At the Heart of USC Sea Grant

This month, the University of Southern California (USC) Sea Grant Program celebrated the retirement of Ruth Dudas, who was our remarkable Contracts and Grants Coordinator for 23 years. 

Most people who have interacted with USC Sea Grant have at one time or another met Ruth. We can’t say that for every staff member. Ruth held a unique position at the heart of our operation, and every project, initiative, or partnership had to pass through Ruth at some point. 

As a research funding and outreach program funded by a combination of federal, state, and university grants and matching funds, Sea Grant is relatively unique at USC since it is not an academic department in the conventional sense and therefore must be responsive to many requirements at several levels and the different institutions that Sea Grant serves.

Specifically, Ruth was our program’s conduit between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Sea Grant funding administrators to ensure that USC Sea Grant’s submissions for annual and special initiative funding worked smoothly within USC’s fiscal processes. She maintained effective relationships with agency fiscal leads, both federal and state, who provide funding to Sea Grant.

This was not an easy task, and “detail-oriented,” “organized,” and “patient” do not even begin to cover Ruth’s talent. As State, Federal, and University requirements often differ, Ruth often needed to serve as the interface between those entities. The same is true for research funding that Sea Grant provides at the other universities in the State.

“Ruth never met a request she couldn’t manage,” said Phyllis Grifman, former USC Sea Grant Executive Director. “During the many sudden, continual, and intricate changes that have occurred to federal and USC policies, she bravely forged ahead and promptly accomplished the work. Not only that, she is a caring and compassionate person who faces adversity with courage and faith.”

We’re not sure how common it is for someone who is so good with numbers to also be so good with people, but Ruth embodies the whole package. And ever the people-person, Ruth thinks of the people when she thinks of leaving. “I’ve really enjoyed the USC community,” says Ruth. “I’ve enjoyed the people whom I have worked with and have come to know since the beginning of my time here.”

It should be no surprise that Ruth won the 2023 USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Dean’s Award for Outstanding Staff Achievement for her exemplary service to USC Sea Grant. She had a proactive approach to her work and always went above and beyond her duties by anticipating the needs of our department before they became issues. This forward-thinking approach not only saved valuable time and resources but also ensured that our projects and grants progressed smoothly and efficiently. She routinely assisted with budgeting for extramural funds, managing staff travel, coordinating hiring paperwork, managing reimbursement requests, and providing general office management. 

“If you ever looked into the heart of the USC Sea Grant machine, you would have found Ruth, working quietly, efficiently, and strategically,” says Charlotte Stevenson, USC Sea Grant’s Senior Science Writer, who has worked with Ruth for 15 years. “I can’t tell you the number of times I have said the words we need to ask Ruth, or Ruth can fix this. Ruth is on my short list of favorite people I have worked with in my career.” 

We hope Ruth is as proud of her career as we are of her. She has consistently demonstrated outstanding dedication, professionalism, and commitment to our program’s success. Her invaluable contributions extend far beyond her official role, and she has proven to be an indispensable and good-humored asset to our team. Her dedication, positivity, and ability to anticipate and fulfill our department’s needs made her a truly exemplary Contracts and Grants Specialist for the USC Sea Grant Program. 

“Ruth Dudas has been a cornerstone of USC Sea Grant for more than two decades. Her deep institutional knowledge, steady work ethic, and exceptional financial stewardship have been critical to the program’s growth and long-term success,” said Karla Heidelberg, Director of USC Sea Grant. “Beyond her exceptional professionalism, Ruth has been a trusted friend to our team, bringing humor, generosity, and a genuine sense of care that will be deeply missed in our program.”

To say we will miss working with Ruth on a daily basis is an extreme understatement, but we wish her all the best in this next chapter of her life!