Her role as the new assistant director of the Division of Engineering Research (DER) in the MSU College of Engineering lets her bring together valuable interests and talents with defined needs to complete a picture-perfect proposal.
"Research administration is a constant jigsaw puzzle," Bishop said. "I pull together a whole bunch of little pieces and unite them into a complete package. It's always changing and a constant challenge, which I love."
Bishop joined DER in May. She came to the college after 5 ¬Ω years at MSU's Office of Sponsored Programs. She said the transition was very natural since she had already worked with the DER team of research administrators.
The DER office has eight staff members and is led by Director Alex Delavan. In the 2020-2021 school year, DER assisted with more than 750 proposals that resulted in approximately $40 million in awarded sponsored funding.
On a day-to-day basis, Bishop monitors the DER ticket system, where faculty members request support with grant proposals. She assigns those requests to DER team members then provides support and guidance on proposal development and submission. She even works on a few proposals herself.
"I really enjoy working as part of a team and having the opportunity to provide training on an individual and group level," she said. "I very much look forward to getting to know others in the College of Engineering."
Bishop has a bachelor's degree in communications from MSU and a master's in community counseling from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
Outside of the office, she said she lives a relatively quiet life with her husband, Rob, and cat, Travis. She looks forward to trying local restaurants and watching live entertainment at the Wharton Center in the months to come.
Written by Kee-Ri Burkitt, student writer for the MSU College of Engineering