Conference Cameo: Hilda McMackin

#NORDP2019 starts Monday, April 29, in Providence, RI. Keep checking back here at the blog and on our Twitter feed (@NORDP_official) for conference updates. Register at https://www.nordp.org/conferences.

Who: Hilda McMackin, Director of Research Development and Support
Where: Vanderbilt University
Number of years in research development: 5
Length of NORDP membership: 2 years
Number of NORDP conferences attended: 2
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A psychic. I was inspired by Commander Deanna Troi from Star Trek.

McMackin2I was involved in research development before I knew it was a field.  I worked as a lab manager in my first job after getting my PhD and found out about research administration from an internal training program.  After looking for positions in research administration, I was recruited into the School of Engineering to work on an NSF Engineering Research Center proposal and then became the grants manager in the largest engineering research institute on campus.  I heard about research development when a new Vice Provost for Research started at Vanderbilt and was hiring for a position to start a dedicated research development program at Vanderbilt.  I was immediately hooked when I heard of the opportunity, and my grants management experience with large proposals luckily made me a strong candidate.

I am the Director of Research Development and Support, and I founded this office at Vanderbilt, growing from a staff of 1 to 5 people.  My office oversees some services that support research compliance (export controls) in addition to research development.  Our research development programs focus on proposal support for strategic opportunities, managing limited submission opportunities, relationship building with sponsors, and providing workshops for faculty to learn best practices for seeking funding or applying to certain agencies.  We focus specifically on federal agencies and cover all 10 schools and colleges at Vanderbilt, including arts & sciences, engineering, basic sciences, education, and nursing.

I joined the Mentoring Committee at my first NORDP conference without ever having participated in the mentoring program.  It has been a great way to connect with more of the RD community as well as hone some professional development skills.  I presented my first webinar with them last summer and will be co-presenting some sessions at this year’s conference.

At my first NORDP conference I was taken aback by how welcoming the NORDP community is compared to other professional conferences I’ve attended.  I recommend identifying a few people that do work you’re interested in or have experience that you want to learn more about.  Take note of who is presenting sessions that spark interest in you and make a point of connecting with them at the networking events.  I attended a workshop my first conference and ended up seeking out one of the presenters that I was particularly impressed by.  I followed up with her after the conference and asked if she’d mentor me and this past year we participated in the mentoring program as a self-matched pair.  Never be afraid to advocate for yourself!

Visit the NORDP Store online now through March 15! 

We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held April 29 – May 1, 2019, at the Omni Providence Hotel in Providence, RI. For more information about the conference program or to register, visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences. Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2019 updates.

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.

Welcome to NORDP’s Conference Career Center

conference-2019

Did you know that NORDP will host its first Conference Career Center during the 2019 Annual Research Development Conference? If you searching for the best Research Development professionals, we recommend you complete the 2019 Employer Career Center Application on or before April 8, 2019. This is your opportunity to:

  • Gain access to an exceptional, talented and skilled pool of research development professionals.
  • Get a head start on your recruitment/hiring efforts for new staff in 2019, i.e., spring, summer, or fall.
  • Conduct onsite interviews during the conference and meet with many qualified applicants.

Our conference planning team will provide you with access to potential applicants and assist you with scheduling onsite interviews. And there is no cost to list a position for NORDP members!

Job Seekers/Applicants – You can explore Career Center opportunities HERE. Watch for updates as we approach the conference. For more information or questions, please email administrator@nordp.org.

________________

We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held April 29 – May 1, 2019, at the Omni Providence Hotel in Providence, RI. For more information about the conference program, visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences.

Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2019 updates.

Conference Cameo: Lisa Youngentob

#NORDP2019 starts Monday, April 29, in Providence, RI. Keep checking back here at the blog and on our Twitter feed (@NORDP_official) for conference updates. Register at https://www.nordp.org/conferences.

Who: Lisa Youngentob, Director-Research Development
Where: University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), Memphis, TN
Number of years in research development: 3.5 years
Length of NORDP membership: 2 years
Number of NORDP conferences attended: 1

I worked in the lab as a lab manager for 30 years at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY. I left the lab and moved to administration when I relocated to UTHSC to become the director of the newly created Office of Research Development.

youngentob2The biggest part of my job is managing our ever-growing collaborative seed grant program (CORNET Awards), which stimulates innovative, interdisciplinary, team-based research. In 2016, we started with a cross-college collaborative, and from there, the CORNETs have grown to include collaborations between regional universities, the UT system, industry, and international universities. We have run competitions focused on cancer, health disparities, regenerative medicine, and substance abuse, to name a few. This program is very competitive and incredibly popular with the faculty here at UTHSC. My office of two also runs all of the limited submission competitions and two internal bridge funding mechanisms, provides funding opportunities to our faculty, and organizes on and off-campus symposiums and workshops.

Last year was my first year attending the NORDP conference, and I was overwhelmed by the collaborative nature of the members! Everybody was incredibly helpful, ready to offer advice, ideas, templates, you name it! I’ve been to a lot of scientific conferences over the years, but this conference had a very different feel…so welcoming…the camaraderie was palpable.

I found creating a schedule was absolutely necessary to get the most out of the conference.  I was busy from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the conference! I also printed out the cameos of highlighted NORDP members that were doing work similar to mine and sought them out at the conference. I especially enjoyed the poster session, where you could pick up a lot of information in small, manageable bites. My best advice is don’t be shy, take full advantage of everything the conference has to offer, and network, network, network!

Visit the NORDP Store online now through March 15! 

We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held April 29 – May 1, 2019, at the Omni Providence Hotel in Providence, RI. For more information about the conference program or to register, visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences. Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2019 updates.

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.

Conference Cameo: Kate Petcosky-Kulkarni

#NORDP2019 starts Monday, April 29, in Providence, RI. Keep checking back here at the blog and on our Twitter feed (@NORDP_official) for conference updates. Register at https://www.nordp.org/conferences.
_____________

Who: Kate Petcosky-Kulkarni, Director of Strategic Research Initiatives
Where: University of Oregon
Number of years in research development: 5
Length of NORDP membership: 1
Number of NORDP conferences attended: 1
What is the most interesting place you’ve visited? For our honeymoon, my spouse and I stayed at an old fort in Madya Pradesh, India, that was converted into a hotel. It was on a river, and we spent our days people-watching on beautiful ghats.

Like many of my peers, I essentially “fell into” research development. I initially pursued a traditional academic route and completed a Master’s in Food Studies from NYU with the intention of working for a few years before applying for a PhD program in anthropology or sociology. I worked for a small non-profit that supported refugee and immigrant farmers for a few years, and discovered that I wanted to ask questions about food studies through a more applied focus, rather than strictly academic. I enrolled in Boston University’s Masters in Public Health program and began working in the proposal development office at BU’s medical school; I  found that my career path and training prepared me well to support faculty with their grant submissions. I could manage multiple projects simultaneously and communicate effectively for a variety of audiences. I found that I enjoyed being able to help faculty across disciplines articulate their research ideas, rather than pursue one specific line of research myself. Kate-Petcosky-Kulkarni-Square

After two years, due to the support of a fantastic boss and mentor, I became Director of the Office of Proposal Development. Our team largely managed traditional pre-award functions, but I recognized the need to help our faculty learn how to navigate the research enterprise and be strategic in their approach to seeking external funding. I discovered NORDP in 2018 when I was researching best practices in early career faculty training. The conference was fantastic—much more personal and engaging than the research administration workshops I had attended in the past. I left the conference invigorated with new ideas for supporting our faculty. Indeed, had I not attended the NORDP conference, I would not have had the confidence to apply for my current position as Director of Strategic Research Initiatives at University of Oregon.

I joined UO this October to launch the Office of Research Development, which was in the middle of a major staffing transition. The office had been unstaffed for 4 months and I was brought on to build the team from the ground up. It’s an incredible opportunity and I look to NORDP for support and ideas on a regular basis. The listserv is beyond helpful and the NORDP community is smart, engaging, and supportive.

I am very much looking forward to this year’s conference and the opportunity to connect in person with many of my peers who have provided insight and guidance to me by e-mail or by phone. My new role involves operations that I did not previously coordinate at BU, such as managing internal awards and facilitating limited submissions. I am eager to learn how my peers approach this work and how they evaluate these activities. As my office moves in a new direction, I need to demonstrate efficacy in our approach, so I will be having many conversations about metrics and evaluation.

I am thrilled to be a part of the NORDP community, and I cannot wait to attend the 2019 conference!

_______________

Visit the NORDP Store online now through March 15! 

We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held April 29 – May 1, 2019, at the Omni Providence Hotel in Providence, RI. For more information about the conference program or to register, visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences. Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2019 updates.

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.

Conference Program Now Posted!

The NORDP 2019 conference program is now available HERE.

Monday, April 29, will kick off with our keynote speaker, Brown University President Christina Paxson, and continue as our long-format day, with 2-hour and 4-hour sessions running from 10 am until 5:30 pm. Seven Concurrent Breakout Sessions will be spread over Tuesday and Wednesday, consisting of 1-hour presentations, roundtables, and lightning rounds.  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 Committee Meetings will take place Sunday afternoon at 2:30 pm. At 4:30 pm, attendees can participate in a Mentoring Meet-up, New Member & First-Time Attendees Orientation, or PUI Affinity Group meeting, followed by the Welcome Reception, 5:30-7 pm.

If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so HERE. Take advantage of the Early Bird rates ($640 for members) until March 15.

We’ll be sharing more details about speakers, workshops, and things to do in Providence over the next two months. Stay tuned!

_______________

Visit the NORDP Store online now through March 15! 

Participate in the NORDP Career Center. All hiring manager/recruiters should complete the 2019 Employer Career Center Application by March 8.

We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held April 29 – May 1, 2019, at the Omni Providence Hotel in Providence, RI. For more information about the conference program or to register, visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences. Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2019 updates.

Conference Tool: Venmo

venmo-logo-and-textAs we move headlong into a cashless society, apps like Venmo stand in for paper money. Venmo is a smartphone app that enables you to send money to anyone else with a Venmo account, and it works regardless of smartphone device (i.e., no Apple v. Android confusion). The app uses encryption to securely connect to your bank, so you can draw money right from your checking account, like a debit card, or accept money from someone to deposit in your account. There’s no need to have cash on hand, and no waiting time, like with personal checks.

How will this work for you at the conference? One of the most fun and worthwhile activities we coordinate are nightly Networking Dinners. While 8-10 dinner pals might make for lively conversation, it’s often a headache for servers to split checks accurately (and some restaurants may refuse to split them at all). In this case, a single payer could be reimbursed instantly with Venmo.

We also are planning to use Venmo for members to buy NORDP products onsite–our online store will offer limited stock (and some special items) at the conference, and Venmo will be one way to make a purchase.

How do you get it? Download the app on your phone. Create an account (add a photo to make it easier for friends to identify you).  Connect the account to your bank (the app will walk you through). Use “Search People” to find your friends. It’s fairly self-explanatory from there (select “Pay or Request” and enter how much), but Mashable has a great Venmo beginner’s guide with screenshots here.

_______________

Visit the NORDP Store online now through March 15! 

We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held April 29 – May 1, 2019, at the Omni Providence Hotel in Providence, RI. For more information about the conference program or to register, visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences. Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2019 updates.

NORDP 2019 Conference Cameo: Ruba S. Deeb

#NORDP2019 starts Monday, April 29 in Providence, RI. Keep checking back here at the blog and on our Twitter feed (@NORDP_official) for conference updates. Register here: https://www.nordp.org/conferences.
_____________

Who: Ruba S. Deeb, Ph.D.
Where: University of Bridgeport
Number of years in research development: 3
Length of NORDP membership: 2
Number of NORDP conferences attended: 4
How do you unwind? Read novels

Over the last 20 years, I have worked with a diverse team of talented investigators at Weill Cornell Medical College on unraveling the pathophysiology of cardio-metabolic, lung, and neurodegenerative diseases. My experience is associated with extensive knowledge in research design that leads to the successful development of manuscripts for scientific journals, conferences, and for federal and non-federal representatives and donors. In addition, I have years of experience as a peer reviewer for leading scientific journals, a lecturer and presenter at national and international conferences and as a teacher and mentor to students (undergraduate, graduate, medical), interns, residents and postdoctoral associates.

RubaDeebIn 2015, I was appointed as the Director of Biomedical Research Development by the University of Bridgeport (UB) to help build a scientific environment that enhances research support for faculty and promotes “team science” and collaborative research programs.  Notably, UB is an emerging research institution where faculty time is consumed by heavy teaching loads. This leaves very little time for research that results in long-term meaningful projects that receive grant funding.  As such, resources for biomedical research at UB are very limited. In 2015 and with the support of UB leaders, I established UB’s first Collaborative Biomedical Research Center, outfitted with state-of-the-art research equipment for use by UB faculty and their students as well as collaborators for conducting their biomedical research projects.

In collaboration with the Director of the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs at the UB (Dr. Christine Hempowicz), we received a NIH Biomedical/ Biobehavioral Research Administration Development (BRAD) grant for enhancing research development and administration at the university. Since receiving the NIH BRAD award, I became a NORDP member in 2016. This was advised by research development professionals to help inspire my strategic design of activities that facilitate team building, creating relationships with the community, attracting research funding, and increasing UB’s competitiveness. Choosing a NORDP mentor (Dr. Brooke Gowl) was great as she was able to help me navigate appropriate funding mechanisms, grant writing workshops, and seminars, as well as offer valuable advice to incentivize faculty to attend workshops and seminars.

Attending NORDP conferences and learning from experts how to find funding opportunities during challenging times, how to launch “Grand Challenges” initiatives, or how to “achieve success with limited resources” are just a few examples of inspiring topics that have helped me to define the building blocks for UB faculty. In fact, due to the value of all of the talks at every NORDP conference that I have attended, my wish is that the organizers can find a scheduling solution that minimizes session overlap and allows attendees to maximize the number of talks that they can attend. This year, I am looking forward to attending as many sessions as possible including the round table discussions – an excellent way to network with colleagues. Finally, I am very happy to connect face-to-face with my NORDP mentor, Dr. Brooke Gowl.

Visit the NORDP Store online now through March 15! We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held April 29 – May 1, 2019, at the Omni Providence Hotel in Providence, RI. For more information about the conference program or to register, visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences. Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2019 updates.

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.

Conference Co-Chair Cameos: Kari Whittenberger-Keith & Jan Abramson

Who: Kari Whittenberger-Keith, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; 2019 NORDP Conference Co-Chair, NORDP Board Member 2016 – 2020

Who: Jan Abramson, University of Utah; 2019 NORDP Conference Co-Chair, Board Member 2017 – 2021

JanImage
Conference Co-Chairs in Rhode Island: Do you know where this is?

Number of years in research development & length of NORDP membership:

Kari:  Depending on how you count it, I have been doing RD for 17-20 or so years.  When I came back to RD in January 2012 after several years as a faculty member, I joined NORDP at the suggestion of Peg Atkisson, who was doing a workshop on my campus two weeks after I started.  I took her advice and have been a member, and attended every conference, since 2012.  (Thanks, Peg!)

Jan:  I have been working in Research Development—once I learned what RD was—for almost 10 years. I joined NORDP in 2011 and have attended 5 conferences. I knew early on I wanted to be involved in planning the Conference—I love organizing and implementing big events.

What should conference attendees look forward to this year?

An amazing group of NORDP colleagues have put together an exciting and educational program. The conference starts with a welcome reception on Sunday night—and be ready to hit the ground running on Monday morning! We are piloting a “Long-Form Day” where every session will either be 2 or 4 hours. This will give attendees an opportunity to take a deeper dive into content and learning. Tuesday and Wednesday will have traditional 1-hour sessions, Lightning Talks and Round Table sessions. The Idea Showcase will also have time to meet the candidates running for open board positions, meet the members of the current Board and learn about the committees and other opportunities to get involved with NORDP. This year, be ready for more opportunities to network, engage with sponsors, learn, and enjoy the company of our colleagues.

The NORDP Members who are serving as Local Hosts are putting together a slate of morning activities, great dining options, and some experiences—like a trip to the Planetarium—that will give people an opportunity to explore Providence. For those new to NORDP, or at their first conference, the Member Services Committee has also developed a slate of activities to make you feel welcome.

Providence is an amazing city—it is walkable, with great restaurants (don’t miss the lobster rolls!) and shopping, great history and other activities, just a terrific destination.

What motivated the change in the duration of the conference?

For the past several years, members have consistently requested a three-full-day conference in the evaluation feedback. The opportunity presented itself to address member requests when we reserved Providence as the site of the 2019 conference. It is a little daunting to make such a big change; adding 20+ hours of educational content, getting the message out, and with the increase in length came increased costs, which had to be passed along to attendees. All of the many committees and NORDP members that are working on the conference are committed to making sure conference attendees have a stellar experience.

How does the NORDP conference come together?  Who are the players?

 Over and over, you’ll hear that NORDP is a volunteer organization. Nowhere is that more evident than during Conference planning. There are 12 committees, working to develop the Best. Conference. Ever. Committees can be small—with 3-5 members, or very large, with 20-25 members. On lots of committee conference calls (the major way we get things done), you will hear laughter, commitment and genuine concern for the needs of NORDP members.

How did you personally get involved?  What made you decide to become a conference chair?

 Kari:  I was a member of the Professional Development Committee when it still included Mentoring and the Pre-conference Workshop working group, which I was active in.  When the chair of that group left NORDP in 2014, I was asked to step into that position, which brought me into the conference planning in a big way, since that group was part of both the Planning and Program Committees.  I have learned a tremendous amount working on the conference for the last several years—about event planning, budgets and logistics, strategy for effective programming—but what I have enjoyed most is learning from my fellow volunteers and drawing on their creativity as we try to develop a terrific experience for all of our members.

Jan: Working on the Conference Committee is a great way to get to know NORDP members from across the country. The needs of the conference are a great match for my skill set. I received a conference attendance award for the first conference I attended, and was asked to give back by volunteering at the conference. Which I did—and found it was a great way to feel a part of the organization. Every year, I do at least one volunteer turn at the registration desk. And have a lot of fun seeing colleagues and meeting new people.

I love being involved in a behind-the-scenes role, to put on major events. Over the course of my career, I have been involved in a planning role on professional conferences nationally and internationally, with the 2002 Winter Olympic Opening and Closing ceremonies, and as a company manager for a professional children’s dance theater. I enjoy paying attention to the details, organizing and reorganizing the puzzle pieces, and then, watching attendees and participants experience the results of the work.

What are you most excited about having this year’s event in Providence?

Jan: I lived in Rhode Island during high school, so this is a little bit of a homecoming for me. Like every year, I am excited to catch up with colleagues, meet new people, and expand my personal and professional network. I’m excited to share my old stomping grounds during Networking Dinners, and hear from members about the revised conference format.

Kari:  I am excited to see the expanded format and learning experiences come to life and to see how our members embrace these new opportunities to further develop professionally and build new connections among our colleagues throughout the country and the world.

_______________

Visit the NORDP Store online now through March 15! We hope to see you at the Conference, which will be held April 29 – May 1, 2019, at the Omni Providence Hotel in Providence, RI. For more information about the conference program or to register, visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences. Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2019 updates.

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 2019 Opening Keynote: Christina Paxson, President of Brown University

We are thrilled to announce Christina Paxson, President of Brown University, as the opening keynote speaker at #NORDP2019!

President Paxson’s speech will highlight the importance of research development, not just to the success of individual faculty researchers, but to the broader success of higher education institutions, and, to the success of the nation’s research enterprise. Included in her speech will be discussions of:

  • the current state of the research ecosystem, affirming the value of research to the nation and the world, and asserting why, at this particular moment in time, it is vital to support research that advances knowledge and informs public policy;
  • the pressures on the higher education business model, and how strategic planning, operational excellence, and professional development are all increasingly important to institutions of higher education; and
  • the key skills, functions, and roles RD staff must have going forward.

President Paxson will also share about her own experience as a researcher earlier in her career.

A brief bio: President Paxson is the 19th president ofBrown University President Christina Paxson Brown University and Professor of Economics and Public Policy. Since assuming the presidency in July 2012, Paxson’s key priorities have included building distinction in strategic areas of Brown’s rich research environment, such as brain science, data science, the digital humanities and engineering; expanding financial aid through initiatives like the Brown Promise, which eliminates University-packaged loans from all undergraduate financial aid packages; and cultivating entrepreneurship among teacher-scholars and students.

Under Paxson’s leadership, Brown gained national attention for an ambitious plan to advance academic excellence by shaping a fully diverse and inclusive campus. Brown released Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion: An Action Plan for Brown University in February 2016. Paxson is a nationally recognized higher education leader, respected economist and public health expert. She has been the principal investigator on a number of research projects supported by the National Institutes of Health and authored or co-authored numerous journal articles. Her most recent research focused on the relationship of economic factors to health and welfare over the life course, particularly on the health and welfare of children.

Paxson served as vice president of the American Economic Association in 2012, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a board member of the Association of American Universities. In January 2016, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston named Paxson to its board of directors, and in 2019, named her deputy chair. She is 1982 honors graduate of Swarthmore College and earned her graduate degrees in economics at Columbia University (M.A., 1985; Ph.D., 1987).

Christina Paxson will be the opening keynote speaker for the 11th Annual NORDP Research Development Conference, which will be held April 29 – May 1, 2019, at the Omni Providence Hotel in Providence, RI. For more information about the conference program or to register, visit http://www.nordp.org/conferences.

Follow @NORDP_official on Twitter for all the latest #NORDP2019 updates.

MSI Member Cameo: Xia (Anna) Wood

As an organization, 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 for decades to come.   

To further enable a richly diverse and robust national peer network of research development professionals as well as organizational representation, we are highlighting members from minority serving institutions (MSIs) in a new blog series. 

Our first cameo introduces Xia (Anna) Wood.

Who: Xia (Anna) Wood, Assistant Director of Research Development & International Relations
Where: Johnson C. Smith University
Number of Years in RD: 13
Length of NORDP Membership: 2

What attracted you to NORDP?

I initially discovered NORDP at the recommendation of my supervisor, the Vice PresidentXia Wood Pic for Government Sponsored Programs and Research, who is  a NORDP member and suggested I look into attending the conference. I then joined the NORDP and learned of the conference travel award, which I applied for and received in 2017. I really like the focus of research enterprise development unique to NORDP that  is quite different from other research administration associations I have been involved with.

How does your NORDP membership enhance your own career?

My involvement with the mentoring program stands out for me. I enrolled the RD mentor program and had a mentor at my first conference who has been a great help to me both professionally and personally. My mentor provided a great deal of encouragement and guidance to me as I advanced my RD career.

I also enjoy using the online resources NORDP provides to members, such as the platform for groups with common interests to “hang out” together and archived webinars on professional development, which I can use to recharge myself at any time.

What have you enjoyed about past NORDP conferences you’ve attended?

I have really enjoyed the poster sessions at the past conference where I have been able to connect with colleagues at comparable institutions. These conversations have provided me with numerous strategies to address similar issues that we all face, e.g., how to reduce the number of last-minute submissions, how to motivate our faculty to write more grant proposals while having many other commitments on campus.

I have also enjoyed interactions with R01 universities and learning how they manage proposal development. Most importantly, I learned from them about how to build our research enterprise through both internal and external strategic collaborations. In addition, I appreciated the opportunities to interact with a variety of federal agencies and talk with Program Officers at my last NORDP conference.

Have you implemented something you’ve learned at the Conference in your RD career? What?

First and foremost, one of the outcomes of attending this conference is that our institution created a position for research development. Additionally, I have picked up a number of helpful resources from NORDP that I have been able to incorporate into my own campus workshops for faculty and professional staff. These ideas have really helped me in my efforts to help faculty improve their proposal quality and increase our university’s grant application submissions. I have also integrated some great strategies on challenges that we all face with things like last minute submissions and some marketing strategies into our practice.

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee