SRAI 2026 Research Administration Conference

Hear from Attain Partners during SRAI’s 2026 Research Administration Conference, taking place virtually April 20 – 22.

Monday, April 20

M106: Emerging Indirect and Fringe Benefit Costing Issues
Monday, April 20 | 12:30p – 1:30p ET

• Provide a summary of the Attain Partners report issued for AAU and COGR, and also provided to the JAG committee members and to Congress
• Update on Interview with GAO regarding the GAO congressional “study on the comprehensive review of indirect costs for conducting federally supported research” 
• Update on the current indirect cost environment
• Current practice and new strategies for fringe benefit costing

Learning Objectives

• Participants will have a clearer understanding of the current environment for indirect and fringe benefit costs
• Participants will be updated on the headwinds facing the research community regarding the current environment for recovering costs on federal grants and contracts

Speakers

• Wallace Davis, Partner, Attain Partners
• Mike Leonard, Senior Manager, Attain Partners

M201: Doing More With Less: Practical Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Research Administration
Monday, April 20 | 2p – 3p ET

Research administrators are increasingly expected to support complex policy and compliance environments with limited resources. This session explores how free and open-source AI tools can be used to support the development of policies, procedures, best practices, and internal guidance. Emphasizing practical use cases, the presentation demonstrates how AI can function as a collaborative companion (not a replacement!) for the research administrator.

Learning Objectives

• Identify practical ways to use free, open-source AI tools to support the development of research administration policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Apply strategies for integrating AI as a collaborative tool while maintaining professional judgment, compliance awareness, and institutional accountability.

Speaker

• Jeff Derr, Manager, Attain Partners

Wednesday, April 22

W302: Goalsetting for Career Progression
Wednesday, April 22 | 3:30p – 4:30p ET

Most research administrators still enter our profession by chance without a clue as to what we do, much less a clear career pathway for advancement. Having career goals that align with personal goals provides some semblance of control over your future, even when life deals you a detour.  Whatever your stage of life or career, it is never too late to spend some time thinking about your personal and career aspirations and identifying the short and long-term objectives that will keep you on pace to realize those dreams. Our profession has become specialized, making it difficult to progress beyond mastery of a single area of expertise.

Most successful research administration leaders have given thought to their personal and professional goals, and some of us have been lucky enough to have participated in a formal goal-setting exercise.  This workshop will walk participants through the process of considering their personal and professional goals, committing those to writing, and setting some short-term objectives toward meeting those goals.  

Learning Objectives

• Understand how written goals and objectives can help you progress as an individual and professional.
• Articulate their lifetime goals and set their first set of short term objectives towards achiveing those aspirations.

Speaker

• Susan Sedwick, Senior Consulting Specialist, Attain Partners, Distinguished Faculty