The Optimum Department hosts a free, private, curated space for research administrators to connect, learn, and solve real challenges. Inside, you'll find:

• Expert and peer support to ask questions, get feedback, and troubleshoot in real time.
• Exclusive events, workshops, and networking to turn ideas into action.
• Weekly office hours for direct guidance on your toughest roadblocks. Join us Mondays at 10 a.m. Eastern for informal group discussions.

Who the RAC is for:

✅ Research Administrators in academic institutions
✅ Research Development Professionals
✅ Department-level finance and grants managers

Who it’s not for:

❌ Vendors or software providers
❌ Faculty, PIs, or academic leadership
❌ Postdocs, grad students, or research staff
❌ Clinical or industry-focused research professionals

This isn’t to be exclusive—we just know that the needs of central offices, vendors, or researchers themselves are different. Our focus is on the people doing the day-to-day grants and compliance work in academic settings. We’ve got enough problems to solve in our corner of the world!

Privacy promise:
We don’t do marketing emails or spam. Your email is used only to send you the content you choose to receive—no extra emails, no selling your info. We’re focused on supporting research, not inbox clutter.