We believe that fixing research operations isn’t about chasing efficiency for its own sake—it’s about creating environments where people can think clearly, act proactively, and do meaningful work.
We focus on three layers of impact that determine how well a research enterprise functions day to day.
1. Leadership Enablement
Strong operations start with clear direction. We help department, lab, and school leaders close structural gaps, make informed decisions, and communicate impact in ways universities rarely plan for. By aligning authority, accountability, and information flow, we help leadership move from reactive management to strategic, future-ready oversight.
2. Faculty Support
Researchers should focus on discovery, not bureaucracy. We help investigators protect, grow, and diversify their funding portfolios—without getting lost in administrative noise. Our guidance supports long-term success through portfolio strategy, compliance foresight, and operational alignment that frees up time and reduces friction.
3. Staff Empowerment
Effective teams need systems that work as hard as they do. We clarify roles, simplify processes, and equip staff with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to manage complex research operations efficiently. The result: less burnout, better communication, and more consistent results.
Sarah M. Trimmer
I am Sarah Trimmer, founder of The Optimum Department and a longtime problem-solver in the world of academic research administration. Over the past 16 years, I’ve worked inside complex institutions—leading operational improvements, guiding departments through compliance and budget challenges, and building systems that support the people doing the work.
My strength is seeing both the forest and the trees: the strategy that gets people unstuck, and the small details that make or break execution. I’ve piloted and pioneered new approaches, built tools to replace outdated systems, and helped teams modernize operations without losing their minds (or their mission).
The Optimum Department is my way of supporting institutions in moving away from endless workarounds and toward building resilient, effective operations. We help departments, schools, and colleges anticipate challenges and adapt to the evolving zeitgeist of higher education and sponsored research. I’ve spent years working inside research centers and academic departments, so I understand how things actually work on the ground—and where they break down. My approach is practical, informed by real experience, and focused on building systems that make the work easier and human-centered.
Contact me, connect on LinkedIn, or simply join our curated community to exchange ideas, share what's working, and help shape the future of research administration.
Tammi Spring
I am a Harvard Innovations Award winning strategist, specializing in collaborative, prize, open, and crowdsourcing innovation methodologies to engage diverse groups of people in solving key problems and developing breakthrough solutions.
A few highlights:
- I created the foundation for, developed and launched the open innovation program for Boulder, Colorado’s National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) PSCR division, with core aspects including legal requirements with the America Competes Act and Grant Authority, partnerships with academia and business, integrations with Data.gov, and developing communication and outreach strategy to engage solvers.
- From 2011-2016, I ran the worldwide Challenge.gov program, providing strategy, operational, technical, and training support for 300 federal agencies, engaging more than 4.5 million people worldwide to contribute to 600+ crowdsourcing and prize competitions.
- I have advised and consulted with companies, countries, and local governments in the United States, Japan, Sweden, Canada, Belgium, and Mexico on how to set up collaborative innovation programs. Industries include nuclear energy, transportation, banking, healthcare, mobile technology, software, robotics, data and hackathons, product development, and creative ventures.
- Developed B2B and academic relationships and partnerships, along with more than a dozen crowdsourcing software providers and platforms. I have consulted with and led training for software platforms and their clients on how to use the tools to reach goals.
I work with organizations to help clearly define problems, set a vision for outcomes, and bring people together in the digital and in-person spaces to save money, drive efficiency, and accelerate timelines to solutions. Collaboration, diversity of ideas and expertise, partnered with community is foundational to success.