Peggy Lowry has been a team member or team lead on over 45 peer reviews of research administration offices, served as reader and editor for over 80 peer review reports, received evaluations of her offices, and has taught national workshops on sponsored program assessment. Peggy has led office self-studies and participated in institutional accreditation self-studies. She authored the chapter: “Assessing the Sponsored Research Office” (NCURA/AIS Sponsored Research Administration—A Guide to Effective Strategies and Recommended Practices), and completed a revision of that chapter in 2016. She served as an author for the 2014 micrograph The Role of Research Administration and in 2019 Peggy wrote the on-line learning publication Improving Efficiencies: Assessing the Sponsored Research Operation. Peggy published several peer reviewed articles including: “But the Emperor Has No Clothes On! Or Assessing Your Operation with Fresh Eyes,” "Learning Your ABCs: Adaptability, Balance, and Culture" (NCURA Magazine), and “Reconsidering Research Administration at Predominantly Undergraduate Colleges and Universities.”

Peggy served until her retirement in 2007 as Director of Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance at Oregon State University where she oversaw pre-award sponsored programs ($250+ million in awards), non-financial research compliance areas, developing the institution’s export control program, and serving as Conflict of Interest Officer. She returned to OSU from retirement to assist by leading the University’s new Office of Research Integrity until 2011 (including areas of human and animal use, conflict of interest, diving safety) and working with related offices for research misconduct, biosafety, and chemical safety.

Peggy began developing the NCURA Peer Programs (Peer Advisory Services and Peer Review Program) in 2007 and became a full-time NCURA employee in 2011, serving as the Founding Director until her retirement in 2017. She created and provided training for newly appointed peer reviewers, worked with an oversight committee on program priorities and directions, documented and made recommendations on six iterations of the Standards and Features used by the Reviewers, and served as quality control for resulting institutional reports. Until the spring 2019 Peggy continued to assist the NCURA Peer Programs management as an Executive Consultant. Peggy continues to serve as a Peer Advisor and Peer Reviewer.

Her university career includes 11 years at Oregon State University; 22 years at the University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research/Director, with 10 years as a college-level administrator; and seven years in predominantly undergraduate universities: Ball State University and Murray State University in Director and Associate Director positions. At all of her universities she has worked extensively with faculty, Deans, and senior leadership, as well as departmental administrators and administrative offices. She served on numerous university/faculty committees, created/implemented university-wide policies, served on strategic planning committees at institutional and unit levels, and engaged in department-central research administrator networking groups. At all of her institutions she has taught faculty proposal writing workshops and how to analyze and interpret sponsor opportunities. At Ball State and Murray State she additionally focused on faculty development, institutional incentives for research, and integrating research with undergraduate education. While at Murray State University, she created a faculty Research Policy Committee to help promote the role of research at a predominantly undergraduate university; the resulting increased emphasis on research led to doubling the sponsored programs award level within 3 years.

Peggy has given over 300 national, regional and local presentations and workshops for multiple organizations. She has served on numerous national NCURA committees and twice served on their Board of Directors. During her career she served as a NCURA national workshop faculty for Fundamentals of Research Administration and Sponsored Projects Administration Level II, Chair of the Nominating and Leadership Committee, a member of the Editorial Review Board for A Guide to Managing Federal Grants for Colleges and Universities, and co-Chair of the NCURA newsletter. Peggy received NCURA’s national Award for Distinguished Service in Research Administration in 2006 and the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research Administration in 2011. She additionally served several terms on the Board of Directors of the International Society of Research Administrators, on numerous committees and as Regional Chair.

She received several international awards (the Rod Rose Award for the best original article, the Excellence Award, and the Hartford-Nicholsen Award) from that organization. She was a member of the Council on Governmental Relations.