Biography

Pamela A.G. Clarke is a dedicated and accomplished professional with extensive experience in research development, particularly in securing grants and contracts across various disciplines. Her experience spans the entire pre-award  grant lifecycle, from identifying funding opportunities to  proposal development. She has a proven track record of successfully leading  proposal development teams, fostering collaborations between academia, industry, and government, and developing competitive proposals that align with institutional and sponsor priorities. In this role, she is  responsible for overseeing the design and execution of strategic initiatives that align with the organization’s mission to empower faculty.  Pamela has been at the forefront of initiatives that drive  research excellence,  educational equity, and economic empowerment.

Pamela is a highly respected leader in research development and  project management at Howard University, where she has advanced the university's mission of academic excellence, research innovation, and strategic research partnerships . Throughout her tenure, Pamela has held several key positions, each contributing significantly to the growth and development of the university’s research  portfolio. In her current role as Senior Director of Research Development at Howard University, Pamela is responsible for  the design, implementation, and stewardship of research development initiatives supporting Howard University. In this role she leads  efforts to develop and implement innovative programs that support competitive research grant and contract proposals. She has been instrumental in the development and implementation of programs  and partnerships that enhance faculty  and student research  success and build strong connections between the university and external stakeholders. Ms. Clarke collaborates with constituents across and external to the university to raise the university’s research profile, advance research success and build new research collaborations in line with other divisional efforts that maintain and support a research institution. 

Pamela’s work at Howard University has included leading  research initiatives that focus on Interdisciplinary Research and the development of  Major Research Centers. She lead the proposal development team that led to the award of the first HBCU University Affiliated Research Center from the United States Airforce , entitled , Research Institute for Tactical Autonomy University Affiliated Research Center  RITA UARC ).   Pamela’s expertise lies in creating and managing robust networks that connect educational institutions, industry leaders, government agencies, and community organizations. As the Strategy and Operations Lead  for research development she develops and manages programs to improve engagement of faculty in research; provide strategic advice to develop competitive  proposals; develops research development metrics and goals;  assist with development of  proposals for large, complex awads;  assist researchers in identifying a diverse portfolio of funding sources; design and manage programs to support research development and develop strategic partnerships with foundations, national laboratories and granting agencies to bring program directors and grant officers to meet with researchers on campus. Ms. Clarke, through her research has investigated the molecular mechanisms of endocrine resistance in breast cancer to gain a better understanding of how breast cancer cells acquire resistance to systemic endocrine and cytotoxic therapies and the effects of hormones and growth factors on breast cancer cell proliferation survival and death.

Pamela holds a Masters degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology ( Cellular and Molecular) from Howard University. Pamela Clarke’s passion for education, combined with her strategic vision and leadership skills, make her a driving force in the efforts to create equitable opportunities for all individuals to succeed in the development of their research programs. Her  career at Howard University is marked by her passion for education, her strategic vision, and her unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive academic environment.