Dear HRA members,
As you can tell by the VERY long list below – we have been (and will continue to be) quite busy this spring!
It was fantastic to see so many of you (both in-person and on zoom) for the Members Meeting hosted by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. See the “Past Member Meetings” button on this page for links to the sessions from the agenda, and where information about the Fall meeting (October 16-17, in Chicago hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association) will be posted.
Also – please help me welcome our newest HRA member organization – The Morris Animal Foundation!
Upcoming Events
Peer Coaching Circles – Deadline to signup April 30th
To signup use this link
As part of HRA’s Professional Development Program, we are excited to announce the launch of HRA’s Peer Coaching Circles to enhance both your professional capacity and your network. Please see the expectations of participants before signing up for this valuable opportunity.
Research Workforce and Early Career Community Call (Alumni Networks then open discussion)
(4/19/2023 2-3pm ET) Register here
This call will begin with a discussion of Alumni Networks as a mechanism to help mentor and retain scientists, and then move to identifying future topics of interest. These could include any or all of the following: (1) positive mentoring, (2) recruiting and training scientists, (3) workforce issues and challenges, and (4) measures of success.
Grants Administration Community: Standing Monthly Open Mic (Marketing/disseminating RFP/RFAs and GMSs)
(4/20/2023 3-4pm ET) Register here
Grants Admin will host Open Mic discussions on the 3rd Thursday of each month on member-identified topics (the list is here). The April 20th webinar will start with a discussion of marketing/disseminating RFP/RFAs, and questions around grants management systems (a standing topic for discussion!) but come with any other topics of interest!
Intro to “Health Open Research”: An open research publishing option using F1000
(4/25/2023 12-1pm ET) Register here
Join us for a webinar to learn about the Health Open Research platform – a collaboration with the AMRC and F1000. It welcomes submissions from all researchers (including yours!) in health, medical and social care research. We’ll also hear from Gates about their experiences in creating their own version called Gates Open Research.
2023 Registry and Biorepository calls: (FDA RWD & RWE Draft Guidance Discussion)
(4/27/2023 2-3pm ET) Register here
The 2023 Registry and Biorepository Learning Community schedule has been set. Please register for each call separately. The cochairs will send out details about each (topics, format, speakers, etc.) approximately a month prior. The April 27th call will focus on FDA Real World Data and Real World Evidence Draft Guidance.
Leading Edge: Empowering early career scientists and improving gender diversity of life sciences faculty
(5/17/2023 3-4pm ET) Register here
Hear from the directors of the Leading Edge, which is an initiative to improve the gender diversity of US life sciences faculty at the most senior levels. Join us to hear about the strategies this program employs, which have led to its remarkable success.
DEI Community Call: Open Mic – International Diversity
(5/24/2023 2-3pm ET) Register here
Diversity-focused initiatives within the US vary in their inclusion of international scientists under definitions of ‘diversity.’ Join this Open Mic to learn from colleagues, and share your experiences and challenges around diversity in the context of funding international scientists.
2023 CEO Roundtables
(6/6/2023 3-4pm ET) Register here
HRA hosts roundtables to give those in CEO-equivalent roles the opportunity to network and learn from peers. Previous roundtables discussions covered rebranding, development trends, constituent engagement, and HR issues (remote/hybrid work, compensation) and much more. Email topics of interest to [email protected].
Member Resources
HRA DEI Community Call: Inclusive Grantmaking Initiative Open Discussion
In this DEI Community Call Jenna Hicks, IGI Project Lead, reviewed the background of the IGI, outlined the proposed approach for the IGI, and solicited HRA member input on the IGI via open discussion using a Jamboard. Please view or contribute to the Google Jamboard.
Processes and metrics used in the review to identify and select outstanding candidates
In this MM Session, attendees heard about several organizations’ efforts (Wellcome Trust, Conquer Cancer and American Brain Tumor Foundation) to asses and evaluate competing proposals to maximize the eventual impact and advance funders’ missions.
Evidence-based strategies that lead to a diverse awardee portfolio
In this MM session, attendees heard from organizations about the various strategies they use to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion of their supported researchers, as well as the evidence (positive or negative) as to whether these strategies have been successful in helping them achieve their DEI goals.
Open Mic: Developing strategic approaches to communicating the value of your research
In this MM Session, HRA members shared their strategies for communicating the impact of their funding to a wide variety of stakeholders, including the platforms (podcasts, newsletters, social media, print media, etc) that have been most effective for the various target audiences (boards, donors, patients, researchers, public, etc).
Recent Innovations in Research Funding Mechanisms
In this MM Session, we heard from funders who have developed new ways to address gaps and needs in the research funding landscape, and explore the innovative new programs they have designed along with lessons learned in implementation.
Discussion of the changing biomedical workforce – supporting ECIs to foster careers that support funders’ missions
In this MM Session, attendees learned about how funders can support either retention in and/or transition to careers outside of academia (depending on the funders’ mission) of early career investigators (ECI) that could serve as models for the broader biomedical funding community.
Strategies for collecting demographic data
The DEI Learning Community held a call to learn more about the strategies for collecting demographic data consistently, equitably, and legally. We had a moderated discussion with Tim Fitzgibbon, who serves as legal counsel for the American Society of Hematology addressing questions such as what data are okay to collect, and how can those data be used?
Explore the Value of Open (EVO) “Birds of a Feather” Series: Data Sharing
Attendees took a deep dive into issues around data sharing. We also discussed HRA’s consultative sessions, which are opportunities for organizations with similar challenges to work together (with the help of an “expert”!) to explore and implement open science policies, practices, and compliance monitoring that is appropriate for your organization.
Misconduct and Ethics Community call
This community call focused on learning more about the role of the ombuds in fostering a healthy research environment in a university setting. Discussion questions included: What is an ombuds? How do ombuds mitigate toxic workplace/misconduct in academia? What role can funders play in responding to and/or preventing toxic workplaces? How can funders work together with universities to address toxic behavior and help our grantees?
State of the Alliance Presentation: Strategic Plan Progress Report
On behalf of HRA’s Board of Directors, the Strategic Planning Committee, and the Strategic Planning Evaluation Committee, I gave a “State of the Alliance” presentation. I updated the membership on the excellent progress we have made in implementing the strategies set out in the 2021 Strategic Plan.
Best,
