The conference was abuzz with the challenges of working in a global research atmosphere. Institutions have been strongly urged by a number of federal sponsors to ensure that all foreign collaborations are properly disclosed, and many of these sponsors are working to issue formal guidance and best practices to assist. A number of sessions highlighted the importance of data security in a day and age when it can be commonplace for researchers to present their research at international conferences, bringing along with them laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices with the potential to be hacked by sophisticated foreign parties. At the same time, everyone in the MU delegation found that interacting with and hearing from the diverse attendees at the conference enriched their experience. The conference included many global participants who gave insight on issues like how to work with international sponsors and the problems that Brexit is causing for university research in the U.K.
There were also a number of helpful updates from major federal sponsors. The National Science Foundation (NSF) reminds investigators and research administrators that conference proposals must include codes of conduct with clear means of reporting violations of the policy before and during the conference. Our university’s Sponsored Programs Procedure Guide that covers this topic can be found here. In addition, unless otherwise stated in the guidelines, conference costs should not be listed as participant support, but rather under other direct costs in grant budgets.
Investigators and staff should become more familiar with online tools and portals like Research.gov, SciENcv, and ORCID IDs. While there is no firm date on when FastLane will be phased out, current solicitations that allow for submission through Research.gov should be done through that portal. Similarly, NSF encourages investigators to begin using the SciENcv template for biographical information on all proposals, even if it is not yet required.
On the other hand, many NIH award categories are now requiring ORCID IDs for awards received on or after 01/25/2020. Also from the NIH: the sponsor is working to expand request options for their automated “Prior Approval” process in eRA Commons. This would supplement their successful approach to approvals for No Cost Extension Requests and Change of PD/PI.
The keynote address at the conference was delivered by Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Hrabowski, who in 2012 was selected to chair President Obama’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans, spoke of the many challenges faced by minorities in university education and research. Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1950s and 60s, he saw hatred and racism everyday, and he pointed out how far our nation has come since then. But he challenged conference attendees to see the work done at UMBC over the years as an example of how integrating a commitment to diversity and inclusion can actually drive research forward. He left attendees with the following observation: "Your thoughts, become your words, your words become actions, your actions become habits, these habits build your character, and your character leads you to your destiny."