Editor’s note: This is the first in a three-part series profiling those who work to make research happen at Ohio University.
With more than 100 fellowship applications and essays littering her desk, an Ohio University administrator sits in her office at the Research and Technology Center each day, remembering how her passion for science brought her to campus.
Roxanne Male-Brune, OU’s director of grant development and projects, did not end up as the researcher she dreamed of becoming, but stays true to her heart by supporting numerous research projects at the university.
Since a young age, Male-Brune dreamed of becoming a chemist. Originally, she thought about working in physical chemistry because of her love for mathematics.
She received her doctorate degree from the California Institute of Technology. But something else soon took her focus.
“Growing up with my dad, he was mostly ill,” Male-Brune said. “He asked me as a chemist, what I would do to cure him. ... Rather than thinking what I was good at, (I) made a decision to do what I thought was right and what I was passionate about.”
So Male-Brune switched her career to pharmaceutical chemistry and worked in a small company producing drugs that fought cancer and reduced lipids, among other things.
Eventually marrying Carl Brune, an OU professor of physics and astronomy, Male-Brune found herself investing her time in improving the quality of life in the Athens area after her husband took a job at the university, eventually joining OU’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
“I realized there were no pharmaceutical companies here in Athens,” Male-Brune said. “I decided to work in the (office).”
Having been married for a little more than 20 years, Brune said working with his wife on campus brought some positive opportunities in collaborating professionally and personally.
“We usually manage to get together once or twice a week for lunch without some trouble,” he said. “Having someone you know well in another part of campus, it has worked well.”
Male-Brune deals with the university’s investment portfolio for internal awards. Her position also helps students with their grant requests, fellowship essays and applications. Among other responsibilities, Male-Brune also helps organize the annual student expo where graduate and undergraduate students showcase various research projects.
“I really have a good time working with (Male-Brune) and I always ask her for her opinion,” said Shinyong Wu, director of the Edison Biotechnology Institute.
Yet students and faculty are not the only people Male-Brune tries to help. In her spare time, Male-Brune works in the Athens Community Center garden and helps with the Community Food Initiative to provide for local families. Male-Brune said she considers OU — and the Office of Research — her home.
“I think people say if you never want to grow old, work in an academic environment. The students are eternally young,” she said. “Ideas are always in the state-of-the-art. I will never be bored here.”
@HannahMYang
hy135010@ohiou.edu
