January 2020 – NORDP News

Four-Hour Workshops at NORDP 2020

The 12^th Annual NORDP Research Development Conference in San Antonio, TX will feature a number of four-hour workshops from 1:15 – 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 18^th.

If you are interested in participating in these sessions it is suggested that you register for the conference as early as possible. They are sure to fill up quickly. These programs will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Waitlist opportunities will be available once they are filled. Please note that there are also a number of two-hour workshops running concurrently on Monday that do not require pre-registration. Full descriptions of all Monday workshops can be found HERE.

The workshops listed below require pre-registration.

Conducting Competitive Intelligence in a University Setting

Presenters: Alba Clivati McIntyre, The Ohio State University; Karen Walker, Arizona State University; Jamie Burns, Arizona State University

Incorporating Societal Impacts into Proposal Development (ARIS)

Presenters: Megan Heitmann, Iowa State University; Janice McDonnell, Rutgers University; Kevin Niemi, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Increase Capacity of RD Professionals to Capture Meaningful “Evidence” Through Research – Or, Evaluation: Using a Navigational Map and Front-End Planning Approach

Presenters: Etta Ward, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; Jacqueline Singh, Qualitative Advantage, LLC

Mentor Training for Research Development Professionals: Expanding NRMN/CIMER’s Mentor Training Curriculum for the RD Profession

Presenters: Paula Carney, Loyola University Chicago; Jan Abramson, University of Utah; Kathy Partlow, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Erica Severan-Webb, Xavier University of Louisiana

Team Science Takeoff: Tools to Support New Scientific Collaboration

Presenters: Betsy Rolland, University of Wisconsin-Madison Carbone Cancer Center and Institute for Clinical and Research Translation; David Widmer, Memorial Sloan Kettering; Holly Falk-Krzesinski, Elsevier and Northwestern University

Detailed information on these workshops is available here: https://www.nordp.org/2020-all-workshops

Conference registration opens on Tuesday, February 4^th. Visit the Conference program page for further information: https://www.nordp.org/2020-nordp-conference-schedule-at-a-glance

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We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held May 17 – 20, at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio, TX. The conference room block can be accessed HERE.

For more information about the conference or to register (after February 4th), visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences. Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2020 updates.

Returning Member Cameo: Nancy Dufau

Who: Nancy Dufau, Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Programs & Research
Where: Towson University
Number of Years in RD: 20+
Length of NORDP Membership: 5.5

What is your RD work?

I joined Towson University two years ago, where I oversee pre-award, post-award and compliance activities. At TU, we’re building out more support in the research development area, and we have begun offering new services.

What is your professional and education background, experience?

I have been involved with grants and grantsmanship for more than two decades. Most has been in higher education, but I’ve also worked with grants for Miami-Dade County and a foundation that was supporting medical research. All in all, I’d have to say my background is eclectic and I think that has served me well. In terms of education, I have a BA in English from Colgate University and an MA in International Studies from the University of Miami. I also was able to work closely with biologists and environmentalists early on in my career. Being exposed to multiple disciplines was great preparation for working with faculty members across all fields and made research development and administration a great fit for me.

What originally attracted you to NORDP?

In my previous work for a small PUI, we focused our efforts on faculty development as it related to grantsmanship. NORDP was offering a distinct focus that was an excellent fit for what we were doing.

How long were you “away” from NORDP?

Two years.

What inspired you to rejoin NORDP?

NORDP has its pulse on the latest in research development and offers a great opportunity to learn more about what others are doing as we expand our services in these areas.

How will your NORDP membership enhance your own career?

I am looking forward to seeing RD practices that we might adopt through the lens of TU. Seeing what others are doing and networking opportunities are tremendous benefits of membership.

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.

NORDP 2020 Conference Program Posted!

The NORDP 2020 conference program is now available HERE. Conference registration opens next week, on February 4th.

Monday, May 18th, will kick off with our keynote speaker, University of Texas at San Antonio President Taylor Eighmy, and continue as our long-format day, with 2-hour and 4-hour sessions running from 10 am until 5:45 pm. Seven Concurrent Breakout Sessions will be spread over Tuesday and Wednesday, consisting of 1-hour presentations, roundtables, and lightning talks. Our ever-popular Ideas Showcase will take place Tuesday evening, with dozens of informative posters, a meet-and-greet with Board candidates and tons of networking opportunities. Check out the offerings and start planning the attendance strategy that meets your interests and needs.

For logistical purposes, please note that Sunday, May 17th activities include the Mentoring Meet-up at 3:30pm, followed by New Member Orientation, the Welcome Reception, and committee dinners. Working Committee Meetings will take place Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 pm.

Conference registration opens February 4th. Announcements will be broadcast far and wide once registration is open. In addition, we’ll be sharing more details about speakers, workshops, and things to do in San Antonio over the next few months. Stay tuned!

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We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held May 17 – 20, at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio, TX. The conference room block can be accessed HERE.

For more information about the conference or to register (after February 4th), visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences. Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2020 updates.

Call for Nominations: 2020 Rising Star Awards

Members of the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) are invited to nominate a colleague for a 2020 Rising Star Award by Wednesday, February 12, 2020.

Created in 2016, the Rising Star Award is bestowed on up to three members annually in recognition of outstanding volunteer contributions to NORDP and strong potential for future contributions to the organization and/or the research development profession. Information about prior awardees is available here.

Recipients of the 2020 Rising Star Award will be announced at the 12^th Annual NORDP Research Development Conference (May 17 to 20 in San Antonio, Texas). Awardees will be presented with a plaque and receive a waived registration fee for a future NORDP Annual Conference.

Nominee Eligibility: Any active NORDP member who has made significant volunteer contributions to the organization and who exhibits strong potential for future contributions is eligible for nomination. Contributions may include NORDP committee service, conference volunteerism, conference presentations, etc. Previous recipients of the Rising Star Award are not eligible.

Nominator Eligibility: Any NORDP member in good standing.

Nomination Process: Complete the nomination form available here. Describe why the nominee deserves Rising Star recognition. Summarize the nominee’s past and current contributions to NORDP, potential for future contributions to research development and/or NORDP, and commitment to excellence in research development. Also include a brief statement of 50 words or less to be used as a citation if the nominee is selected for the award.

Nomination Submission and Deadline: Submit completed nomination forms via email attachment to Nathan Meier, Board of Directors and Awards Task Force member, at nlm@unl.edu no later than 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST on Wednesday, February 12, 2020. Please use the following subject line: “NORDP – 2020 Rising Star Nomination.”

Selection Process: NORDP’s Awards Task Force will solicit reviewers, summarize reviewer feedback, and forward recommendations for awardees to the Board of Directors. Nominations will be evaluated on the extent to which the nominees have served NORDP and the research development profession as documented by compelling evidence and testimonials provided in the nomination forms. The Board will select no more than three nominees for Rising Star Awards in any given year. Awardees are announced at the NORDP Annual Conference.

NORDP Liaison Report: NIH Regional Meeting

Submitted by Samarpita Sengupta

The NORDP Strategic Alliance Committee launched the “Huddle” initiative for NORDP members to connect with each other at the various conferences that Research Development Professionals attend. From Science of Team science conferences to the topic-specific Society meetings (such as the Society of Neuroscience), these conferences are a great way for RD professionals to get to know each other beyond the National Meeting, network and have a familiar name and face at a conference.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Regional meeting was held from November 6^th – 8^th 2019 at the Hyatt Regency in Phoenix, AZ. The two day seminar with a one day pre-conference workshop covered topics ranging from upcoming changes to SF424 forms, explanation of changes in human subjects requirements, loan repayment program, NIH’s initiatives with diversity and inclusion and dealing with the issues of misconduct, to general grant writing instructions and also featured a fun mock study section.

The venue being in the backyard of the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. Both institutions have phenomenal Research Development offices led by outstanding NORDP member and Nominations Committee Chair, Kim Patten and our intrepid NORDP Board member, Faye Farmer respectively. Both institutions booths and several volunteers helping with the seminar. On how she worked to have an active Research Development presence at the NIH conference, Faye said “I heard through an active NCURA member that the NIH Regional Seminar was heading to Phoenix. I immediately saw how my office could be a connector across the two other state universities in Arizona. To that end, I reached out to my contacts at those schools, including fellow NORDP member, Kim Patten at the University of Arizona and hatched a plan. Our events manager dedicated a chunk of her time for several months to working with the NIH representative, the event managers, and ASU faculty and staff.”

Faye and her team designed a collaboration fair, where ASU and UA representatives staffed tables during the pre-conference workshops and spoke to attendees about connecting to resources at the two universities. Tours were available to seminar attendees across all three days at two of ASU’s campuses (Downtown and Tempe campuses), led by staff and students, but featuring faculty members at each tour stop. Finally, NIH leadership members were invited to attend a no-host dinner with university leaders. For more information on how this all was possible, feel free to email RDEvents@asu.edu.

Knowing that there will be colleagues and hoping to find other friendly faces, I sent out a request for a huddle at the conference. What followed can only be attributed to the zeal of NORDP members, the enthusiasm in this community to learn from each other and the many professional and personal friendships that can result from being part of a collective.

Within a few days of sending the email, 15 people emailed me back, even some who are not NORDP members yet, but knew someone who knew someone who got the email, had emailed back wanting to connect. The result: a contingent of 15 people met at a Mexican restaurant for fabulous (and great looking!) food, good company, great conversations and networking. We walked away from the seminar with knowledge and having made new friends and renewed some old friendships!

Moral of the story: If NORDP members find themselves planning to go to a conference without a friendly face, always remember to HUDDLE!

NORDP Membership Grows to Over 1000

While many of us were home unwinding during the holidays, NORDP quietly gained its one thousandth member.

Although the occasion wasn’t marked by cake or fireworks this is something to really celebrate! In just ten years we have grown from 212 members to over one thousand… and counting.

This rapid growth – the kind that leaves benchmarks in the dust – wasn’t driven by luck. The secret recipe to NORDP’s overwhelming success is you. Yes, you!

Thanks to your engagement, participation and commitment, NORDP is realizing our shared dream to advance the global capacity for and impact of research by strengthening the practice and profession of research development. And that makes NORDP an exciting place to be.

One year ago the Board sent members a Member Needs and Satisfaction Survey asking about the value, quality and usage of various NORDP programs. More than 88 percent of our members said NORDP programs met their needs well. Members rated NORDP’s value for their money 4.46 on a five-point scale where 5 is the highest rating, and the quality of what we do was rated even higher at 4.68.

And of course, there was our sold-out conference last year. What a great way to underscore that our collective efforts to meet professional needs are timely and on track!

So, as we start this new year with more members than ever before, and plans that will lead us even farther forward, let’s stop and celebrate for a minute. Congratulations to all of us for doing such an amazing job with our incredible organization!

I’m looking forward to celebrating with you at our conference in San Antonio this May. Look for registration announcements soon.

Cheers,

Karen aka Fletch
NORDP President

A Message from the President

Welcome to a new year!

I am excited to share the NORDP 3-year Strategic Plan with you today.

Your Board of Directors put a lot of effort into sorting feedback from member surveys, Board members, and past leaders, to ensure that NORDP continues to be the ambitious, innovative, and progressive organization that meets member needs.

Some highlights:

We have shortened and revised our mission statement in an effort to concisely align our strategic efforts with the organization our members want and need: The mission of NORDP is to advance the global capacity for and impact of research by strengthening the practice and profession of research development.

We identified seven common priority areas, or Key Result Areas (KRAs), that we will be focusing our attention, efforts, and resources on in the next three years:

governance
communication
career and professional development
diversity, inclusion, and equity
advancing the field of RD
membership
external relations

You will be seeing more information in the coming months about mobilizing these seven areas. If you are interested in working with us, please reach out and get involved. You can find more details on the plan and who to contact to get involved by visiting the following link to view a video or read the transcript.
https://nordp.memberclicks.net/member-updates

Thank you for your membership and for your involvement in NORDP. You make NORDP the organization it is and shape its future.

Cheers,
Karen aka Fletch
NORDP President

#NORDPMentoringMatters

NORDP 2019 Holiday card By Jan Abramson

The NORDP Mentoring Committee wishes all NORDP members a Happy New Year as we enter January 2020 … and National Mentoring Month. This January is the 19th annual celebration of the power of mentoring. Originally developed as a campaign to expand quality mentoring opportunities for youth, the month-designation can be a catalyst to remember the mentors and mentees that have supported you along your path.

The NORDP Mentoring Program is a benefit available to all NORDP Members. Members supporting members as mentors, as mentees, or as part of a peer mentor group, make our organization, and the profession of Research Development stronger.

Applications for the 2020 mentoring program will open in February. Until that time, be thinking of all the mentors and mentees who have enriched your life over the years. And mark your calendars.

January 8, 2020: I Am a Mentor Day

Recognize yourself for all you do as a mentor. Mentors can have profound impacts on mentees. Take a moment to reflect on your legacy. Share your experience using the national hashtag #MentorIRL.

January 30, 2020: Thank Your Mentor Day

Take a moment to reflect on the mentors who have influenced you. Send them a note, a text or an email. Share your story on social media using #ThankYourMentor.

And, please, consider becoming a mentor in the NORDP Mentoring Program when applications open. The Mentoring Committee has numerous resources to support you. For those of you who have benefited from the mentoring program, remember the strength of the program is #PayItForward.

Reminder: NORDP Strategic Plan Announcement Jan 10th

Please join NORDP President, Karen Fletcher, on Friday, January 10, 2020 from 2:00 – 3:00pm EST for the announcement of the NORDP Strategic Plan that was approved by the NORDP Board of Directors. This announcement will be via Zoom and you can join the meeting by using the log-in information below. Information about the Strategic Plan will be disseminated after the meeting via the blog and website for those of you unable to attend January 10.

Topic: NORDP Strategic Plan Roll Out to Membership

Time: Jan 10, 2020 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/592952056

Meeting ID: 592 952 056

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