{"id":8672,"date":"2026-03-02T11:47:56","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T16:47:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/?p=8672"},"modified":"2026-03-06T14:01:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T19:01:52","slug":"where-research-meets-responsibility-josephine-muiruris-role-in-radiology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/2026\/03\/where-research-meets-responsibility-josephine-muiruris-role-in-radiology\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Research Meets Responsibility: Josephine Muiruri\u2019s Role in Radiology"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7236 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/03\/ADM_MuiruriJosephine_web2024-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Josephine Muiruri headshot. Black female smiling at the camera wearing a sleeveless pink dress.\" width=\"163\" height=\"163\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/03\/ADM_MuiruriJosephine_web2024-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/03\/ADM_MuiruriJosephine_web2024-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/03\/ADM_MuiruriJosephine_web2024-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/03\/ADM_MuiruriJosephine_web2024-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/03\/ADM_MuiruriJosephine_web2024-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/03\/ADM_MuiruriJosephine_web2024-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2024\/03\/ADM_MuiruriJosephine_web2024-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 163px) 100vw, 163px\" \/>If you\u2019ve ever wondered what happens after a research grant is awarded\u2014how the dollars are tracked, the teams are supported, and the details stay aligned, Josephine Muiruri is the person making it all work behind the scenes.<\/p>\n<p>As an Accountant in Radiology, Josephine manages\u00a0post-award operations\u00a0for funded research grants. In simple terms, once the celebration of receiving a grant ends, her work begins.<\/p>\n<h3>Turning Awards into Action<\/h3>\n<p>When a principal investigator (PI) receives funding\u2014often from organizations like the National Institutes of Health\u2014Josephine steps in to ensure everything runs smoothly from a financial and operational perspective.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf a researcher is awarded $500,000, whether it\u2019s for one year or spread over two, I manage that through the post-award system,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n<p>Her responsibilities include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Review grant proposals and amendments for financial accuracy and alignment with guidelines.<\/li>\n<li>Track budgets, reconcile grant accounts, and identify discrepancies or areas of concern.<\/li>\n<li>Prepare monthly financial statements and assist with required sponsor reports.<\/li>\n<li>Support purchasing, invoices, travel reimbursements, and personnel transactions.<\/li>\n<li>Work directly with Principal Investigators on budget reviews and funding projections.<\/li>\n<li>Partner with other departments to support multi\u2011unit grant activities.<\/li>\n<li>Interpret grant terms, federal regulations, and sponsor policies to ensure compliance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>From tracking expenses to adjusting budgets, Josephine ensures that every dollar supports the research exactly as intended.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI\u2019ll communicate with the PI about who\u2019s working on the project, submit their personnel actions, and make sure expenses are charged correctly. \u00a0Handle all changes that PI requests. I maintain their books and manage their budget.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Her work requires precision, communication, and a deep understanding of compliance. It\u2019s detailed work\u2014but Josephine thrives in it.<\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-8674 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_8175_edit-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Josephine, a black female, is standing on a rock at the top of a mountain, wearing a yellow jacket, pointing out towards the green valley, blue sky, and white clouds behind her. \" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_8175_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_8175_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_8175_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_8175_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_8175_edit-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_8175_edit-280x210.jpg 280w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_8175_edit-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Finding Her Path<\/h3>\n<p>Josephine\u2019s journey to UNC Radiology wasn\u2019t linear.<\/p>\n<p>I was born and raised in Kenya, and in 2002, I made the life\u2011changing decision to move to the United States. My journey began in Missouri, where I stayed with friends as I adjusted to a completely new country, culture, and environment. It wasn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>\u201cEverything felt chaotic. I wanted to go back home. But I told myself, I cannot give up. I must try.\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>That determination kept me grounded. I enrolled at Wichita Technical Community College, where I studied electronics. A few years later, in 2006, I moved to North Carolina \u2014 and eventually found my way back to my earliest passion: numbers. That shift led me into the field of accounting, where I finally felt aligned with the work I was meant to do. \u201cI always wanted to be an accountant or a banker. I was good with numbers from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-8689 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_7026-201x300.jpg\" alt=\"A black female in a cream shirt and white shorts w\/ sandals, legs crossed, sitting in a chair with a hallway behind her.\" width=\"201\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_7026-201x300.jpg 201w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_7026-685x1024.jpg 685w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_7026-768x1148.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_7026-1028x1536.jpg 1028w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_7026-1370x2048.jpg 1370w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_7026-600x897.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_7026-scaled.jpg 1713w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/>My journey eventually led me to the University of North Carolina, where I first joined RENCI before transitioning to a position within the Department of Radiology. I was originally hired as a remote employee and now work in a hybrid capacity, coming to campus once a month to connect with colleagues in person.<\/p>\n<p>I often say, \u201cIt\u2019s good to put a face to a name,\u201d and I truly value the days when our team can come together.<\/p>\n<p>Today, I am grateful for the path that brought me here\u2014from Kenya to Missouri to North Carolina\u2014and for the resilience that has shaped my experience. Each step has brought me closer to work I am passionate about and to a community I am proud to contribute to.<\/p>\n<h3>A Life Rooted in Connection<\/h3>\n<p>Josephine lives in Apex, NC, and describes herself as: outgoing and expressive in her personal life, yet maintains a calm and focused presence in the workplace. A nature enthusiast, she often spends her lunch breaks outdoors, using the time to recharge and find balance.<\/p>\n<p>Family connection is at the heart of who she is. With four siblings still in Kenya, she prioritizes staying in close contact\u2014often communicating daily through WhatsApp to bridge the distance. She describes her greatest strength as bringing people together and nurturing meaningful relationships.<\/p>\n<p>Her friends would characterize her as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Outgoing<\/li>\n<li>Caring<\/li>\n<li>Honest, with a willingness to speak her mind<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-8690 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_9505-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"A black female outside of a restaurant wearing blue jeans and bright yellow shirt. \" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_9505-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_9505-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_9505-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_9505-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_9505-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/IMG_9505-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/>Culture, Music, and Good Food<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Music Lover at Heart: Josephine has a vibrant passion for culture and music. Her playlist is filled with gospel favorites\u2014listens to K\u2011Love radio\u2014along with Kenyan gospel, African beats, and soulful rhythms.<\/li>\n<li>Rooted in Rhythm: Growing up, she loved dressing up and dancing to Lingala and old\u2011school African classics. If her life were a book, she\u2019d title it Lingala, honoring the rhythmic blend of African, Latin, and French influences that have shaped her spirit.<\/li>\n<li>Adventurous Foodie: When dining out, Josephine enjoys exploring international cuisine. Her favorite? Indian food\u2014especially Chicken Korma.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cThat would be my last meal,\u201d she jokes.<\/p>\n<p>Her Music Philosophy: Josephine believes in the power of rhythm and often says: \u201cMusic connects the soul to joy\u2014it speaks when words fall short.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>A Proud Mom and Lifelong Learner<\/h3>\n<p>Recently, Josephine gave her son a special 18th birthday gift: a ticket to Florida to attend a car show featuring exotic vehicles\u2014possibly even one of the most expensive Porsches. He loves cars, and she loves supporting his passions.<\/p>\n<p>She\u2019s also investing in herself.<\/p>\n<p>Josephine was awarded a development grant and is currently pursuing her master\u2019s in data analytics through the University of North Carolina Wilmington. The grant will support two of her classes.<\/p>\n<p>Her advice to her younger self?<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cExplore more. Learn more. Love yourself more. When you\u2019re adjusting to new environments, you forget to take care of yourself. Now I\u2019m learning to do things that make me happy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>The Heart of the Work<\/h3>\n<p>At her core, Josephine is a connector\u2014of budgets, of people, of family, of culture. Her work ensures research moves forward responsibly and efficiently. Her life reflects resilience, growth, and deep care for others.<\/p>\n<p>Behind every successful grant in Radiology, there\u2019s a structure keeping it strong.<\/p>\n<p>Often, that structure starts with Josephine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve ever wondered what happens after a research grant is awarded\u2014how the dollars are tracked, the teams are supported, and the details stay aligned, Josephine Muiruri is the person making it all work behind the scenes. As an Accountant in Radiology, Josephine manages\u00a0post-award operations\u00a0for funded research grants. In simple terms, once the celebration of &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/2026\/03\/where-research-meets-responsibility-josephine-muiruris-role-in-radiology\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Where Research Meets Responsibility: Josephine Muiruri\u2019s Role in Radiology\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83776,"featured_media":8678,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"layout":"","cellInformation":"","apiCallInformation":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","odd"],"acf":[],"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/1A4A4690-scaled.jpg","featured_image_medium":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/1A4A4690-300x200.jpg","featured_image_medium_large":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/1A4A4690-768x512.jpg","featured_image_large":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/1A4A4690-1024x683.jpg","featured_image_thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1384\/2026\/03\/1A4A4690-150x150.jpg","featured_image_alt":"Josephine Muiruri headshot. Black female smiling at the camera, wearing a sleeveless pink dress.","category_details":[{"name":"Uncategorized","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/category\/uncategorized\/"}],"tag_details":[],"_links_to":[],"_links_to_target":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83776"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8672"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8672\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8691,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8672\/revisions\/8691"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/radiology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}