In another year defined by transition, the Office of Research Services (ORS) continues to lead the way in data-driven, results-oriented programs to better serve our NIH community. From the pivoting of protocols associated with COVID-19 as the national public health emergency ended in May of 2023, to onboarding top leadership positions, ORS remains committed to adapting to our changing business needs. In 2023, ORS reaffirmed its role in creating a more nimble, fulfilling and equitable working environment. Safety and security remain defining core values as we apply risk mitigation strategies to enable scientific discovery. We began construction on the NIH’s first gender-neutral restroom, whose design may well serve as a model for the federal workforce. As NIH staff continue to return to our Bethesda campus in greater numbers, we’ve adjusted our services to reflect that increased presence. This includes an optimization of our shuttle service and the reopening of two fitness centers on campus and four food services facilities that had been closed since the spring of 2020.
ORS built, leveraged and sustained collaborative partnerships in 2023, with NIH Institutes, Centers and Offices, but also with other federal agencies to solve complex problems. Our team continues to seek out new and innovative ways to exceed the needs of our NIH community.
More than 2,000 strong, the team at ORS has been at the forefront, protecting the people and the science. I am grateful to our staff for their dedication and passion to the NIH mission and look forward to the fullness of what 2024 will hold.
Colleen A. McGowan, MHA, FACHE
Director, Office of Research Services
