January 2021 – NORDP News

Announcing NORDP 2021 Plenary Speakers

The NORDP 2021 Conference Planning Committee is thrilled to announce plenary speakers for the 13th Annual NORDP Conference. Our main events will take place May 3-5, with additional conference content offered throughout the month and into summer.

The opening keynote on Monday, May 3 will feature Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, Director of the National Science Foundation, to discuss “NSF Strategy into the Future.” In the afternoon NORDP will welcome science communications expert Mark Bayer for a talk titled “Alternative Facts in the Academy: The Art of Pushing Back and Persuading when Data Aren’t Enough.”

Dr. Michael Lauer, NIH’s Deputy Director for Extramural Research, will kick off Tuesday morning with “Extramural Research in the Era of COVID-19: An NIH Perspective.” On Wednesday, NORDP’s Committee on Inclusive Excellence presents Dr. Robert Sellers, Vice Provost for Equity & Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at the University of Michigan, to discuss institutional DEI and anti-racism efforts.

The full program will be posted soon, with registration opening later this winter. Conference updates will be coming to your inbox and the blog soon! You can also follow #NORDP2021 on twitter.

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.

Two Webinars Wednesday, 1/27/21

NORDP is hosting two webinars on Wednesday, January 27th. Details and registrations links are below:

NORDP Board Forum: Everything you wanted to know about serving as a NORDP board member; Date: 1/27/2021; Time: 1:00pm EST

Have you considered running for the NORDP Board of Directors? Considering a run in the future? Join us to hear directly from NORDP’s current Board of Directors on what it means to serve, strategic priorities for NORDP over the next few years, and specific roles needed for the board to ensure continuity of operations. This session is designed as a Zoom Meeting and as such, participants should come prepared to ask questions directly to members of the board. The event is hosted by the NORDP Governance Committee and Nominating Committee. At the conclusion, the Nominating Committee will share the next steps and timeline for the 2021 nomination process and election process. The event will be recorded and posted to the NORDP site.

Presented by: Members of the current NORDP Board of Directors

Register for the webinar: https://nordp.memberclicks.net/board#/

Career Stories: Fireside Chats; Date: 1/27/2021; Time: 3:30pm EST

This conversation series will highlight the professional trajectories of NORDP members and was developed in response to member requests following the NORDP LEAD kick-off last fall. The series will showcase the multiple ways NORDP members ended up in research development and the many paths available for professional advancement. The first session will feature Karen “Fletch” Fletcher, Director of Grant Resources & Services at Appalachian State University and Immediate Past President of NORDP. Fletch will share her journey in research development and the ways in which her involvement in NORDP supported her professional development. Career Stories: Fireside Chats are designed to be 30-minute listen and learn sessions, with time for follow-up questions. The sessions will also be archived and made available for later viewing.

Presented by: Karen “Fletch” Fletcher, Director of Grant Resources & Services at Appalachian State University and Immediate Past President of NORDP

Register for the webinar: https://nordp.memberclicks.net/firesidechats

Mentoring Matters – And so do you!

Submitted by Jan Abramson, NORDP Fellow

One constant after the crazy months we’ve experienced throughout 2020: January is National Mentoring Month. “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the higher part of yourself when sometimes it becomes hidden to your own view.” This quote is attributed to Oprah Winfrey. My own philosophy of mentoring is to “pay it forward, to engage in open and honest relationships that support and inspire colleagues to see and become their best selves.”

Take a moment to reflect on the mentors who have supported you, the mentees who have inspired you, and the importance of mentoring in our work as Research Development professionals. Anytime is an appropriate time to reach out, reconnect, and express appreciation to those you have touched your life. If you’d like a reminder, #ThankYourMentorDay is January 29, 2021. This social media expression of gratitude is generally the last Friday in January if you want to mark your calendars well in advance.

The NORDP Mentoring Program is a benefit available to all NORDP Members. The Mentoring Committee strives to equip Research Development professionals for success by offering meaningful mentoring experiences, expertise, support and resources. Over the past year, the committee has developed new programs and resources to cultivate community and support mentors and mentees.

Applications for the 2021 mentoring program will open in the spring. In addition to the mentor/mentee dyads that compose the mentoring program, there are currently six Peer Mentoring Groups (PMGs) available for those interested in developing peer mentoring relationships. They are based on the six Pillars of Research Development: Career/Professional Development, Communication, Enhancement of Collaboration, Leadership/Management, Proposal Development and Support and Strategic Planning and Advancement. PMGs are composed of NORDP members at many professional development levels who have similar interests and share resources, provide feedback, and act as accountability partners in building skills. To join a Peer Mentoring Group please email mentorprogram@nordp.org.

Become a mentor. Become a mentee. Join a PMG. (or, do all three). The Mentoring Committee will help you along the way. And, in addition to the benefits of participating in mentoring, engaging in NORDP programs and activities is a great way to leverage your NORDP membership.

Learn More about Expert Finder Systems

Thanks to NORDP member Jeff Agnoli for telling us about the free 2021 International Forum on Expert Finder Systems (EFS) series schedule to run Feb. 11 – Mar. 18! The six-day series, scheduled over six weeks, offers a wealth of information that can strengthen research development initiatives, especially those related to team building. Several RD professionals, including Jeff, are among the list of presenters.

EFS are “directories, profiling sites, or social networking sites that employ knowledge management tools to gather, manage, and publish searchable information,” the event’s website explains. Proper utilization of these systems can support collaborations, bring innovations to market, and foster regional economic development, among other benefits.

The forum’s goals include: explore best practices, share user cases, and create a community of practice. The unique format enables a deep dive into the topic without “Zoom overload” by offering the six separate sessions and incorporating several interactive opportunities, such as “Coffee Talk.” NORDP members can register here.