Month: November 2023

Get to Know a NORDP Committee: Strategic Alliances Committee (SAC)

Tshepi Khahlu (University of Cape Town) joined Karen Eck (Old Dominion University) and Emily Kotay (University of Arizona) to present on “Managing University-Industry Collaboration” at INORMS 2023 in Durban, South Africa.

One of the oldest committees within NORDP, the Strategic Alliances Committee (SAC) is a driving force behind the growth and development of research development professionals. We invite you to explore this group that builds strong organizational relationships across all facets of the research enterprise.

SAC volunteers promote and enhance interactions between NORDP and external entities, which include professional organizations within the research enterprise, government and private agencies, and international groups. The committee’s mission is to “build and support relationships that drive membership growth, foster professional development, and strengthen advocacy and stakeholder relations.”

In the process, SAC positions NORDP as an engaged and respected professional organization with avenues for membership growth. To do so, we take a dual perspective that recognizes the importance of both outward and inward-facing actions.

Jessica Venable, Thorn Run Partners (Washington, DC), met Saskia Walcott, Walcott Communications (Bristol, England), at the 2023 INORMS conference in Durban. They now collaborate to attract more women of color to RD, particularly targeting professionals in England, the US, and South Africa.

NORDP → WORLD: SAC disseminates NORDP members’ expertise to benefit the global research enterprise. In doing so, we assist in promoting the organization across the world, and advocate for a collective voice for research development excellence.

WORLD → NORDP: SAC brings valuable insights and information back to NORDP and its members. We help NORDP strategies align with the ever-evolving landscape of RD, ensuring that our organization remains at the forefront of the global research enterprise. This work also helps RD professionals at all levels have a bird’s-eye view of the field, contributing to their professional growth.

What We Do: Notable accomplishments in support of research development include:

  • Establishing funding for the Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) Fellows in 2022
  • Leveraging a partnership with the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) to secure funding for research development growth at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 2021
  • Actively participating in EU-US Science and Technology and European Commission Horizon 2020 meetings
  • Developing guidance documents to promote strategic outreach, such as the NORDP Rules of Engagement with Federal Employees in 2013
  • Advocating for NORDP’s bid to host the 2027 International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS) conference

SAC Liaisons: Liaisons are are specifically tasked with advocating for research development to external organizations and associations, in turn providing an invaluable service to NORDP members by gathering and sharing useful information as part of a broad, strategic outreach program. Visit SAC’s Liaisons webpage to see a list of existing liaisons.

The role of each liaison depends on the target organization and NORDP leadership goals as well as the skills and experience that an individual liaison brings to the position. Liaison duties and roles are assigned by SAC and approved by the Board on a case-by-case basis. Typical duties for liaisons include:

  1. Serving as a point of contact between NORDP and the targeted organization or key subgroups.
  2. Monitoring developments and activities at the targeted organization and sharing that information with NORDP’s membership through reports shared through NORDP’s various communication channels.
  3. Increasing the visibility of RD generally, and NORDP specifically, among these targeted organizations; for example, by delivering relevant webinars, presenting at conferences, and contributing to thought pieces. email, webinars, conferences, discussions, posters, and presentations.

With NORDP Board approval, some liaisons interact with their target organization’s leadership to determine how NORDP’s mission can complement mutual interests such as: promoting alternative career paths within academia, increasing national and international research collaborations, building multidisciplinary research teams among diverse groups of individuals, and advocating for the global research enterprise.

Liaisons serve a minimum of three years, are asked to participate in a 30-minute monthly meeting with other liaisons, and encouraged to set goals with the Liaison Manager. Individuals with at least two years of NORDP membership may apply (although some liaison positions have additional requirements) . Liaison applications are reviewed by the SAC chairs and approved by the Board of NORDP.  Upon acceptance, liaisons are provided with useful resources to begin their new roles. SAC considers individual requests to add new liaison organizations based on NORDP’s goals and evolving needs of NORDP members.

International Working Group (IWG): Many RD professionals work on international research funding opportunities and benefit from professional development opportunities to consult with experts in this area. Within SAC, the International Working Group meets monthly to discuss international research issues, such as NIH’s new policy regarding reporting requirements for international collaborators. The IWG actively promotes NORDP within the International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS), work that attracts new members from across the world, strengthens relationships with others in the field, and delivers global RD perspectives, relationships, and best practices to US-based RD professionals.

How to Get Involved: Join SAC to become part of a dynamic team that is passionate about RD and:

  • Advocate for the field of research development
  • Catalyze activities that advance the profession
  • Serve as a liaison between NORDP and external organizations
  • Elevate your professional profile
  • Contribute to strategic thinking and intelligence gathering

Join us in shaping the future of research development at NORDP! For more information and to get involved, contact one of the SAC Committee Chairs: Karen Eck at keck@odu.edu, Gretchen Kiser at gretchen.kiser@ucsf.edu, or Sharon Pound at spound@utk.edu.

PD Holiday Soiree – Save the Date

It’s difficult to believe that it is already time for holiday planning, but here we are! 

Please save the date for our upcoming Holiday Soiree on Thursday, November 30 from 3:30-5PM Eastern. There will be general merriment and games, so make some time to celebrate the season with your NORDP colleagues and friends. More details and registration info will be forthcoming. 

NORDP 2023 Fellow: Karen “Fletch” Fletcher 

by Kirsten Abel

The NORDP Fellow Award recognizes the long-term accomplishments of members who have made sustained contributions to NORDP and worked tirelessly to advance research development as a profession and/or as a field. Status as a NORDP Fellow is the highest professional distinction the organization may bestow on a member. 

Who: Karen Fletcher, Director of Grants Resources & Services

Where: Appalachian State University

Number of years in research development: 13

Length of NORDP membership: 11

What is leadership to you? 

Leadership is empowering the people around you. Both in a professional and personal capacity. I think the role of a leader is to encourage people to do their best and want to do their best.

What has your journey within NORDP looked like so far?

Initially, I joined the mentoring committee and then became co-chair of that committee. When I had an opportunity to run for the board, I jumped at it. I got involved with the conference planning committee, the communication working group, the member services committee, the nominating committee, the sponsorship committee, and the finance committee; I just wanted to be part of anything I could! I figured the more I learned, the more valuable I could be – in NORDP and in my every day job. While on the NORDP Board of Directors, I became secretary, then served the three-year term of vice president, president, and immediate past president. Since leaving the board, I am co-chair of the New Opportunities for Research Development (NORD) committee. I believe in the mission of NORDP and I believe in our community, so I want to give back. 

Throughout your time in NORDP, which experiences stand out to you? What led you to take on leadership roles within the organization?

The support of NORDP members and the varied opportunities available in NORDP stand out to me. As I learned more about NORDP, I was constantly asking, “what skills are needed and how can I contribute?” When leadership opportunities presented themselves, I took a leap of faith that I could learn once in that role, and I was fortunate to have support from other incredible members. 

What initiatives are you most proud of from your time as a NORDP volunteer?

So much has happened! The growth of NORDP – when our membership surpassed 1000 during the time I was President – was really exciting. I am very proud of the work we did around NORDP’s first strategic plan and how this has helped shape NORDP into the organization it is today. Most recently, it would be my work in NORD; creating a system for publishing NORDP supported articles and working to establish the editorial board for the Research Development Review: The NORDP Journal is something I am very proud we could make happen. 

How has your involvement in NORDP impacted your career in research development?

It is interwoven into everything. Being part of committees helped me move forward and learn new skills. Zoom is actually a great example of that. We used Zoom so much in NORDP among members from all over that when Covid hit and Zoom became the default meeting mechanism at my university, there really was no learning curve, it was already so normal to me! 

One of the biggest ways in which my career has been impacted is that after attending my first NORDP conference, I reached out to a member I met and asked if I could come and visit their university to learn how they were growing their research development office. After adopting some of those practices I learned from her and a few years later, I had the opportunity to interview and was hired into that position to carry on her work when she left it; I continue to visit other research development programs of members and learn so much from them – I wouldn’t be in the position I am today without the shared insight and experience of NORDP members.

What are you most excited about when you think about the future of research development as a field?

The growth of NORDP. We have so many new members and new job opportunities, the field is exploding, and we have such a positive impact on faculty and the evolving landscape of research development. I am so excited to see where research development is going next. 

Karen was interviewed by Kirsten Abel, Faculty Recognition Director at Iowa State University.