Meyer Retires after 41 Years of Service

12 September 2007 —Robert C. Meyer, associate director for contracts in the Penn State Eberly College of Science, has retired after more than 41 years of service to the University. For the past 40 years, he has served in the Eberly College of Science Research Office, where he was responsible for pre-award and post-award management of restricted accounts and for processing proposals and awards for sponsored programs for all faculty in the college.

Meyer provided information and guidance about funding opportunities to faculty, staff, and graduate students. Among other accomplishments, Meyer and his staff negotiated contracts with funding agencies and sponsors, prepared budgets and financial reports related to grant funding, and provided information and assistance to help guide applicants through the funding process. "I have enjoyed having the opportunity to build an excellent and respected research-administration office in the Eberly College of Science, and to work with the outstanding faculty and staff at Penn State," said Meyer.

Meyer joined the then-named College of Science shortly after graduating from the Penn State College of Business Administration with a degree in accounting. He became associate director of contracts in 1991, and has been praised for "his knowledge, excellence and innovation, high ethical standards, and his guidance of his very efficient staff." A member of the original team that implemented the Penn State Purchasing Card, Meyer also was instrumental in the formation of the Administrative Committee on Research (ACOR). He served on the Penn State Travel Task Force, helping to implement ways to streamline reimbursement for travel while monitoring conformance to federal travel guidelines.

He mentored and advised those at other universities while serving on national committees in the area of research administration. For 12 years, he implemented nation-wide changes aimed at streamlining the research administration process during his involvement with the Federal Demonstration Partnership. He was also a member of the Society of Research Administrators International and served as one of Penn State's representatives to the Big Ten Business Officers for Sponsored Projects organization.

Among other awards and acknowledgements, Meyer has received the Eberly College of
Science Alumni Award (1991), the Vice-President for Research Award for Excellence in Research Administration (1996), and the 2005 Penn State Staff Excellence Award. His plans for retirement include "a little golf, a little travel, and a lot of relaxation."

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