Call for Proposals – Frequently Asked Questions
Interested in presenting at the Regional Meeting? Have questions about the Call for Proposals? Click the questions below to learn more about session types and tracks!
- What types of sessions are you looking for?
- Which track should I select for my presentation?
- What is a Critical Pathway, and should I select one for my presentation?
- What are the different session levels?
- What if I have an idea but need help finding someone to present with me?
For more information please contact NCURA Region III.
What types of sessions are you looking for?
Concurrent Sessions: Concurrent sessions are 60- to 75-minute formal presentations. These sessions are usually lecture-style and have accompanying slides, but they are encouraged to be more interactive. Case studies and other structured creative activities are welcome. There is usually some question and answer time built in at the end. Proposals for concurrent sessions must include two or three specific learning objectives. Proposals for concurrent sessions should have at least two presenters.
Discussion Groups: Discussion groups are small group, facilitated conversations. Discussions are 60- to 75-minutes long and should usually have no more than two facilitators. Discussion group leaders promote active participation by suggesting a direction, posing questions, keeping the discussion on topic, helping participants make connections, etc. Specific learning objectives are not required. As discussion groups are usually in rooms with no A/V capabilities, no slides are required.
Workshops: These are deep-dive presentations, traditionally supported with slides and handouts. They are taught by subject matter experts in a classroom-style setting. Presenters may propose either a half-day or a full-day workshop, depending upon the subject matter to be covered. Workshops require three or more learning objectives.
Working Group / Case Study: These sessions will be led by 2-3 facilitators who will work with the group to solve or discuss an issue. Attendees get the most out of these sessions by bringing a work product to the session (e.g. a form, SOP, policy, etc.) and working with the group to gain expert advice and support, leaving with their revised or created project/product in hand.
Which track should I select for my presentation?
Select the track that you feel is the best fit for your presentation. If you feel it fits into multiple tracks, don’t worry! The program committee will discuss which track is the best fit and sessions can be cross-listed in the final program.
Pre-award: Sessions related to finding funding, putting proposal teams together, writing proposals, developing budgets, institutional review and approval processes, proposal submission, and post-submission follow-up activities such as resubmission
Post-award: Sessions related to award setup, financial management, rebudgeting, expenditure review, subrecipient monitoring, financial reporting, audit, cost sharing, closeout, etc.
Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (PUI) / Emerging Research Institutions (ERI): Sessions of interest to research administrators who work at institutions that are generally more focused on teaching than research, serve a mostly undergraduate student body, and/or are relatively new to applying for external funding and managing sponsored research projects.
Compliance / IRB / IACUC: Sessions related to all areas of research compliance, including risk assessment, animal care and use, human subjects, conflict of interest, export controls, data management, responsible conduct of research, environmental health and safety, etc.
Departmental: Sessions of interest to research administrators who report to an academic unit, research center, lab, or even a single PI.
Sponsor: Sessions related to understanding various sponsors, with emphasis on federal sponsors, but may also include large non-profit organizations (e.g. Gates Foundation), or industry.
Professional Development: This track includes sessions on topics such as leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion, an operational management. It may also includes sessions on developing your career as a research administrator, networking, collaborations, and more.
Contracts / Subawards: This track will focus on contractual and subaward processes , regulations, and activities with emphasis on negotiation, monitoring/compliance, operations, and execution. Feel free to address 2 CFR 200, FAR/DFARS, FDP, non-FDP, non-profit, state, or other types of contracts and subawards.
Research Development: This track focuses on strategic, proactive, catalytic, and capacity-building activities designed to facilitate individual faculty members, teams of researchers, and central research administrations in attracting extramural research funding, creating relationships, and developing and implementing strategies that increase institutional competitiveness.
Special Topics: This track will include topics that are specialized in nature and are not specific to any other track. Examples include clinical trials, technology transfer, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. Sessions may be cross listed with another track.
What are Critical Pathways?
Critical Pathways are assigned to some sessions to help guide attendees that are looking for a specific learning experience. This categorization is not required for all sessions. The program committee will discuss which sessions to include in each pathway, but you can choose to assign your proposed session to one of these pathways if you feel that one of them is a good fit.
New Research Administrator – This pathway will take a new research administrator through the full grant lifecycle.
Advanced Topics and Updates – This pathway is for seasoned research administrators who want to attend sessions focused on emerging areas that are critical to our field.
Specialist – This pathway is for a research administrator who wants to gain a deeper understanding in a specific area and explore more advanced topics relative to their specialization.
What are the different session levels?
Update sessions provide a current state of a particular topic. Most Updates will be in the Sponsor track, but Updates may also apply to other topic areas and may also be paired with a session level.
Beginner sessions assume some level of fundamental knowledge of research administration. Participants have limited experience in the subject area. They may be completely new to research administration, or they may be looking to grow their knowledge in a new area.
Intermediate sessions are appropriate for individuals with some knowledge and experience in the subject area, individuals who are mid-level managers and directors in their fields with an established degree of competence, and those seeking to build on, apply, or enhance existing knowledge.
Advanced sessions focus on in-depth knowledge and are at a high level with peer-to-peer sharing, creativity, and innovation. Topics may be highly technical or detailed, preparing learners to shape organizational strategy and aid in the growth or progress of best practices. This level is appropriate for senior staff and executives with significant expertise, knowledge, and experience who could be deemed experts in the field.
What if I have an idea but need help finding someone to present with me?
We can help you with that! We encourage you to reach out to our presenter liaison or any of the track chairs if you have questions. You can also submit your idea to the call for proposals and note that you do not have a co-presenter in mind.
Last Updated 11/17/2021