Nancy Berkman joined iSEE in May 2022 as the Institute’s Senior Proposal Developer and Financial Specialist. She has worked at the University of Illinois for 12 years, with more than 10 years of sponsored programs research administration experience.
Berkman earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Illinois. She also has an Associate’s in Science in Business Administration from Parkland College. Berkman started her career in grants administration in 2012 in Sponsored Programs Administration Post-Award, where she administered grants at the university level and came to enjoy working with faculty on proposals and grants administration. Before joining iSEE, she worked for seven years as a Research Administrator for the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Looking for challenging and inspiring work, Berkman found iSEE to be a perfect next step in her grants career. Her favorite thing about her job is the variety and the people.
“It stood out to me how nice and welcoming everyone in iSEE is,” she said.
Her typical workday involves proposal preparation, institute accounting, and administering the Institute’s grants. She enjoys assisting iSEE scientists with their proposal preparation and submission, and helping with more complex grant and iSEE accounts administration. She acts as a sort of go-between for iSEE and the more central departments on campus, such as the Sponsored Programs Administration office.
Outside of the office, Nancy spends most of her time with family. When she’s not visiting her daughters (a senior at Washington University and a sophomore at Butler University) during the school year, she and her Illini parents can be found cheering on the U of I athletic teams. She also loves baking, photography, and spending time in nature.
— Article by iSEE Communications Intern Kratika Tandon