Scientific research doesn’t just require the inquisitive minds of researchers. At a world-class research institution like UC Davis, where just an individual grant can total in the millions of dollars, it requires high levels of financial and administrative expertise to ensure research labs run smoothly.

At any given time, Bill Tuck, the lead research award administrator for the Department of Physics and Astronomy, provides financial oversight for up to 50 research grants. This includes oversight of a major, multi-year research grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science that is disseminated to nearly 10 research groups spanning multiple fields, including high-energy collider physics and cosmology.

For his integral work on campus, Tuck was recently honored with a 2024 Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Award, receiving seven nominations.

“The thing that’s always been nice for me about this department is the faculty are extremely appreciative of what we do in terms of helping with the administrative aspect,” Tuck said. “They can focus on the science.”

Managing millions in research grants

While Tuck isn’t a scientist himself, his work plays a pivotal role in a successful scientific enterprise. What excites him is being a part of the wide-ranging, leading-edge research in his department.

“There’s all kinds of fascinating things going on at our university,” Tuck said. “We have scientists who work on atom colliders. One of our faculty here is building a huge digital camera to take movies of the universe. We have another faculty member who actually studies whales and takes trips in the summer to Alaska, and another who works on predicting earthquakes and then teaches a course on cryptocurrency.”

“The work we do here is really well-respected,” he added.

Tuck has been in his role as lead research award administrator for almost three years, but he’s been working on campus in various roles for close to 18 years. Besides the Department of Physics and Astronomy, he’s worked with the now-named Academic Technology Services and the Phoenix Cluster.   

When he joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tuck provided faculty with guidance on the grant proposal side. He’d sift through agency guidelines, reading 40, 50, sometimes 75 pages of material.

“You have to do a lot of close reading because you’re trying to make sure that you’re catching all of the nuances, details and submission points,” he said.

Eventually, an opportunity arose that allowed Tuck to switch to the award administration side of things. Today, much of his work concerns providing financial forecasting to faculty who are often working on tight research budgets.

“I work with them on their budgets for their proposal submissions and then I work with them on the award side, on their forecasting, comparing their spending rate to how much money they have, and then also advising them on what expenses are allowable and what expenses might be problematic.” 

“The numbers are always changing, especially now because the federal funding landscape is very uncertain,” he added.

Music, mentorship and making an impact

Tuck doesn’t just admire his faculty’s commitment to pioneering new frontiers of knowledge. He also admires their commitment to mentoring the next generation of scientists. Specifically, he’s been inspired by Richard Scalettar, the department chair. 

“He’s always had this High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP) that he did, which I always thought was a cool way to get students engaged in the sciences,” Tuck said. “I came to find out later that he’s also involved in the Undergraduate Research Center’s Mentorship for Undergraduate Research Participants in the Physical and Mathematical Sciences (MURPPS) program.”

Inspired by Scalettar, Tuck found his own way to make a mark on the next generation of scientists. Through the nonprofit Play it Forward, he’s raising funds for both the HSAP and MURPPS programs through his music. Both programs aim to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in the sciences and improve access to the fields.

Tuck, a songwriter who plays piano, said the fundraiser is a fun way to combine his work and outside interests.

“Not everybody has the same support,” he said. “These mentoring programs are really incredible in the way they engage the students.”

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