Event
Event Details
Where:
Hilton Head, SC
Hilton Head, SC
When:
May 7 - 10, 2024
May 7 - 10, 2024
The Attain Partners team is sharing expertise during several workshops and sessions at the 2024 SRAI Southern Northeast (SO/NE) Section Meeting. Hear from our research administration experts May 7 – 10 in Hilton Head, SC.
Are you attending? Add these informative sessions to your conference agenda—or meet one-on-one with our experts at Booth #2. We’d love to schedule a time to discuss solutions for any current issues your institution may be facing. Contact us today.
Tuesday, May 7
WS2: Transitioning from Reactive to Proactive Grant Management for Departmental/Shared Services Research Administrators
Tuesday, May 7 | 9a – 12:30p
With increased funding levels, heightened federal and state regulations and a shortage of staff, remaining current on grant reconciliation, effort management, and subrecipient monitoring can seem overwhelming and unachievable. This workshop will provide realistic expectations, methods, and templates on how to manage grants, effort and sub awards pushing research administrators from a state of reactivity to becoming more proactive at their institutions. Best practices are not about re-inventing the wheel, but sharing information and tools with colleagues, and understanding how using available resources to meet each individual’s needs. Principal Investigators rely heavily on research administrators to support their research and by having more up-to-date and accurate information, both parties will be more effective in their fields as well as having a more productive working relationship. This workshop will cover specific examples on reconciling and building projections for grants, how to effectively manage effort allocation and how to track subawards at the departmental/shared services level. This workshop will also discuss the importance of the relationship with the PI and how to develop productive meetings.
Learning Objectives
- By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to identify resources and tools to better equip them to manage their sponsored activity more proactively.
- By the end of the workshop, participants will have a better understanding of managing effort allocation and subrecipient monitoring and how to use tools to remain current so they can provide their principal investigators the most accurate information.
Speakers
- Amanda Seymour, CRA, Manager, Attain Partners
- Brandy Akers, Mississippi State University
WS1: Speaking with a Brick Wall – How to Effectively Deal with Problematic Personnel
Tuesday, May 7 | 1:30p – 5p
Communication is key to a successful research project, whether submitting a proposal or executing an award. Breakdowns or failures in communication can lead to inter-office strife, personnel issues, and sometimes an unsuccessful project. We’ve all had a problematic individual that create speedbumps. This panel session is designed to discuss effective ways to deal with problematic personnel and skills that allow you to anticipate issues. We encourage audience participation as well. If you have a current issue you are struggling with and are willing to share, we would love to discuss potential roadmaps for a successful resolution.
Learning Objectives
- Leave with tips and tricks for effective communication
- Develop skills to anticipate and avoid identifiable issues
Speaker(s)
- John Hedberg, CRA, Senior Associate, Attain Partners
- Sybile Bayiha, Sr. Manager Compliance & Data Analysis, University of Maryland College Park
- Pamela Montgomery, Assistant Director, Finance & Administration, John Hope. Franklin Humanities Institute, Duke University
- Anthony Edmondson, Program Administrator – Propulsion Research Center, The University of Alabama at Huntsville
WS5: Basics of Research Administration
Tuesday, May 7 | 9a – 5p
This workshop, intended for individuals with fewer than three years of experience, is designed to give newcomers to research administration a big picture of the profession. Topics covered will include finding funding opportunities; pre- and post-award administration; proposal development, review, and submission; award negotiation; administrative and fiscal regulations; accountability and risk management; and research, fiscal, and professional ethics.
Learning Objectives
- Identify pre- and post- award best practices for sponsored research administration.
- Understand the components, and management of the pre- and post-award processes.
Speakers
- Andrea Deaton, Consulting Specialist, Attain Partners
- Judy Bristow, Vice President, Grants and Compliance, CEOc
- John Sites, HigherEd Consulting Manager, Huron Consulting Group
Wednesday, May 8
W103: It’s a New ERA in Research Administration
Wednesday, May 8 | 9:30a – 10:30a
Grant electronic submission systems represent a significant leap forward in the efficiency and fairness of the grant application process. By embracing digital technologies, these systems not only simplify administrative tasks but also promote transparency and accountability. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, ongoing improvements to these systems will likely further enhance the grant application experience for both applicant organizations and sponsors. This session offers an overview of the most commonly used electronic research administration (eRA) systems that assist in finding funding opportunities and submitting proposals to sponsors. Proposal development tools such as NIH Commons and ASSIST, Research.gov, Grants.gov, and the NIH RePORTER, etc. will be discussed. Common electronic submission systems such as Workspace Grants.gov and NSF research.gov will be overviewed with more discussion of other systems such as Proposal Central, NSPIRES, e-Grants, etc. Strategies and tips for successful submissions will also be discussed. Lastly, let’s walk through a historical perspective of ERA and discuss areas of pre-award, post-award, effort reporting, conflict of interest, and compliance systems.
Learning Objectives
- Identify key features of common electronic proposal submission systems and standard compliance issues relevant to pre-award processes
- Review expectations of major federal electronic submission programs such as Grants.gov, NSF Research.gov, e-Grants, and Proposal Central.
Speaker
- Melinda Cotten, Senior Specialist Leader, Attain Partners
- Anita Mills, Ed.D., MA, CRA, Director of Enablement, University of Tennessee Space Institute
- Ailing Zhang, Senior Grants Manager, Morgan State University
W204: Establishing your Research Security Program
Wednesday, May 8 | 11a – 12p
Institutions receiving $50M or more in federal research funding annually will be required to certify in SAM.gov that they have a research program in place that meets the Research Security Programs Standard Requirement. However, it is advisable for all institutions, especially those accepting federal funding for research, to ensure the requirements for disclosure and management of real or perceived conflicts of interest or commitment are met. This workshop will help institutions understand where to concentrate efforts to meet sponsor requirements and protect valuable intellectual property, how to investigate and respond to potential issues of non-compliance, and to promoting a research environment that still facilitate global partnerships and open intellectual pursuits. A case study of how one research institution established its program will provide a real world example.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the Research Security Programs Standard Requirements, how they apply to your institution and how these standard intersect with export control laws
- Identify resources your institution can use to guide its implementation
Speaker
- Susan Sedwick, PhD, CRA, CSM, Senior Consulting Specialist, Attain Partners
W401: Back to the Future – Networking for Career Enhancement and Personal Enrichment
Wednesday, May 8 | 3p – 4p
In our “New World of Work” are we working more hours if we work remotely, are we valued more if we work in person? What is our workplace culture surrounding these questions. While there may not be simple answers to these questions, there is one thing that is a constant – Networking at SRAI meetings can enhance your career and change your life. Join this session to learn about how two seasoned research administrators had their professional lives changed forever at a meeting in Hilton Head, SC over a decade ago, and how their professional and personal lives have benefitted immensely from that less than perfect first meeting. Prepare for an engaging and interactive session designed to help you find your research administration lobster(s)!
Learning Objectives
- Identify networking opportunities via SRAI.
- Understand the important role SRAI can play in their professional development and personal lives.
Speakers
- Andrea Deaton, Consulting Specialist, Attain Partners
- Judy Bristow, Vice President, Grants and Compliance, CEOc
W405: Building Resilience through Succession Planning
Wednesday, May 8 | 3p – 4p
It is never fun to lose a manager or team leader but never more so than when you lead an office that is leanly or under-staffed which is most often the case. Gaps in management or leadership positions can take a toll on your best people who are often the ones asked to take on the burden of filling the gap. Rewarding great work by piling on more is a sure recipe for burnout and turnover. Creating a career pathway and developing a pipeline for talent that spans across the spectrum of positions provides for internal advancement opportunities, insurance against staffing gaps, and allows an institution to “grow their own.” Hear from leaders who have successfully built career pathways.
Speakers
- Susan Sedwick, PhD, CRA, CSM, Senior Consulting Specialist, Attain Partners
- LyKheng Huot, Interim Sr. Director for Center Business Operations, Seattle Children’s Research Institute
- Cindy Hope, Associate Vice President for Research Administration, Georgia Institute of Technology
Thursday, May 9
T403: Conquering Contracts – A Guide to Agreement Review and Negotiation
Thursday, May 9 | 3:30p – 4:30p
Research agreements have grown in complexity over the years. In this session, we will review the different award mechanisms used by federal and state agencies, breakdown various sections of a typical agreement, go over successful negotiation tactics, and talk about agreement risk management.
Learning Objectives
- Learn the differences between a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, other transaction authority (OTA), subcontract, etc.
- Develop negotiation tactics.
Speakers
- John Hedberg, CRA, Senior Associate, Attain Partners
- Farrell Rapp, Director of Office Pre-Award Services, University of Wyoming
T404: What Opportunities are Available for Career Development?
Thursday, May 9 | 3p – 4p
Career Development is more than just attending training, conferences and seminars… it is an extension of each of these and applying them directly to your desired career path like puzzle pieces until you find and fit each piece where it belongs. This session will dive into ways individuals can develop their careers through the professional development, networking and self-learning opportunities and how to view each of these in the big picture. This session will also briefly touch on mentoring as an additional resource for career development. Research administration careers often have varying paths compared to other professions and because this panel has a combined 83 years of experience, we will be able to share a wealth of knowledge for research administrators looking to grow their careers.
Speakers
- Amanda Seymour, CRA, Manager, Attain Partners
- Pamela Ray, CPA, CRA, Senior Director, Florida State University
- Janet Reyes, Contracts and Grants Manager, University of South Florida
Friday, May 10
F104: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0
Friday, May 10 | 9:30a – 10:30a
The Department of Defense (DoD) launched CMMC 2.0, a comprehensive framework to protect the defense industrial base’s (DIB) sensitive unclassified information from frequent and increasingly complex cyberattacks. By streamlining these requirements, CMMC 2.0 is intended to: simplify compliance by allowing self-assessment for some requirements, apply priorities for protecting DoD information, and reinforce cooperation between the DoD and industry in addressing evolving cyber threats. This session will explain what CMMC 2.0 means for universities and other entities that function as government contractors. And, how to navigate the contract negotiation process with sponsors and internal colleagues.
Learning Objectives
- Understand CMMC 2.0 as it relates to their specific situation
- Identify when it is appropriate for CMMC language to be included in contracts
Speakers
- Andrea Deaton, MHR, CRA, Consulting Specialist, Attain Partners
F205: What are the Career Paths that Lead to a Director’s Position?
Friday, May 10 | 10:45a – 11:45a
Have you ever turned around and looked back the way you came? How did you get from lab research assistant to the operations director or a student intern to a contracts director? Isn’t it amazing to see where you were five years ago or 10 years ago in your career? What do you see when you look toward the horizon? What is your goal for your career? Perhaps you are an assistant director wanting to take the next wrung on the ladder. Maybe you are a new supervisor tasked with building a specialty team you will direct. Maybe you are brand new to the field of research administration and you are wondering where this career can take you. In this forum, the members of the panel—all current directors—are going to chat about their career paths, the right choices they made, and some things that may have hindered them. We are also going to discuss some standard education and work experience that facilitate promotions into director positions. This is an open forum discussion, so we are looking forward to learning about your experiences as well as building our networks.
Learning Objectives
- Identify experiences that furthered the career of current directors.
- Learn about work experience that improves promotability into director positions.
- Gain new members to your professional network (Bring your business cards!)
Speakers
- Amanda Seymour, CRA, Manager, Attain Partners
- Marcos Garza, Director of Medical Finance, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine
- Kim Read, Director, Business & Research Administration, University of South Florida
