Reaching New Heights in Research Administration

Maestro Care Research Financial Reconciliation game show style. At the end of the session participants should be able to:

Determine if a patient care charge should be paid by research WBSE

1. Articulate the charge reconciliation process in Maestro Care as it pertains to their research project.
2. Reconcile Maestro Care charges to the general ledger using standard reports
3. Identify and investigate discrepancies in charges processed to your research project

I’m a what? How did I get here? What do I do next to enhance my professional career as a Research Administrator?
The roles of a Research Administrator have evolved over the years from an unwritten job description and title to a profession now formally recognized with the designation of Certified Research Administrator (CRA)! We will walk briefly down memory lane with our guest panel and will touch on the current role of Research Administrators as we contribute daily to the research enterprise here at Duke. Again with the help of our panelists, we will talk in depth about ‘professionalizing’ the role and the internal and external resources you have at your fingertips to reach new heights!

International Research is difficult to pin down in an easy definition. What makes up International Research? Is research that includes any activities outside of the United States “international” in scope? Or is there a better definition? How does Duke support International Research, and are there best practices that Grant Managers and PIs can follow to support effective, efficient, and timely International Research? Please join us as we attempt to demystify International Research at Duke. Topics to discuss include:

• How to define International Research
• Big-ticket issues to keep in mind when putting together an International Research proposal
• Special considerations that should be factored into the budget preparation process when conducting International Research
• Communicating effectively with foreign collaborators, with an emphasis on managing the pre- and post-aspects of sub-award management
• Practices for effectively managing and minimizing turmoil in the post-award environment – both in terms of project management and financial management

And last but not least—tools/resources are out there for Grant Managers, Project Managers, and PIs at Duke—you are not in this alone!

Join OSP team members as they share insights into steps and processes during the final stages of sponsored project closeout. Once the closeout documents are received in OSP from the Implementation Teams, there are additional process and analytical steps taken before a project can be effectively invoiced/reported to the sponsor and closed in SAP. We will share important collaboration and communication opportunities for success in meeting sponsor expectations. Discussions will also key on important Master Data fields and information guiding you to related invoices, reports and project revenue. It’s the final countdown – don’t miss it!

This session will examine effective communication strategies that will help the GCA or GM stay in control of the grant from the pre-award to the closeout stage. Participants will gain a better of understanding of when to have a face to face meeting versus a phone conversation and/or sending an e-mail. Utilizing a RACI matrix as a communication model, they will be able to understand which parties are Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, or Informed for each phase of grant cycle. They will also develop a timeline when pertinent items should be communicated to a PI, sponsor, or central office. Finally, through role playing situations, participants will gain confidence in speaking to PIs about difficult situations and problems sometimes experienced during the life cycle of a grant.

This training will explore the nature of stress and stress reactivity, and the power of mindfulness practice to help individuals better recognize and manage their stress. The session will include presentation, discussion, and an experiential component.

Are you looking to further your understanding of closeouts, but not interested in yet another presentation? Have you attended several closeout sessions, only to have questions every time you work through a closeout? Do you understand the process, but feel like you could use more guidance to make it more efficient?  Join the School of Medicine and Campus Implementation teams for an interactive session where you will collaborate with your peers in a fun environment to solve frequently seen closeout problems and conquer the closeout mountain!

The new federal Uniform Guidance became effective as of December, 2014, but actual audits that reflected the changes in the UG were not launched until the current fiscal year. What have we learned about the new UG audit requirements and what strategies might be necessary to address these new standards? This session explores the new UG audit focus, as well as examines audits of peer institutions for the past three years for “lessons learned” and ways that Duke adopts policies and procedures to proactively address the emerging audit environment. Questions and discussion from attendees are most welcome in this interactive session.