champion, and Creator. Drawing from the authors’ professional experience and recent NSF-funded projects, the article distinguishes these personas as holistic modes of engagement that shape how RD professionals provide support, build capacity, and advance institutional research missions. Each persona encapsulates not just what RD professionals do, but how they do it—the demeanor, mindset, and interpersonal stance they take in different situations. Through illustrative cases and comparisons, the article illustrates how these personas manifest in practice and proposes them as a framework for reflection, professional growth, and future research. This framework encourages RD professionals and institutions to recognize, develop, and deploy these personas to enhance support for faculty. This can help RD professionals reinvigorate their practice, surpass expectations, and expand their influence and opportunity.

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