Get to know Nathan Gossett–Associate Director of Finance and Administration

Nathan Gossett joined Sarafan ChEM-H in October 2021. As the Associate Director of Finance and Administration, he enjoys supporting and partnering with various teams at the institute and seeing people grow. You can tell he’s in the right profession because he’s a people person through and through, and his warm demeanor can put anyone at ease. 

We talked to him about his deuxième career, what he loves about his job, his moving record, and much more. 

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

This is actually my second career, as I was a retail manager for many years. I left that to move to London to earn a master’s degree from the London School of Economics. After four years in London and many interesting, but short, roles I returned from across the pond to work briefly at NASA Ames before my final career pivot into higher education early in 2016. Before transitioning to Stanford nearly four years ago, I worked at UC Berkeley for six years in various roles, including at the Blum Center for Developing Economies and Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS).

What do you do in your current role?

My main responsibility is to make sure people have what they need, whether that’s HR, financial, or administrative support. And I couldn’t do it without my amazing, efficient team. I also partner with other leaders at Sarafan ChEM-H to keep things running smoothly, and I like to take a support-first approach across the board.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The people and the diversity at our institute. It’s incredibly rewarding working with bright people, from various backgrounds, who are very passionate about what they do and supporting them in their career growth. I also take pride in contributing to the morale of the organization. We’re almost 100 strong. We’ve built a really supportive culture here, and it shows.

What’s a project you’re proud of?

Helping organize the 2024 Bay Area Chemical Biology Symposium, an event put together by Stanford, UCSF, and UC Berkeley to showcase innovative research from leading chemical biologists addressing unmet medical needs. It was a huge success with overwhelmingly positive feedback. It felt great to bring together students, postdocs, faculty, and eminent scientists across three universities and contribute to a meaningful experience for the broader scientific community.

Ok, moving on to the fun questions. Do you have a hidden talent?

I can do some basic arithmetic very quickly in my head. It’s helped a bit in my finance-related roles!

What’s your favorite spot on campus?

A great place to unwind with an afternoon coffee and read are the benches in the garden in front of Li Ka Shing Center. 

Is there a fun fact you’d like to share?

I’ve lived in three countries: the U.S., the U.K., and Argentina, briefly, during a study abroad. And I’ve moved close to 40 times in my life!

Do you have a favorite quote or piece of advice?

Gandalf once said to me (from a screen in a mountain, and not just to me), “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”