Catalyst

Welcome to 2025: Updates from the Communications Committee Hello and Happy New Year! As the new co-chairs of the Communications Committee, we wanted to take a minute to introduce ourselves and give you a little sneak-peak of what's to come in the coming months. I am Dr. Julie Swaringim-Griffin , the current Assistant Vice President of read more

Spotlight: Allowability, Allocability, Reasonableness | Part 1: Incorporating AAR into the Research Administrator’s Daily Routine This month, the Spotlight continues its study of allowability, allocability, and reasonableness (AAR) by exploring the essential role of internal controls in safeguarding financial resources and discusses how universities read more

Time Marches On Change is inevitable. Time marches on. All good things must come to an end. There’s a season for everything. Sometimes you have to let things go for better things to come into your life. I’ve been resisting starting off Note from the Editors with (too many) clichés since I started writing this column. Every month a new one, or read more

Reflection and Anticipation As the holidays approach, it’s a wonderful time for reflection and anticipation. This past year has seen rapid changes in research administration, bringing both challenges and opportunities. Reflecting on these changes, I am filled with hope and excitement for the future. If one thing is constant in our profession, it read more

Preparing for NIH’s SciENcv Requirement in 2025: Tips for Research Administrators Starting May 2025, NIH applicants must use SciENcv for biosketches and support documents, aligning with NSF's 2023 adoption. This article offers tips for administrators on setting up profiles, using templates, and managing delegate access, ensuring your team’s smooth read more

From Navy to Hospital: Leadership Lessons in Succession Planning What's the best gift a leader can give their team? Hint: It's not a bonus or a fancy title. Discover why training your replacement is crucial for organizational success, inspired by my Navy experience and one of my favorite books. . As a leader, the greatest gift you can read more

Make Accurate FFATA Reporting Part of Your Subrecipient Monitoring Framework Your organization manages subrecipient agreements in accordance with Federal regulations, organizational policies, sponsor regulations, and the terms and conditions of the sponsored award. Understanding your obligations under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency read more

How to Manage Time Off, Holiday Due Dates, and Closures As we enter the end of the year, it is a good time to proactively approach any time off, impending closures, signposting reduced or modified service and support, and to plan ahead for any adjusted deadlines. Proactive Planning, Deadline Adjustment There are activities for which the deadline read more

Jumpstart Your Research Administration Literacy with LevelUP The research enterprise is growing more complex and will require agile employees who can meet the challenges of tomorrow. Given the volume of changes expected over the next ten years, how can you stand out to strategically move your career forward? If you are not sure where you want to read more

Spotlight: Allowability, Allocability, Reasonableness | Part 1: Incorporating AAR into the Research Administrator’s Daily Routine The Spotlight closes out the year with a study of allowability, allocability and reasonableness (AAR), essential skills in the research administrator’s toolkit. This series will define and provide examples of AAR costs, read more

Note from the Editor | Living in Transformation Station As Research Administrators, we work in a world of ever-changing rules and regulations. In other words, we live in Transformation Station, that proverbial place where everything around us might change while we are in mid-stride (i.e.. in the middle of the proposal development process), or read more

View from the Top | Building Momentum Thank you to everyone who made this year’s SRAI Annual Meeting in Chicago a tremendous success! The energy and excitement were palpable throughout the five days of learning, networking, and celebrating. Sessions were well attended, and participants were highly engaged, asking insightful questions and sharing read more

Empowering Diversity Part III | The Future of AI in Research Administration and Its Role in Enhancing DEI Artificial intelligence (AI) can impact the multigenerational workforce in significant and dynamic ways by influencing workplace roles and other aspects. It provides opportunities to improve workforce performance, team building, and interactions read more

Look Up and Smell the Roses: Impact and Meaning of RA Work Research administrators are involved in meaningful and impactful work that supports and improves the lives of others. This is easy to miss when engaged in the daily grind and never-ending paperwork. Always take time and reflect on the impact this work has on our institutions and society. read more