June 5-9, 2010
Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa, Tucson, AZ

SRA - Where the Southern meets the Western!
Join the Western and Southern Sections this year in Tucson to "Expand Your Horizons in Research Administration."

EXPAND YOUR POTENTIAL at the Leadership Retreat…
Saturday, June 5, “Continue the Leadership Dialogues” presented by a panel of seasoned research administrators with a vast repertoire of experience and advice. Building on the Leadership Dialogues presented in 2009, a panel of seasoned research administrators with a vast repertoire of experience and advice will present specific topics and dialogue with attendees/colleagues on topics that we never seem to have time to deal with.

Subjects include:

Motivation and Innovation presented by Maribeth Ackzen, Manager of Research and Operations at St. Josephs Hospital and Barrow Neurological Institute. Maribeth has an undergraduate degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, a Master of Science degree in Leadership, and is a PhD candidate in Organizational Leadership at Grand Canyon University. She has a Certificate in Servant Leadership from the University of Mary and SRA certificates in Departmental Administration and Research Law.

Workplace Stress and the Research Administrator presented by Jennifer Shambrook Ph.D., MHA. Director, Grant & Contract Management Office, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Jennifer is the author of the 2007 and 2010 Research Administrator Stress Perception Surveys. She has studied work place stress, it's possible causes, effects and what builds stress resiliency for the past 15 years.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly – Leadership Lessons from the Crypt presented by Dorothy Yates, MBA Associate Vice President of Research and Economic Development at the University of Wyoming, and Karen Wilson, CRA, Compliance Officer, National Optical Astronomy Observatory.

Leadership in a Virtual Environment presented by Lori Ann Schultz, Assistant Director of Sponsored Projects Services at the University of Arizona. Lori has 16 years of experience in Research Administration at the U of A, and is also the Functional Chair of the Kuali Coeus research administration project. The Kuali Coeus project brings partner universities together to create enterprise software for the higher education research administration endeavor.

EXPAND YOUR VISION at the 2010 Joint Section Meeting Opening Reception...
Sunday, June 6, 2010 from 7 to 10 p.m. outside starting on the Arizona Deck and Foyer and moving to the Mesa Verde lawn after sunset (8 pm).

The Sonoran Desert is home of the National Science Foundation’s Kitt Peak National Observatory and the world’s largest collection of optical telescopes. We will expand our vision as the evening sun sets in the desert and the sky erupts into its own night life. Enjoy food and drink, social networking and stargazing among the saguaros with our guests the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association. Whether you’re gazing through a telescope in amazement or deep in conversation with friends and colleagues, you won’t want to miss this evening of opportunity to expand your vision.

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK at our conference social events – “table topics” at lunch, dinner groups, “dessert in the desert”…

REGISTER FOR PRIM&R's QA/QI 101
Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R) will join us in Tucson, AZ on June 6 to offer one of their highly acclaimed educationl programs, Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement (QA/QI) 101.

QA/QI 101 Program Description and Agenda
This full-day, introductory course will provide attendees with an overview of the basic elements in developing and implementing a Quality Assurance and Improvement (QA/QI) program. To keep pace with an evolving regulatory environment, a growing number of research institutions are creating structured QA/QI programs focused on ensuring investigator and IRB regulatory compliance.  Organizations are improving performance with the creation of approved protocol, contract and budget, as well as with institutional policies and applicable federal regulations. This course will discuss how QA/QI programs can ensure compliance and improve performance through post-approval monitoring of on-going studies, facilitating communications among investigators, IRBs and other research administration offices, and continuing education for the research community. This course will present multiple examples of how to design a program based on different institutional needs, structures, available resources and support. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in lively group discussions during the program.