Blogs

Note from the Editor | Summer’s End

By SRAI News
Note from the Editor | Summer’s End With the temperature outside daily hitting a high of one hundred degrees, I am so incredibly excited for what counts as fall in the southern part of the United States. I am tired of hiding indoors and hoping my air conditioner can limp along for one more summer. Luckily for me, writing and reading the Catalyst is easily an inside activity, and I hope you can enjoy browsing our September issue somewhere cool and comfortable. Our featured articles this month include our final article on Project Delays for the Spotlight , what it is like to move away from your organization and switch to a remote role , and a follow up from ...
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View from the Top | You Know More Than You Think You Do

By SRAI News
View from the Top | You Know More Than You Think You Do In a world driven by information and expertise, it's easy to underestimate the depth of our knowledge. Many of us suffer from “imposter syndrome,” believing we are not as knowledgeable as we should be or as others perceive us to be. However, the truth is that we often possess a wealth of knowledge that goes unnoticed or unappreciated. Curiosity is the driving force behind the accumulation of knowledge. We actively engage in learning when we ask questions, seek answers, and explore new ideas. It's easy to underestimate the value of our curiosity and the breadth of topics we've explored. Everyday life ...
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Project Delays | Part 3: We Have How Much Money Left?! Minimizing the Impact of Large, Unobligated Grant Balances

By SRAI News
Project Delays | Part 3: We Have How Much Money Left?! Minimizing the Impact of Large, Unobligated Grant Balances The Spotlight concludes its summer series on project delays in funded research with a discussion of how large, unobligated balances near the end of a grant period can be alleviated so funds can be retained with as little penalty as possible. Previous installments in this series covered timely management of no-cost extensions and how the effective use of ClinicalTrials.gov can complement a research project and contribute to its steady progression toward completion. As the end of a funded project approaches, a large, unobligated balance ...
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The Big Leap: The Pros and Cons of Moving Away

By SRAI News
The Big Leap: The Pros and Cons of Moving Away Managing the pros and cons of working 100% remotely from a new state. In 2020, COVID opened the door for me and many of my co-workers to work 100% remotely for the first time in my career. Life seemed a lot easier not having to drive into the office for work. Instead, I was able to get out of bed, jump in the shower, grab some coffee and work from literally anywhere. After having that taste of freedom, I knew I didn’t want to go back to the normal way of doing things. As I prepared to go back into the office after two years, I had a performance evaluation meeting with my boss. In that meeting, I was recognized ...
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Research Development as a Separate Profession and Function Across Diverse Academic Settings

By SRAI News
Research Development as a Separate Profession and Function Across Diverse Academic Settings On June 22, 2023, the SRAI Canadian Section hosted a Coffee Talk with a panel of experts from Canada and the United States to discuss the growing field of Research Development and if it is evolving as a separate profession or a research administration function across diverse academic settings. Thanks to Terry Campbell (University of Ottawa) for her encouragement in organizing a discussion on this emerging and opportune topic, the Coffee Talk has been honored with the SRAI Best Coffee Talk Award by participants. What is research development? Research development ...
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Join Us in Seattle, WA

By SRAI News
Join Us in Seattle, WA We’re heading to Seattle, Washington in October for the 2023 SRAI Annual Meeting , and my co-chairs, Lynette Arias, Andrew Wray, and I are very excited about the program we have planned for you. We hope everyone has an engaging and enjoyable learning experience through attending sessions, meeting new people, reconnecting with those you have met before, volunteering, and sharing real life experiences with others. To make the most of your conference experience, we suggest that you have a plan. A great resource to help you plan is the SRAI meeting app, that you can use to plan out your days. Download the app so you can research the sessions ...
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Your Questions Answered | Onboarding New Faculty Members

By SRAI News
Your Questions Answered | Onboarding New Faculty Members Each month, the Catalyst will feature a question posted to our panel of SRAI Distinguished Faculty members to get their take on all sorts of topics encompassing research administration. Do you have a research administration question for our experts? Send your question to catalyst@srainternational.org ! Do you have any tips for onboarding new faculty members? Sandra M. Nordahl, CRA, Director, SR Contracting and Compliance and Facility Security Officer, San Diego State University Research Foundation, SRAI Distinguished Faculty Meet with the faculty, whether in person, on the phone, or ...
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Maximize Your SRAI Experience | Updating Your SRAI Account: Be Profile Perfect

By SRAI News
Maximize Your SRAI Experience | Updating Your SRAI Account: Be Profile Perfect Welcome to the SRAI website , where you will find everything you need to Maximize Your SRAI Experience. Updating your member profile is a great way to let your colleagues know who you are and to encourage professional collaboration and networking . This month we would like to step it up a notch by editing your profile to maximize the full experience! Let’s get started. Sign into the SRAI website, then click on your profile. Use the pencil icon next to your Contact Details to edit your information. Under the Account section, you will find several categories that will ...
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2023 SRAI Election Results

By SRAI News
2023 SRAI Election Results SRA International (SRAI) holds annual elections for positions on its Board of Directors. The Board is composed of a diverse group of SRAI members who devote time and effort throughout the year to enhance the organization through the service of governance. In accordance with the Bylaws of the Society Article 5.35, the candidates for the positions of President Elect, Treasurer, and At-Large Members for the Board of Directors have been informed of the election results. On behalf of the Board of Director’s Nominations Committee, it is my pleasure to officially announce the election results. Dara Little was elected President Elect, Dominic ...
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2023 SRAI Award Winners

By SRAI News
2023 SRAI Award Winners It is that special time of year again to recognize our 2023 SRAI honorees chosen by their peers. Let’s come together to celebrate this year’s SRAI award winners! SRAI acknowledges individuals who inspire others and serve as models for the profession of research administration. The Awards Committee was excited to consider the many worthy nominees and the winners are truly deserving and at the top of their field. Click here to read more about this year’s winners and what this honor means to them . Please plan to join us in Seattle at the 2023 Annual Meeting and cheer loudly for these distinguished research administrators! The Herbert ...
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Catalyst Fun | SRAI Find-a-Word

By SRAI News
Catalyst Fun | SRAI Find-a-Word Research Administrators are often required to find needles-in-haystacks among the voluminous amounts of data that are presented to us. While that may be a daily challenge, hone your skills with this SRA Find-a-Word puzzle! Can you find the 18 research-related terms in the below puzzle? Grab your wits and pencil to find out. Test your knowledge in this month’s SRAI Catalyst puzzle! SRAI Find-a-Word Authored by Mark Lucas , Chief Administrative Officer, Departments of Neurobiology and Computational Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine University of California ...
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Note from the Editor | Gratitude and Joy

By SRAI News
Note from the Editor | Gratitude and Joy In August, as summer vacation winds down, we head back to school with the memories of a glorious summer well spent – filled with the joy of interactions with family and friends, special trips, backyard barbeques and ice cream cones. If we could only bottle these feelings of joy so we could call upon them throughout the year. Better yet, we can create a constant supply by choosing to fill our lives with gratitude. Gratitude and joy are the themes of this month’s Catalyst. First of all, we are grateful for the contributors who made this issue possible – the authors, copywriters, SRAI staff and others. We also ...
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View from the Top | Behind the Scenes Heros!

By SRAI News
View from the Top | Behind the Scenes Heros! Behind the scenes, many dedicated individuals often work tirelessly to get things done. These individuals may not always be in the spotlight, but their contributions are invaluable. I want to extend my deepest gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to all of our dedicated volunteers, vendors, board members, and SRAI staff . With your unwavering commitment, passion, and tireless efforts, our organization is the thriving and impactful community it is today. Each day, we witness the positive impact of your contributions, and we are humbled by the countless hours you selflessly dedicate to our mission. From helping ...
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Project Delays | Part 2: No Cost Extensions Maintain Research Momentum

By SRAI News
Project Delays | Part 2: No Cost Extensions Maintain Research Momentum This summer, the Spotlight is considering the topic of project delays in funded research. What pitfalls, anticipated or unexpected, can contribute to or cause delays or disruptions? What strategies and tips can be used to either offset or overcome delays? Last month we looked at ClinicalTrials.gov and how its effective use can complement a research project and contribute to its steady progression toward completion. This month, judicious and timely management of no-cost extensions is discussed. Academic research is unpredictable and subject to unforeseen circumstances. During the COVID-19 ...
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Supporting Senior Faculty in Research Administration

By SRAI News
Supporting Senior Faculty in Research Administration As research administrators, we are responsible for providing support to faculty across all levels of their careers. This includes supporting our most senior faculty, who may be working into their 80’s. While these faculty members may have decades of experience and expertise, they may also face challenges that younger faculty do not. Here are some tips on how research administrators can best support senior faculty: Be sensitive to their age and needs. Senior faculty may have physical or cognitive limitations that make it difficult for them to keep up with the demands of research administration. Be understanding ...
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Global Research Impact Comes to Seattle

By SRAI News
Global Research Impact Comes to Seattle The 2023 SRAI Annual Meeting in Seattle includes a dedicated Track on Research Impact & Communication. As Director of Research Impact at a UK university and lead for research impact at a Canadian university and lead for a national research impact network, we have a keen interest about how we use the “impact” word around the world. UK Research & Innovation describe it as “an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia”. This includes not only technology transfer to seek an impact via industry, it explicitly ...
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Where Do You See the Future of Research Administration | Philip J. Cola

By SRAI News
Where Do You See the Future of Research Administration | Philip J. Cola Members of SRAI’s Distinguished Faculty were recently asked where they see the future of research administration. Over the next few months, we will share their insights and observations. It is commonly accepted that research administration has significant impacts on the success of research and advancement of science. Collaboration and relationship building is a significant factor in ensuring that faculty researchers and research administrators or managers are clearly working toward the same goal of new knowledge creation, which in turn advances science. Some have suggested that research ...
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SRAI Off the Clock | Refilling My Cup

By SRAI News
SRAI Off the Clock | Refilling My Cup As a research administrator, I sometimes feel overwhelmed and bone-tired at the end of each day. Bilbo Baggins stated it perfectly when he mused, “I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.” There truly are days where my cup runs dry, and I feel as though I accomplished nothing. To refill my cup, I choose to use my skills for the greater good! Two of my favorite pastimes are crochet and cooking for loved ones. I’ve utilized those talents to volunteer for the Loose Ends Project and Lasagna Love. The Loose Ends Project pairs knitters, crocheters, quilters, and almost any type of fiber artist ...
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Your Questions Answered | PI Transfers

By SRAI News
Your Questions Answered | PI Transfers Each month, the Catalyst will feature a question posed to our panel of SRAI Distinguished Faculty members to get their take on all sorts of topics encompassing research administration. Do you have a research administration question for our experts? Send your question to catalyst@srainternational.org ! What tips and tricks do you have for PI Transfers, whether bringing in awards or moving awards out? Sandra M. Nordhal, CRA, Director, SR Contracting and Compliance and Facility Security Officer, SDSU Research Foundation, SRAI Distinguished Faculty Communication is the key! Set the times or due dates for items ...
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Future of the Field: SRAI Recognizes 33 “Rising Stars”

By SRAI News
What a great turnout for the class of 2023’s Future of the Field amongst so many nominees of excellent research administration professionals! Those that were chosen to be recognized this year represent the up-and-comers of research administration from all around the world, and we are very proud to have them as our colleagues, mentors, co-workers and friends. Clair Abney – University of Kentucky Nancy Alvarez – The Scripps Research Institute Hanna Bates – Iowa State University Trey Bauer – University of Louisville Sybile Bayiha – University of Maryland Laurian Bradford – SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University ...
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