SRA International eConnections
January Issue

e-News is available as a pdf

Educational Meetings & Events

• Midwest and Southern Sections to Meet in Sunny Hilton Head 
• Western Section Makes Plans for Denver 
• North Carolina Chapter to Meet in Charlotte 
• Cascading Knowledge: Theme of PNW Chapter Meeting 
• Advance your Career through the Research Administration Graduate Certificate Program  

SRA News and Announcements

• SRA Leader in the Spotlight: Marcia Landen 
• SRA Launches Members-Only Website and Education Tracking Center 
• SRA Programs Promote Improved Research and Research Management in Nigerian Universities 
• ACU Offers Bursaries to Attend INORMS 2008 Meeting 
• How Does Your Research Tool Stack Up? 
• SRA’s Strategic Plan is for People Who Don’t Like to Just Exercise 
• Tips for Networking to Find a New Job 
• Get Results on SRA’s Career Website 
• This Month at the SRA Store  

News Links in the Field of Research Administration

• Research Administration-Related New Links from Around the World

 

http://www.itworks-inc.com/

 

Educational Meetings and Events

 

Midwest and Southern Sections to Meet in Sunny Hilton Head

The Midwest/Southern sections’ planning committee have been working very hard to secure speakers for the joint meeting that will be held May 17-21. Registration will be opening shortly. As planning for the meeting continues, you should be aware of a few things:  

• The Crowne Plaza Hotel on Hilton Head Island, NC is the meeting hotel. SRA International secured a room rate of $154 with the hotel making available a limited number of rooms at that rate from May 15-22, 2008.  Please call 843-842-2400 and indicate you are reserving a room for the SRA conference.  Should you have any difficulties making your reservations, please let me know (r.bogner@csuohio.edu).
• The average temperature in May is 80º during the day and 62º at night.
• The hotel grounds are expansive, so keep in mind you will have to do a lot of walking when you aren’t in meetings.
• The beach is right next door to the hotel.
• Savannah, GA and Hilton Head Island, SC both have airports; however, Savannah is 46 miles from the hotel.

Check out the meeting page for more information or contact one of the planning committee members below:

Workshop coordinator: Kris Rhodes, krhodes@wfubmc.edu
Session coordinator: John Michnowicz, michnowj@msnotes.wustl.edu
Meeting co-chairs: Andrea Deaton, adeaton@ou.edu & Rene Hearns, r.bogner@csuohio.edu

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Western Section Makes Plans for Denver

Save 7-11! Not the convenience store, but the meeting dates of the 2008 Western section annual meeting in June, in Denver, Colorado. The schedule of events for the meeting has been finalized and later this month the preliminary meeting brochure will be published. 

Currently, the section’s planning committee is in the process of securing for the meeting: two certificate programs, the leadership retreat presenter for Saturday, June 7 and the keynote speaker for Monday, June 9.  Sunday, June 8 is reserved for half day and full day workshops and an eventful opening reception. For this year’s meeting, in addition to a quality program, we are very excited and pleased to be offering 40 percent more program content, and more scheduled opportunities for networking. Please contact one of the meeting co-chairs for more information: Amy Sikalis, Amy.Sikalis@imail.org or Mike Grogan, grogan@salk.edu. 

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North Carolina Chapter to Meet in Charlotte

The North Carolina chapter would like to announce its 2008 conference in Charlotte, NC, from March 10-12. We would like to welcome colleagues from all other chapters and sections to join the conference. Information about the conference, including program and accommodations can be found here. Registration for the conference is now open. 

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Cascading Knowledge: Theme of PNW Chapter Meeting

The Pacific Northwest chapter of SRA International invites you to attend its next annual chapter meeting, “Cascading Knowledge,” at Gonzaga University. Topics will include over 20 sessions of multiple levels from beginning to most experienced research administrator for:

• Financial Compliance
• Management Principles
• Grants Management
• Professional Development
• Project Management
• Learning from Peer Institutions
• Networking Opportunities
• Leadership Retreat
• Memory Retention
• Relaxation Techniques

Event:
SRA Pacific Northwest chapter meeting featuring keynote presentations by experts on environmental water science and Dr. Bradley Striebig speaking on his book “Education for a Thirsty Planet.” 

Content:
20 concurrent sessions covering a range of topics to address needs from novice through senior research administrators. Benefit Sunday from a fabulous networking workshop followed by an elegant evening dinner and reception at the Davenport Hotel and Tower.

Date:
March 10 & 11, 2008

Location:
Gonzaga University Spokane, Washington

Cost:
$130 (members)
$150 (non-members) – includes 1 year affiliate membership
 
Online registration begins January 15, 2008

Deadline:
Registration and cancellation deadline is one week prior to the event. Space is limited to 125
participants so register early.

Hotels:
A block of rooms has been reserved at The Davenport Hotel and Tower, Spokane, WA.

Information: 
Contact Gail Ellingson (Pacific Northwest chapter president) or Joann Waite.

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Advance your Career through the Research Administration Graduate Certificate Program 

A joint project of SRA International and the Cleveland State University Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, this valuable program blends the theory and practice of public administration with research administration. The intensive curriculum provides the core competencies that help practitioners address the challenges and opportunities facing research administrators, such as changing mandates, ethical dilemmas, international issues and budgeting priorities. Participants will be equipped with the skills needed to survive and succeed as professional and ethical leaders in their field, while facilitating pursuit of a master's degree in public administration.
To learn more visit the SRA International Web site.

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www.Dyna-Quest.com

 

SRA News and Announcements

 

SRA Leader in the Spotlight: Marcia Landen

Leader Profile:

Name:		Marcia Landen
Occupation:		Director, Grant Services
Institution:		Indiana University
Years in Current Job:		Depends on how you count it - one month in current job configuration (director of pre- and post-award functions), but 20 years progressively responsible pre-award jobs at IU.
First Job Ever Held:		Sales clerk at a local bakery. First job out of college was a radio DJ.
Word that Describes You:		Optimist

Questions:

Q. What most attracted you to your current position?
A. We’re undergoing a reconfiguration of research administration functions, and I recently accepted the newly created position of director of the combined pre- and post-award functions. I’m excited about the changing environment. We’re looking at the big and small details of research administration in order to better serve Indiana University’s researchers. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime to completely rework an organization, and I’m thrilled to be part of it.

Q. In a typical day, what do you do?
A.Typical day? What’s that? Mostly I try to keep the path clear so that our talented and dedicated staff with which I work can best assist the researchers. Other than that, I negotiate agreements and work on planning issues.

Q. What has been the most significant moment in your career thus far?
A. It was a small moment. Several years ago when I got a new boss I told him that I’d been doing the same kind of work for many years, and that I would really like the opportunity to learn something new. He obliged.

Q. How do you balance your work duties with your outside interests and home life?
A. I’m working a lot of hours right now to accommodate the planning required for the newly formed organization and to keep all the normal work flowing. (But don’t take that as a complaint or a suggestion of martyrdom. I like the work.) Work life morphs pretty easily into home life. Many SRA members know my husband, who is also a research administrator. Not that we spend much time talking about OMB circulars or anything. He plays in a couple of bands in town, so I get to listen to a lot of local music and occasionally I’m their photographer.

Q. What key goals have you set for yourself this year, personal or work wise? 
A. I’m involved in a lot of organizational planning at the moment, but it’s funny that I haven’t extended this to setting goals for myself. I guess I’m a little out of balance right now! For sure one work goal is to learn more about post-award administration!

Q. As a SRA member, what advice would you give eConnections readers that are just starting out?
A. Get involved. Develop your own network. Develop your skills and talents, and never stop learning. This is a wonderful business, and working with so many smart people (researchers and administrators) is very satisfying.

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SRA Launches Members-Only Web site and Education Tracking Center

SRA International is expanding its outreach and services to members in 2008 by debuting two new online services:

1. A new online education center has been created that enables members to document and review what SRA education programs they have attended.
    
2. An all new members-only Web site has been launched that features secure online registration and payment features, an online store and enhanced communication tools.

Details on how you can access these exciting new member benefits follow.

Accessing the New Education Documentation and Tracking Center
This new online center will enable you to document any education programs you may have attended at SRA Section meetings or the international annual meeting in 2007. (Please note that only the meetings you registered for will appear.) After you have documented the sessions you attended and checked the "I verify" box, you will also be able to print out a transcript. The new center also enables you to check off any certificate programs you may be pursuing and track your progress toward earning the certificates. To access the new center, click here and use your SRA member login to access the center. (Be sure to add this Web address to your list of favorites for easy access in the future.) After logging in, we strongly recommend that you select the word "security" which appears under your name and ID number in the box to the left and change your login name to your email address. This is how logins will be set up for SRA's new member Web site, which is described below. This way, you will only have to remember one login for the education center and SRA's members-only site.

Accessing the New Members-Only Web site
Via SRA's new members-only Web site, you can log in to maintain your member profile, renew your membership, search the membership directory (full members only), purchase SRA products or register for an upcoming conference.

Please take a few minutes now to log in to SRA's new Web site by entering your email address and initial password 'SRA' plus your first and last name initials (i.e., in my case, I would enter SRARC). It is case sensitive, so be sure to use all upper case letters.

If you are already in our system, you will be prompted to change your password. If not, please complete the New Visitor Registration form.

If you have any comments, concerns or problems with your logins, please contact Rhoda Chari at rchari@srainternational.org  in SRA's Membership office. We appreciate your patience while these new features are being implemented.

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SRA Programs Promote Improved Research and Research Management in Nigerian Universities

Background
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded SRA International a grant to conduct a program to strengthen research linkages between two of its partner universities in Nigeria and universities in North America.  The foundation has four partner universities in Nigeria, and is working with them to build capacity to meet the needs for improved higher education in Africa’s most populous nation.

The Foundation and SRA believe that forging strong, multi-level research relationships will be mutually beneficial to both the Nigerian universities and their North American partners in a world where research enterprises are increasingly global.

Progress to date
An SRA site visit team visited the Nigerian universities in May, 2007 to assess capabilities for participation in efforts to develop institutional linkages.  Subsequently, two universities were selected to make study visits. A team from each university visited two selected North American universities.  The Nigerian universities are:

The University of Ibadan: A comprehensive university located in Ibadan, Nigeria’s second largest city.  The university was established in 1957, before Nigeria’s independence, and has strong research and teaching programs in medicine, engineering, chemistry and the other natural sciences, and the social sciences.  The University has over 1,100 academic staff (faculty) in 13 faculties (schools).  The university enrolls over 17,000 students including 6,200 in graduate studies.

Bayero University, Kano: A comprehensive university located in the principal city of Nigeria’s arid north.  The University has 575 academic staff in eight faculties; and enrolls over 14,000 students, including 3,700 in graduate studies. The University is a “new” university, becoming accredited for graduate study in 1977. Its academic strengths are in agriculture, medicine, social and natural sciences.

The SRA project team matched each university with two North American host universities, considering prior collaborations that the two Nigerian universities had, existing collaborations, the “fit” of scientific interests, and the interests of North American partners. The University of Ibadan has been matched with the University of California Davis and the University of Florida.  Bayero University has been matched with Purdue University and the The Ohio State University.  The Nigerian universities sent study visit teams of four individuals including their Vice Chancellor (chief executive officer) and other key institutional leaders to visit the U.S. host universities in October, 2007.

During the visits, the team members had opportunities to interact with leaders at the host university, learn how research programs are developed, funded, and managed; meet with potential collaborators to discuss mutual research interests, and hopefully to identify specific opportunities for continued collaboration of mutual benefit.

In addition to the campus study visits, the Nigerian teams attended the annual meeting of SRA International in Nashville, TN; and briefings by U.S. federal research agencies in Washington, D.C.

Next steps
The SRA project team will remain in contact with both the visitors and the hosts to facilitate continued development of linkages; and to evaluate this approach to research development and capacity-building for universities in developing countries.

For more information, contact members of the SRA project team:

Paul Waugaman, Project Director, Technology Commercialization Group, Raleigh, NC 919-789-8188 paul@t-c-group.com

Pearl Bigfeather, The Ohio State University, Columbus OH 614-292-2424 bigfeather.1@osu.edu   

Lynne Chronister, University of California, Davis, CA 530-747-3892 luchronister@ucdavis.edu  

Elliott Kulakowski, RAM Strategy Group, Park City UT 435-615-7190 ekulakowski@ram-strategy-group.com  

Jennifer Shambrook, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 843-792-0191 shambroo@musc.edu  

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ACU Offers Bursaries to Attend INORMS 2008 Meeting

We are pleased to announce that the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) will be offering a number of bursaries to assist developing country members to take part in a major international conference on research management to be held in the United Kingdom (U.K.) next year. The International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS), of which the ACU is a founding member, will hold its second congress, hosted by the U.K. Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA), in Liverpool from June 16-19, 2008. Following on from the success of the 2006 inaugural congress held in Brisbane, Australia, the congress 'Exploring Similarities: National and International Research Management and Administration' will provide an invaluable opportunity for research managers and administrators from around the world to get together to explore similarities in roles and activities and to share experiences and good practices. The congress will also offer an important opportunity for colleagues from developing and developed countries to come together to discuss issues of collaboration, and the program will include dedicated sessions on partnerships and on the challenges facing research managers in the developing world. 

As well as the main two-day conference and two days of pre- and post-conference seminars and workshops, the congress will include a wide range of parallel working sessions with topics of interest to all working in the field. Sessions will be organized under nine themes:

• Research funding and funding opportunities
• Assessment and evaluation
• Policy and strategy
• Research integrity ethics and governance
• Systems and operations
• Management and organization of research support
• Developing and supporting researchers
• Developing professional research managers and administrators
• Dissemination and translation of research

Further details on the congress can be found at www.inorms2008.org.

BURSARY DETAILS AND HOW TO APPLY
The ACU bursaries will cover registration fees and accommodation costs for four nights. Airfares and other costs will be met by the delegate.

Applicants must be nominated by an ACU member institution. A list of ACU members can be found at www.acu.ac.uk

Applicants should submit a 200 word statement describing how their work relates to the themes of the conference; how attendance will be useful to them in their future work and detailing any particular interests amongst the topics to be covered.  Preference will be given to applicants who are actively involved in the introduction or management of research management systems at their institutions.

Applicants should also supply the following details:
Name
Position
Department
Contact details
Details of any abstract/session proposal already submitted to the organizers

Applications should be submitted by March 31, 2008 to Julie Stackhouse at j.stackhouse@acu.ac.uk.

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SRA International Body of Knowledge

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SRA’s Strategic Plan is for People Who Don’t Like to Just Exercise

By Pamela F. Miller, Ph.D.
President-elect, SRA
Director, Office of Sponsored Projects
University of San Francisco

There are four basic steps in the typical strategic planning process:

1. Gather information.
2. Make projections.
3. Write up a report.
4. Lock up the report.

SRA is preparing to follow a different path. The strategic planning committee, which includes Lynne Chronister, Tori Molfese, David Hollingsworth, and me, recently distributed a short survey to individuals serving in leadership roles within the society. The survey is designed to find out if our existing vision and mission statements still capture what SRA is all about and where it should be heading in the future.

In the pragmatic spirit of, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” the committee plans to “telescope” our time and effort through the initial stages of the strategic planning process so we will have more time to spend on the plan’s implementation. If feedback from the leadership of the society indicates that SRA’s vision and mission statements still serve, the committee will proceed to the next stage of the planning process: a membership needs assessment.

The membership needs assessment will take place this month. We will collect demographic data about our membership as well as information about the educational and support needs of different types of research administrators: the “young’ns,” the “geezers,” and those of us somewhere in between. We will seek to find out if “where” a research administrator works affects “what” they need to know. In short, is “locality” actually “destiny”?

One of SRA’s greatest strengths is its diversity. But diversity can be a challenge too. “I work at a university, and all that the speaker talked about was hospitals!” complains one annual meeting participant. “We have been research administrators for so long we can remember when F&A was called overhead! What can SRA offer us?” grumbles a group of senior research administrators. Then there are those new to research administration who are just trying to stay afloat in a bowl of alphabet soup. How can SRA meet all of these diverse needs?

A daunting task for lesser mortals, but we are research administrators! We create innovative solutions. After collecting information on membership needs we will be conducting focus group sessions in the spring of 2008 involving each group of key stakeholders to identify the strategies and policies that will take us confidently into our collective future.

In the world of research administration the word “report” often refers to an account or description of something that has happened in the past. However, the word “report” also can mean a “loud noise” experienced far and wide by many people. Our intention is to deliver the latter to the SRA board by July of 2008.

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Tips for Networking to Find a New Job

Networking is an art anyone can master (yes, even YOU!) if you follow these five simple rules:

1. Make a list. Who do you know that could provide inside info about places you'd like to work ... and maybe even help arrange an informational interview?    
2. Get moving. Check out SRA’s meetings schedule and sign up for some networking opportunities.
3. Ask questions. Before attending a meeting, develop a list of questions and practice them out loud. Asking questions will not only yield useful feedback, but will also allow you to display your knowledge and experience without directly tooting your horn.  
4. Learn to listen. Random observations from friends and colleagues might spark an idea that leads to a job you never would have thought of before.
5. Be prepared. Carry a copy of your resume EVERYWHERE.  To make sure your resume is as good as it could be, get a comprehensive critique by a colleague or a professional service

Check out the latest job listings in SRA’s online Career Center. Scores of new ones are added each week. Why not take a moment and visit the Career Center now?

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Get Results on SRA's Career Center Website

The SRA International Career Center allows job seekers to post resumes for free. Job seekers, be proactive.  Post your resume and let employers find you. Employers, post your employment ad with SRA International for maximum exposure to attract the ideal candidate!

	Job Seekers Create a FREE account, and start searching for that perfect career today.
	Employers Post a job listing. Use a range of tools to help you find that perfect candidate for your next job opening

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SRA Store

Visit the SRA Store today to view all of the exciting items we have to offer!
Be sure to login first to get the Member's discount rate.

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News Links in the Field of Research Administration

 

Research Administration-Related News Links from Around the World

Federal Agency Proposes Survey on How Research Ethics are Taught
A federal agency that monitors scientific fraud is seeking comments on a proposed survey of how faculty members train doctoral students to become “responsible researchers.”

JHU Tops R&D Funding List
Johns Hopkins University led the nation in funding for medical, science and engineering research in 2006 with nearly $1.49 billion, according to a new National Science Foundation report.

Grant Fuels Wireless Sensor Research
Southern Illinois University Carbondale received $1 million from the Federal Highway Administration’s Intelligent Transportation Systems program to create a network of Internet-based wireless sensors and databases that can provide near real-time data and analysis on the structural soundness of transportation infrastructure, such as a bridge. 

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