TURAC Archives
Browse by Year
Browse Archives by Year
Select a year below to view recordings and resources from each session.
Careers in Research Administration
Choose Your Own Adventure: Careers in Research Administration
Speaker: Samaneh Moeini, Shana McLelland, Lisa Allen
Choose Your Own Adventure: Careers in Research Administration is a dynamic session aimed at illuminating the diverse pathways within this field. Participants embark on an exploration of research administration career options, guided by discussions on mentorship, ownership, and available resources. Attendees learn to take the lead in their professional development by actively pursuing opportunities for growth and leadership. Through interactive discussions, they gain practical strategies and skills for taking their career to the next level. This session also offers a wealth of resources—from educational programs to networking opportunities—empowering individuals to succeed in research administration.
Cohesion through Communication: Strategies for Connecting Across Divides
Speaker: Nena Bloom, Erin Gill, Amber Martin, and Rachel Rice
Communication is at the heart of relationship-building, research community education, and maintain successful processes and partnerships. At times, however, it can feel like stakeholders in different groups speak different languages (pre-award/post-award staff, central/departmental, staff/faculty). In this session, we will discuss strategies for communicating and connecting with colleagues successfully.
Collaboration: Why Your Work Matters
Speaker: David Trilling, Erin Kruse, Carlo Maley, and Stacy Esposito
As the TURAC 2024+ Convening draws to a close, we invite you to join us for a lively and inspiring capstone session! During this session, and linking back toward our opening Plenary remarks, our presenters will summarize the past 2 days of Convening programming and deliver some thoughts around this year’s theme of Connection – Collaboration – Cohesion. Attendees will recognize and affirm their important service roles to the research faculty, staff, sponsors, and industry partners that make up our ecosystem of Research Administration. Attendees will be encouraged to share their perspectives on the important elements of successful research administrative work, and collectively draw similarities between the host institutions they emanate from. By session conclusion, we hope to highlight the importance of Connection – Collaboration – Cohesion in all we do!
Going from Good to Great, Starting with Grit
Speaker: Alexus Robertson, Jeremiah Thompson, and Andrea Underwood
In this session new research administrators will get a light onboarding experience. Guidance on where to start as an RA, ask questions, and get access to professional development resources.
Project Management in Research Administration
Facilitators: Valerie Keim, Nicole Cox, and Laurie Clark
Tricks, tips, and tactics to manage people and the work to meet the deadline.
Navigating the Nexus: Research Administration and Strategic Connections Across Arizona
Speaker: Dr. Nicolette Teufel-Shone, Heather Clark, and Andrea Christelle
This panel discussion will delve into the multifaceted dynamics of research administration, strategic connections, and their critical intersections with tribal nations, Arizona universities, state, and local entities. Experts from diverse backgrounds will share insights, best practices, and real-world examples to navigate this nexus effectively, fostering meaningful collaborations and advancing equitable research endeavors. Join us for an illuminating conversation on the pivotal role of research administration in bridging academia, state and local entities and tribal nations for mutual benefit and cohesive, sustainable development.
Contracts
Compliance Checklist and Export/Research Security
Speaker: Nancy Henderson and Cliffton Fredericks
This session will provide Research Administrators insights into federal research compliance requirements so they can assist researchers more effectively during the life cycle of their grant. With the federal government placing more emphasis on research security and foreign collaborations, this session will also provide key concepts related to export controls and undue foreign influence.
F&A Rate Agreement Process
Speaker: Sarah Kern and Jennifer Smolnik
Considerations for Facility & Administration Costs (“Indirects”) continue to be an important consideration in the work of research administrators across the lifecycle of sponsored programs. Academic institutions, including those in Arizona, are continuously interested in accurate, relevant, and fiscally prudent indirect cost rate applications and how those derived rates ultimately impact sponsored proposals and awards. This session, which includes presenters from industry/consulting partners in the F&A rate negotiation process, will include perspectives around the do’s-and-don’ts of the rate-building and negotiation process with the cognizant agencies of the Federal government. After defining the elements of indirect cost calculations, our presenters will discuss the rate negotiation process, and the key outcomes of such processes that impact our work. Q&A time will be afforded as well for all session attendees.
Hot Topics in Contracting
Facilitators: Chris Stevens and Ken Frosts
Join us for a discussion on hot topics in contracting. The discussion may include topics such as tech transfer, NIST/CMMC, and negotiating with state and local agencies.
Institutional Management of Conflict of Interest
Facilitators: Andrew Koppisch and Brent Saron
As recipients of state and federal funding, ASU, NAU, and UA have an obligation to the public to ensure that all aspects of research, including the design, conduct, and reporting of results, are free from real or apparent bias. At the same time, all three universities encourage their faculty, staff, and students to engage in innovation and entrepreneurial activities. In pursuit of these two goals, and in accordance with federal and state regulations, universities require that investigators disclose outside interests so that any conflicts with their institutional duties and responsibilities can be appropriately managed. In this presentation, the process for identifying and managing conflicts of interest at the statewide universities will be discussed.
Post-Award
Advanced Budgeting: Problem-Solving Strategies for Budgeting Issues/Concerns
Speaker: Sean Jones, Howard Bergman, and Megan McDevitt
This session will focus on tips and tricks in advanced sponsor project budgeting, from ever-changing regulatory requirements to lessons learned from post-submission sponsor negotiations. A range of sponsors both domestic and international will be covered, and will include opportunity to bring your own questions for discussion.
Fiscal Compliance and Minimizing Audit Risk
Speaker: Mark Ruppert and Sam Munguia
This session will explore fiscal compliance in public university research, focusing on mitigating audit risk and ensuring financial integrity. We’ll discuss common audit findings, effective internal controls, and actionable strategies for maintaining compliance. Participants will gain insights into navigating evolving regulatory landscapes and emerging trends, leaving equipped to manage audit risk and to handle unclear situations in fiscal compliance.
Managing Fruitful Research Collaborations with External Partners
Speaker: Ivan Ochsner and Joelina Peck
This session will provide a better understanding of the differences between working with foreign and domestic collaborators based on organizational type. We’ll dig deep into how collaborations with different organizational types (hospitals, consultants, industry, etc.) can be challenging in accomplishing set goals. To facilitate more effective collaborations, we will share best practices and techniques from both pre- and post-award perspectives.
Navigating Complexities of Award Changes
Speaker: Kelley Hall
Managing change in sponsored projects is a key aspect of post award management. As projects evolve, the administrative components of management do as well. In this session, we will discuss strategies to manage change and the approvals needed to complete the task. Case studies will include reviewing the request, identifying needed documentation, working with PIs to gather technical and administrative information, and seeking sponsor approval.
Post-Award Best Practices for Collaborative Management of HHS-Funded Awards
Facilitators: Kelley Hall and Fernando Zacarias
In this session, we will discuss the most common DHHS agency awards (e.g., NIH + SAMHSA) and provide resources related to specific funding mechanisms (training grants, fellowships, etc.) and other specialized processes. We will highlight tips and best practices for post award management, including initial setup, monitoring, and reporting.
Setting Up New Awards for Success
Facilitator: Sarah Montgomery
Tips, tricks, and considerations for department RAs; review NOA and proposal docs, compare to award management and financial systems, set up PI for success, and use Outlook tricks to simplify award management
Pre-Award
Empowering Institutions: Navigating HSI Designation for Funding Success
Facilitators: Claudia Rodas, Riley McIsaac, and Hayley Bohall
Join us for an insightful session on strategic research administration, where we’ll explore the pivotal role of Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) designation in securing funding and advancing institutional growth. Delve into HSI basics and practical strategies for integrating HSI awareness into research administration practices, empowering your institution to respond effectively to funding opportunities and enhance its research development initiatives. Through engaging discussions and actionable insights, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to leverage the HSI designation to drive success in research administration and propel institutional advancement.
Hot Topics in Pre-Award
Speaker: Sarah Gates and Terra Lamotte-Harvey
Building bridges: The People and Processes essential for pre-award success in today’s world.
Making Pre-Award Decisions for Post-Award Success
Facilitator: Joelina Peck
This session will help pre-award administrators identify potential cost categories at the proposal stage and understand how these costs may create issues for post-award. We will focus on the unique challenges of budgeting at the proposal stage and take a deep dive into each of the identified cost categories to learn strategies to help minimize the impact on post-award.
Learning objectives:
- Participants will obtain a better understanding of how budgeting at pre-award may impact post-award.
- Participants will learn strategies for tackling some of the unique budget challenges to minimize the impact on post-award management.
- Participants will understand the importance of communication between pre-award and post-award for effective award management.
Networking
Morning Yoga
Host: Nicky Jurgens and Michael Bouck
Nicky Jurgens from NAU will kick off the Tri-University Research Administration Convening with yoga to help us de-stress before the activities begin! Following our yoga session, NAU Health and Wellness will offer a Mindful Meditation exercise. After this enlightening session, you’ll be sure to be in the right head space for conference activities!
Updating Your LinkedIn Profile
Speaker: John Gartin
Dive into the international standard in networking, relationship building, upskilling, and industry information flows through LinkedIn. Explore innovative strategies for personal branding, expanding your professional network, and mastering LinkedIn’s tools and features to level up your personal goals. Engage with cutting-edge techniques and learn how to enhance your LinkedIn profile using Generative AI (GPTs) to stand out in your subject area and industry. This session promises to arm you with the skills and insights needed to navigate the evolving landscape of professional networking, developing new relationships, and staying current with industry thought leaders through LinkedIn.
Walk & Talk
Facilitator: Networking Committee
Join us as we meet over coffee and tour NAU’s historic North Quad. We will be live streaming via Facebook so no one will miss out on all NAU has to offer! We’ll walk from the International Pavilion and see sights such as the Liberal Arts building, Cline Library, the University Union, Old Main, and much more!
Other
CLARA Info Session
Host: Valerie Keim, Tom Champagne, and Sam Munguia
Join us over lunch for a lively panel discussion with this year’s convening Co-Chairs & Grant Recipients! Sam Munguia (ASU), Valerie Keim (ASU), and Tom Champagne (NAU) will discuss some of the important strategies, approaches, and program themes that went into planning this year’s TURAC 2024+. The panelists will outline their efforts and intentions around securing sponsor funding from NSF, the role each ABOR institution assumed for the convening success, and the intentional identification of this year’s convening themes: Connection – Collaboration – Cohesion. Finally, the panelists will outline their aspirations and hopes for future convening success, including how the NSF funding will continue inter-institution engagement through the Coalition of Leaders in Advanced Research Administration (CLARA) and be available for questions from session attendees.
Senior Leadership Connection
Speaker: Valerie Keim and Samantha Munguia
In this discussion group, research administration leaders will have the opportunity to compare notes and strategies for tackling current challenges in the field. The discussion agenda will be crowdsourced from assistant/associate directors, directors, assistant/associate vice presidents, and vice president level participants; topics could include AI in research administration, research security/institutional compliance, recruitment and retention, career growth, etc.
Welcome, Land Acknowledgement, and Plenary Speaker
Speaker: Dr. Paul S. Keim
TURAC 2024+ will begin with opening remarks from a research expert from Northern Arizona University, Dr. Paul S. Keim