iSRA Virtual Conference - Tuesday Sessions

The rapid rise of COVID-19 and our historic response has required tremendous flexibility from all of us, our organizations, and sponsors of research. Many sponsors have adapted to this new reality by increasing communication, providing administrative relief and implementing unprecedented flexibilities, as initiated by OMB Memorandum M-20-17. This moderated panel discussion will bring in a range of perspectives to discuss how to interpret guidelines on deadline flexibility (both pre- and post-award), prior authorization requests, and salary and effort reporting. The panel experts will also discuss considerations for strategic planning, procedure development, and process implementation in response to guideline changes.

Content level: Intermediate 

Learning objectives:

1. Develop increased awareness and understanding of sponsor guideline changes during the COVID-19 response.

2. Identify complexities and approaches to effort allocated on federal awards for research personnel unable to actively work on projects. Gain insights into institutional approaches for adjusting to and implementing sponsor guideline changes. 

Speaker(s): Dara Little, Assistant VP for Research and Sponsored Programs, Northern Illinois University; Kim C. Carter, Assistant VP for Research, University of Kentucky; Tim Linker, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Administration, North Carolina A&T State University 

Moderator(s): Evan Roberts, Executive Director, SRA International

With the changing of the common rule, a topic that garnered much attention was the management of biorepositories in clinical research. This session will address the following topics for research administrators that are involved in clinical trial activity related to biorepositories.

Content level: Intermediate 

Learning objectives:

1. Identify different biorepository approaches and models for use in clinical research.

2. Understand the impact of different regulations on biospecimen clinical research. 

Speaker(s): Madeleine Williams, MA, Senior Consultant, Huron Consulting Group; Kristina Knapp-Jack, Associate Director, Collaborative Research Centers, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

This session will cover new developments related to proposal and award policy at NSF.  NSF staff will provide a comprehensive review of NSF’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, recent policy changes and updates to NSF’s proposal system modernization efforts.

Content level: Basic 

Learning objectives:

1. Understand how NSF has implemented changes to proposal and award policies and procedures.
2. Overall updates related to NSF. 

Speaker(s): Jean Feldman, Head of the Policy Office, National Science Foundation 
Moderator(s): Jeremy Leffler, Outreach Specialist, Policy Office, National Science Foundation 

Sponsored by Cayuse.
Research administration and the technology that supports it has been slowly evolving over the past decade. However, COVID-19 has highlighted the criticality and need to move faster in further modernizing research in the U.S., Canada, and across the world. From the underlying technology powering research administration systems, to leveraging point solutions versus the emergence of end-to-end platforms, we’ll look at how these decisions and approaches are impacting research organization productivity, optimization, and overall success. 

Content level: Intermediate

Learning objectives:

1. Identify what these key system trends are that have quickly become imperatives for research administrators
2. Learn how to audit current processes, and start planning and executing a strategy that modernizes your approach and enables a world class, data-driven research organization. 

Speaker(s): Matt McLellan, CEO, Cayuse 

Academic and other research institutions are becoming more and more aware that many faculty, researchers, staff and students are not properly trained in ethics, professional standards and responsible conduct of research. This session provides a brief summary of the overall issues encountered and approaches to enhance the training and competency in research integrity and professional standards across several different types of organizations.

Content level: Basic

Learning objectives:

1. Review overall issues surrounding ethics. 
2. Address means to enhance research integrity training. 

Speaker(s): Debra Schaller-Demers, MSOM, Senior Director, Research Outreach and Compliance, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer 

Why do things when technology will do it for you? Learn how the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota took the results from their 360° point-of-view assessment and implemented new efficiency strategies for their collegiate research office. In this session we will share strategies, software, tools, and templates we find essential for effective and efficient external pre-award and internal grant management. Whether it be managing projects, collecting application materials, or sending emails, we'll explore how you can use free or inexpensive tools and programs to take the manual work out of some of your daily tasks. 

Content level: Basic 

Learning objectives:

1. Identify areas in your own research office in need of improvement.
2. Explore new tools and resources and understand how to implement them into your research administration processes.

Speaker(s): Kersten Warren, Assistant Director, Office of the Associate Dean for Research, University of Minnesota; Katie Thomas, Research Administrator, Office of the Associate Dean for Research, University of Minnesota; Yorie Smart, Pre-Award Coordinator, Office of the Associate Dean for Research, University of Minnesota; Shannon Kasperson, Pre-Award Specialist,  Office of the Associate Dean for Research, University of Minnesota  

As a research administrator, especially those in research development and pre-award, you will be integral in helping your program identify funding opportunities. In this session, we will review available tools – websites, search engines, services, and databases – to identify funding resources. Some of these tools are traditional and some you may not have thought to investigate. We will learn what information we need at hand to successfully identify opportunities for a program or principal investigator. We will look at the importance of having a timeline for exploring funding opportunities and targeting specific requests for proposals to launching the application process.

Content level: Basic 

Learning objectives:

1. Review available tools in identifying funding opportunities. 
2. Identify appropriate timeline development. 

Speaker(s): Kimberly Read, PhD, CRA, Assistant Director, FCIC, University of South Florida

This is a training for development of self-awareness, professionalism and workplace communication. It is designed to understand and develop the emotional intelligence (EQ) skills to enhance success in the workplace and in life. The skills are immediately transferable to topics of: diversity and inclusion, conflict resolution, communication, teamwork, mindfulness, stress management, and customer service. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate our own feelings and recognize and empathize with those of others. Research shows that only 20% of success in the workplace is attributable to intellectual intelligence whereas 80% is attributable to emotional intelligence. Emotional Intelligence includes: o Intrapersonal skills including emotional self-awareness and self-actualization, & emotional regulation o Interpersonal skills including empathy, social responsibility, & Interpersonal relationships o Stress Management skills including stress tolerance, impulse control (restraint of tongue and hitting send on emails), & mindfulness o Adaptability in reality testing, flexibility, & problem-solving o General Mood including the importance of optimism & happiness This training was developed by Janai Symons with acknowledgment to Dennis Dashiell and Ron Marks of Western Washington University HR for their inspiration.

Content level: Basic 

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the difference between Intellectual Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence. 
2. Understand the value of emotional intelligence in the workplace and how to develop EQ skills. 

Speaker(s): Janai Symons, JD, MLIS, CRA, Research Compliance Officer, Western Washington University

Hiring and retaining research administrators is an increasing challenge in today's environment. Frustrated with rapid turnover of staff and struggles to hire qualified staff resulted in a cooperative initiative by research administration Directors at Penn State to resolve these problems. They developed metrics to determine workload and staff levels that consider volume, responsibility and complexity in determining workload and right sized staff levels.

Content level: Advanced 

Learning objectives:

1. Develop a staff workload assessment tool that includes measures of sponsor complexity and breadth of responsibility. Build coalitions for successful advocacy with University executive leadership.
2. Develop a career progression plan for staff that provides incentives for improving essential skills and enhances workforce stability. 

Speaker(s): Maryellen O'Brien, MBA, Director Grants and Contracts, The Pennsylvania State University

Institutions who never or seldom veer off the path of fundamental research are now being confronted with how to respond to inquiries from US agencies concerning the security of US research given concerns arising out of foreign collaborations and real or perceived conflicts of interest and/or commitment. At the time of submission, the FBI reported that over 200 investigations into such relationships between US researchers were being investigated. The fallout has begun and other agencies will be issuing guidance as well. While the concerns are rooted in US competitiveness and maintaining our commercial advantage, these changes could have far-reaching implications for fundamental research, disclosure of financial conflicts of interest and commitment and research collaborations. This session will update attendees on the current status of this issue and provide recommendations for eliciting this information in FCOI disclosures and proposal review forms.

Content level: Intermediate

Learning objectives:

1. Gain awareness current state of "Science and Security" concerns and the emerging threat to academic research.
2. Address issues of non-compliance. 

Speaker(s): Susan Sedwick, PhD, CRA, CSM, Senior Consulting Specialist, Attain LLC; Leslie W. Hollie, Chief Investigative Operations, HHS Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations/PSR,OIG UNCLAS

OMB specifically recognized that alternative methods to effort reporting satisfy the after-the-fact review requirement, may reduce burden and removed the word ‘effort’. Both NSF and NIH have recently published statements that alternative methods to meet the after-the-fact review requirement are acceptable. NSF OIG and DHHS OIG reiterated that they agree with the agency specific guidance already issued that alternative methods are acceptable and must be supported by strong system of internal controls per Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200). This session will demonstrate and provide examples of how institutions have integrated a system of internal controls to meet the standards for documenting personnel costs in accordance with the Uniform Guidance (200.430 – Compensation). In addition, sample after the fact review reports for institutions that have transitioned to an alternative to effort reporting will be presented. This presentation will provide attendees with the needed information about alternative methods of compensation compliance that are growing within the university community.

Content level: Intermediate 

Learning objectives:

1. Hear examples of institutional reports that demonstrate alternatives to effort reporting methodologies for the after-the-fact review requirements of payroll charges.
2. This presentation will provide attendees with the needed information about alternative methods of compensation compliance that are growing within the university community.

Speaker(s): David Ngo, MBA, Associate Provost, The New School; Lisa Mosley, Executive Director, Yale University; Jeremy Forsberg, Assistant Vice President, University of Texas at Arlington