Spring 2019 Meeting

“Houston, The Research Administrators Have Landed”

Dates

April 28, 2019 – May 1, 2019

Location

Omni Houston Hotel
Four Riverway
Houston, Texas 77056

The 2019 Spring Meeting will be held in the newly renovated Omni Houston Hotel, which is conveniently located on the west side of Houston near the Galleria and Memorial Park. To reserve your room at our regional meeting rate of $159/night, please visit this website.

Keynote Speaker

The Region V Program Committee is happy to announce the 2019 Region V Spring Meeting Keynote Speaker: Ginger Kerrick!

Ms. Ginger Kerrick, Flight Integration Division Chief for NASA, a native Texan born and raised in El Paso will speak during lunch on Monday April 29, 2019. Ms. Kerrick received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics from Texas Tech University in the early 1990s. She began working for NASA as a summer intern in 1991, and started her first permanent assignment at Johnson Space Center in May of 1994 as a Materials Research Engineer. In September 1995, she was reassigned to the Mission Operations Directorate as an instructor for the International Space Station Environmental and Life Support System. Her responsibilities included training development, simulator development, and training conduct for both crew and flight controllers.

Through many years of dedicated service and various positions at NASA, Ginger was selected as a Flight Director in February 2005. This selection made her the first female Hispanic Flight Director in the history of NASA. After leading numerous International Space Station (ISS) and Shuttle missions, Ginger ended her Flight Director career in 2012 and transitioned into a management role as Assistant Director for the ISS for the Flight Operations Directorate (FOD). In August of 2016, after 4 years as Assistant Director, Ginger was named as the Division Chief of the Flight Integration Division in FOD.

Program Schedule

Conference Program 2019

(clickable link)

Sunday, April 28

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM: CRA Review Session (provided by RACC; separate registration and payment required)

5:15 – 6:00 PM: New Member Mixer – Orientation, networking, drinks (included with conference registration – for New Members Only)

6:00 – 8:00 PM: Welcome, dinner, comedian entertainment, and networking (included with conference registration)

8:00 – 11:00 PM: Hospitality suite open (included with conference registration)

Monday, April 29

(All of the following activities on Monday and Tuesday are included with the full conference registration)

7:45 – 8:30 AM: New member breakfast meet-up

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM: Concurrent Sessions and Discussion Groups (includes lunch and keynote)

5:30 – 8:00 PM: Carnival event, dinner, and networking

8:00 – 11:00 PM: Hospitality suite open

Tuesday, April 30

7:45 – 8:30 AM: New member breakfast meet-up

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM: Concurrent Sessions and Discussion Groups (includes lunch and regional business meeting)

5:30 – 7:30 PM: Dinner groups, scavenger hunt, and networking

7:30 – 9:30 PM: Movie screening

8:00 – 11:00 PM: Hospitality suite open

Wednesday, May 1

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM: Workshops and Lunch (additional registration and payment required)

Workshop #1

So You Want to be an Astronaut: Lessons in Teamwork Learned from NASA Space Flight Missions (full day)

Presenters: Lacey Schmidt, Ph.D., Executive Director of Faculty Engagement, University of Houston; Kelley J. Slack, Ph.D., CFO and Managing Consultant, Minerva Work Solutions PPLC; Susan Sedwick, Ph.D., CRA, CSM, Senior Consulting Specialist, Attain

Description:There couldn’t be a more critical situation demanding excellent teamwork than that needed between astronauts and mission control. This simulation training was developed to train flight controllers and astronauts to handle everything from mundane everyday operations to life threatening emergencies effectively. The training focuses on seven competencies known to improve individual and team effectiveness under diverse conditions. This simulation training will be delivered by the industrial/organizational psychologists who developed the training and joined by a senior research administrator. To ensure the most effective learning experience for all participants, registration is limited to 50.

Workshop #2

Departmental Research Administration Boot Camp (full day)

Presenters: Lindsey Demeritt, Director, Sponsored Projects, Dell Medical School Office of Research, The University of Texas at Austin

Description: This all day workshop will take a deep dive into the lifecycle of sponsored projects administration from the perspective of the departmental administrator. While discussing our roles, from proposal preparation to and through award management, we will also talk about the nuance that comes with being the middle man, the “boots on the ground,” directly supporting our faculty while also being responsible to maintain institutional compliance.

Workshop #3

Proposal Development: To Infinity and Beyond, Tips and Tools for Success Beyond the Basics (half day)

Presenters: Shelly Berry-Hebb, Assistant Director, Proposal Services, Texas A&M University; Amanda Palmos Reitmayer, Assistant Director, PreAward, Texas A&M University

Description: This half-day morning workshop will take you through the journey of Pre-Award roles and processes. We will start with understanding funding opportunities and sponsor relationships, the role of a research administrator, and how to interact with the principal investigator and other campus offices to develop a successful proposal submission. Along the way we will discuss developing a budget, compliance, and other best practices. We will identify federal and institutional policies that govern research and how Pre-Award actions create a path for successful project management. The interactive session includes exercises and case studies designed to provide tips and tools that will enable you to grow as a Pre-Award Research Administrator. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and experiences for discussion.