Note from the Editor | Second Cup of Coffee and Dig In
February may be the shortest month of the year, but it certainly packs a punch – knock-out weather, Omicron, civil unrest (a truck convoy on Canada’s Parliament Hill in the dead of winter, eh?), and of course, Valentine’s Day. So it is with this month’s Catalyst – there are so many great articles it’s hard to know where to start!
In “View from the Top,” Debra Schaller-Demers provides highlights from the new SRAI strategic plan which charts the directions SRAI will take in the upcoming years to promote international best practices in research management, administration, and knowledge transfer.
We launch “Research Administration Careers,” a bimonthly series which provides a birds-eye view on various aspects of career planning and progression. Our inaugural article in our Hiring series is penned by Heather Brown, Mark Lucas, and Tyler Tulloch. Other topics will include: Onboarding, Training, Education/Certification, Structures, and Career Ladders/Tracks. We invite readers to engage in ongoing dialogue on these topics of critical importance to our evolving field.
On the trending international theme of research impact and engagement, check out our interview with the co-chairs of the Research Impact and Communications track for the Las Vegas 2022 Annual Meeting, Stephen Beck, David Phipps, and Andrew Wray, who provide advice on potential topics for presentations.
On the lighter side, Amy Raubenolt’s book review provides ideas on how to inject humor back into the workplace. And don’t forget to check out the last article of Floris van der Leest’s series on office newsletters.
And of course, don’t miss our regular columns and contributions, especially “You May be a Research Administrator If…” from the Catalyst Committee.
So, start your day with a second cup of coffee in your easy chair, by the fire, or on the lanai, and dig into our February issue. Happy reading!
Authored by Terry Campbell, Assistant Vice President, Research Services
University of Ottawa
SRAI Catalyst Co-editor
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