Jessica Kirwan,

Jessica is a Gator alum who double-majored in English and Anthropology during her undergraduate studies. Subsequently, she pursued a Master’s degree in English with a specialization in Victorian Literature. Her career journey led her to the College of Medicine, where she began as a medical editor in the Department of Radiation Oncology in 2005. Over the span of 18 years, Jessica’s role expanded and she became the Assistant Director of Research Administration in Radiation Oncology. During this time, she led a team responsible for overseeing the department’s research and communications functions, encompassing grants administration, clinical research coordination, editorial work, marketing, and other research support roles. One of the achievements she is particularly proud of during this tenure is co-founding an internationally recognized, peer-reviewed medical journal, now indexed in PubMed.

In February of 2021, Jessica was honored to receive the University of Florida Superior Accomplishment Award, celebrating her commitment, contributions, and exceptional service in Radiation Oncology. That same year, the University of Florida Health Cancer Center honored her with the Research Administrator of the Year award, recognizing her efforts in advancing cancer research initiatives.

Transitioning from Radiation Oncology, she later served as a research administrator in the Intelligent Clinical Care Center within the Department of Medicine. There, she assisted faculty in conducting transdisciplinary clinical research focused on artificial intelligence. Throughout her career, she has coauthored numerous scientific publications and contributed to the “Medicine” section of the Palgrave Encyclopedia of Victorian Women Writers. In her current role as Assistant Director of Research Administration in the Department of Neurology, under Dr. Jaffee’s leadership, Jessica aims to contribute to the department’s mission by supporting the faculty’s research administration needs, managing sponsored research programs, and fostering collaborative efforts at the BRAIN Center.