August 2003 STAR of the Month
 

As protocol analyst for the Committee for the Protection of Human and Animal Subjects, Mary Richards tangles with a thicket of regulations and policies. Her job is to analyze faculty and student research proposals that involve human subjects, and it's important that she gets things right because federal funding can be pulled from universities who don't follow the proper protocols.

For her diligence and patient work, Richards received the staff STAR award for August.

"Mary is very dedicated to SFSU and works well with everyone," said Bruce Macher, interim associate vice president of research and professor of biochemistry. "The job she does is critical and she does it well. She is a pleasure to work with."

Richards' success is all the more impressive given that she has only been working in her position since December. Thrown right into the fray, Richards quickly acclimated to the demands of her job. Her work involves translating the regulations for student and faculty researchers and helping them prepare proposals.

"I like to be able to explain to people why it's important and how they can get their research protocols reviewed and passed," she said. "Trying to be as clear and concise as possible is always a challenge."

Richards has worked on campus since 1991, spending most of her time in the College of Business as assistant to the director of the M.B.A. program. Before coming to SFSU she worked in the film/televison production industry, a field that she enjoyed but decided to leave for more stable work.

While working on campus, Richards completed a master's degree in humanities. She especially enjoyed a class on Latin American literature and culture and wrote her thesis on Cuban painter Wifredo Lam.

A San Francisco resident, Richards enjoys reading, travel and photography. She likes to do yoga at lunchtime through FitPlus. Her daughter, Corinna, is a freshman at SFSU this semester and plans to major in English literature.

Please join us in congratulating Mary and thank her for making such a difference.

As the STAR of the Month, Richards will enjoy four free lunches on campus, a free parking pass or equivalent in one month's public transportation costs, and more. She will also be eligible for the STAR of the Year award.

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