Workshops

Workshops

Sunday, June 11 | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

WS1: A Guide to Clinical Trials Administration

Clinical trials are a rapidly changing field in research administration. For this reason, they require careful preparation and oversight. Many of the skills needed to administer more traditional investigator initiated, grant funded research projects can be adapted to managing clinical trials. This teaching workshop will examine the basics of clinical trial administration from recruiting subjects to archiving records, explore the differences between industry and federally funded studies, highlight special concerns and discuss best practices for managing clinical trials.


Content Level: 
Basic

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify three milestones in the development of clinical research regulations and describe the importance of each.
  2. Identify keys to productive and effective post-award management e.g. communication, documentation, and continuing education.

Speaker(s):
Bruce Steinert, PhD, CCRA, Research Manager - Regulatory, Medical College of Wisconsin

WS2: Fundamentals of Research Administration & Management

This is a full-day workshop intended for new research administrators. The workshop provides a broad overview of research administration. Topics include the language of research administration, pre-award administration including regulations, funding opportunities, proposal preparation, compliance, budgeting, proposal submission, sponsor actions; including the review process, site visits and pre-award negotiations; post-award administration including post-award review, project monitoring and close-out and compliance.


Content Level: 
Basic

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify pre- and post-award activities for sponsored research activity.
  2. Understand the components and preparation of a proposal and manage the post-award process.


Speaker(s):
Kimberly Pratt, MA CRA, Sponsored Programs Manager, Ohio University ORSP; M. Fran Stephens, CRA, MSgt (USAF, Ret.), Director, Pre-Award Services, The University of Oklahoma, Office of Research Services

WS3: NIH Fundamentals 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fundamentals provides a foundation in grants from NIH. As NIH is the single largest federal grant-awarding agency, this training opportunity is perfect both for someone new to research administration and for research administrators seeking to expand their knowledge of federal funding agencies.

This full-day workshop covers the following topics:
(1) Overview of NIH, including its mission, institutes, and funding focus, from pre-doctoral fellowships to large-scale research projects.
(2) Policies and procedures essential to preparing successful grant applications.
(3) Policies and procedures essential to managing grant awards.
(4) Latest NIH policy updates.

Content Level: Basic

Learning Objectives:

  1. Participants will understand the NIH organization and funding priorities.
  2. Participants will understand where to locate funding opportunities and navigate through the grant life cycle. Participants will have an increased understanding of NIH’s pre-award and post-award policies and procedures.


Speaker(s):
Debbie Pettitt, Sr. Grants Management Officer, National Institute of Health; Artisha Wright, Lead Other Transactions Authority Agreement Specialist, National Institutes of Health; Teri Pailen, Supervisory Grants Management Specialist, National Institutes of Health 

Sunday, June 11 | 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM

WS4: Building a Basic Grant Budget

Are you new to pre-award or do you feel overwhelmed when a PI contacts you for help developing a budget? Then let us help you not only understand the fundamentals of creating an effective budget for both federal and private grants, but also give you tips and tricks for creating time-saving templates. We will discuss effort and the considerations needed to account for the NIH salary cap, the benefits of a detailed travel budget, and calculating the correct F&A base. Additionally, translating the budget to the budget justification will be discussed.

Content Level: Basic

Learning Objectives:

  1. Outline the major factors in an effective budget.
  2. Provide detail on the budget components most heavily reviewed by sponsors. 


Speaker(s):
Erin Bhagvat, Assistant Director, University of South Florida; Matthew Anderson, Associate Dean for Research, University of South Florida

Sunday, June 11 | 1:30 - 5:00 PM

WS5: Departmental and Central Research Administration Structures

One size does NOT fit all. There are countless forms of research admin structures, all customized based on various attributes, and of course ever-changing. To help the constant customization process, it is important for research administrators to discuss their experiences of what worked, what didn’t, and what could. This workshop will consist of individual and group exercises that examine several types of structures, open discussion groups to share experiences, and a final session that brings everyone together to come up with potential solutions. Sometimes, just a small tweak can help immensely and hopefully this workshop will spark new ideas and connections.


Content Level: Intermediate

Learning Objectives:

  1. Communicate potential structural enhancements to leadership. 
  2. Create relationships in which ideas and or solutions can be discussed in further detail. 


Speaker(s): Anthony Cassese, MBA, Senior Consultant, Grants Administration, Attain Partners; Jason Claes, MBA, MSM, GRCRA, Oncology Clinical Research Manager, TriHealth, Inc.; Amanda Seymour, CRA, Senior Associate, Attain Partners

WS6: Basics of Post-Award Administration (Don't We Just Catch that at Closeout)

Big, medium, or small research institutions, we all share common challenges. One of the biggest is how to support and partner with departments to manage awards during the life of the award. Understanding and
communicating sponsor terms and conditions as well as the reporting requirements early in the award helps make closeout quick and less contentious. It can also limit risk. This workshop will cover parts of the Uniform Guidance and how to apply them, challenges with various sponsors, dealing with audits and some case studies of real‐life examples. Bring your questions, challenges, and even some solutions to share.

Content Level: Basic

Learning Objectives:
  1. Obtain an understanding and application of cost principles e.g. Allowable, Allocable, Reasonable, Timely, and Consistently Applied.
  2. Identify keys to productive and effective post-award management e.g. communication, documentation, and continuing education.

Speaker(s):
Tim Reuter, Sr. Director Post Award Operations, Stanford University; Fran Visconti, CPA, Associate Director
Office for Sponsored Programs, Boston College