Sponsored Projects Symposium
The SPA Sponsored Projects Symposium encourages community and informal dialogue as well as an opportunity to learn more on key topics of the day. The event is funded by the Office of the Vice President for Research, so there is no cost for attendees.
Symposium XII
February 19, 2019—McNamara Alumni Center
Webex Recordings
Watch Introductory Events
Registration; Welcome & Introductions; Plenary Session with VPR Chris Cramer; Introduction of SPA and SFR Contacts
Watch the Keynote Speaker: Dr. Karen Hsiao Ashe
Forgetful Mice: What They Have Taught us About Alzheimer's Disease
Watch Closing Presentation: Hot Topics
Prizes and Hot Topics
Schedule
Jump to session descriptions and resources.
| Time/Location | Activity |
| 8:00 - 8:45 a.m. Memorial Hall |
Registration |
| 8:45 - 9:00 a.m. Memorial Hall |
Welcome & Introductions |
| 9:00 - 9:15 a.m. Memorial Hall |
Plenary Session Chris Cramer, Vice President for Research |
| 9:15 - 9:30 a.m. Memorial Hall |
Introduction of SPA and SFR Contacts |
| 9:40 - 10:25 a.m. |
Session 1: Tricky Scenarios: NSF OIG Audit Session 2: Biosketches: Beyond Rules and Tools Session 3: Effort Certification - Basics on Advanced Topics Session 4: Sponsored SNAFUs: Lessons Learned from Challenging Situations Session 5: Building One Robot at a Time: Fabricating & Capital Assets in Computer Science Session 6: Intro to Pre-Award and Post-Award Research Administration |
| 10:35 - 11:20 a.m. |
Session 7: Surviving a Sponsor Audit Session 8: Delving into the FOA, NOA, and NOGA Session 9: Expanded Reporting Using UM Analytics Session 10: Onboarding New Faculty Session 11: Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Session 12: Human Subjects Considerations in Clinical Trial Budgeting - The Research Team Perspective |
| 11:20 - 1:00 p.m. Memorial Hall |
Luncheon Buffet & Speaker: Forgetful Mice: What They Have Taught us About Alzheimer's Disease |
| 1:10 - 1:55 p.m. |
Session 13: Learn how to juggle: The circus life of a SPA GA or Dept GA Session 14: Comparing and Contrasting Federal vs. Business & Industry Clinical Trials Session 15: Can I buy this? Would you Approve it? Justifications that Work. Session 16: From There to Here, From Here to There, Grant Transfers are Everywhere! Session 17: Subaward Tricky Scenarios |
| 1:55 - 2:55 p.m. Memorial Hall |
Desserts, Posters, Game Drawings |
| 2:55 - 3:40 p.m. Memorial Hall |
Closing Plenary Session - Hot Topics (Presentation Slides: Symposium XII Hot Topics) |
|
3:40 - 3:45 p.m. |
Closing |
Sessions & Descriptions
9:40 - 10:25 a.m.
Session 1: Tricky Scenarios: NSF OIG Audit
Gateway Room
In this advanced session we will discuss real* case study examples identified as requiring further detail during the NSF OIG audit. Join a panel of authorities as we consider best practices for analyzing and addressing each situation to determine and demonstrate allow ability on the sponsored award.
*The names and some details of the scenarios have been changed to ensure the scenarios are anonymous.
David Hagen, Director, Office of Cost Analysis
David March, Assistant Director, Research Compliance Office
Kevin McKoskey, Director, Sponsored Projects Administration
Julia Steinkopf, Lead Accountant, Sponsored Financial Reporting
Resources: Presentation slides
Session 2: Biosketches: Beyond Rules and Tools
Ski-U-Mah Room
Biosketches can be challenging for research administrators - the details are constantly changing and we often check for compliance and little else. Good biosketches, however, are one of the details that can elevate a good proposal to a great one. Learn how several different units support biosketch development, maintenance, and collection in this advanced session.
Ellen Freeman, Associate Director, Office of Research & Policy, College of Education & Human Development Margaret Celebrezze, Executive Assistant, Office of Nursing Research and Scholarship
Laura Seifert, Managing Director, Center for Sustainable Polymers
Resources: Presentation slides
Session 3: Effort Certification - Basics on Advanced Topics
Swain Room
This session will cover the advanced topics of Re-certification of a Statement, Multiple Rates of Pay, NIH Salary Cap and 9/12 Statements in a basic way. The session will be more of a how to versus a policy discussion on these topics.
Kris Meyer, Finance Manager, Medicine
Daniel Peterson, Finance Professional, CEHD Financial Services
Resources: Presentation slides
Session 4: Sponsored SNAFUs: Lessons Learned from Challenging Situations
Johnson Room
In this advanced-level session, a panel of experienced research administrators will discuss real-life examples of times when things didn't go according to plan. Examples will focus on instances when the administrator was not involved from the beginning and then had to navigate a potentially messy situation. Panelists will focus not only on the technical knowledge, but also the thought process and soft skills needed to resolve each case.
Elizabeth Fedie, Research Development Manager, Masonic Cancer Center
Elizabeth Hedin, Manager, Pediatric Support Services
Rachel Veenstra, Finance Professional 3, Earth Sciences
Megan Vimont, Finance Professional 3, School of Dentistry
Resources: Presentation slides
Session 5: Building One Robot at a Time: Fabricating & Capital Assets in Computer Science
Minnesota Room
This advanced session builds off last year’s capital assets session and takes you into the real world of fabrication and capital assets in Computer Science. We will show you how we are coordinating from the first fabrication purchase to working on inventory audit inquiries. We will also discuss recent NSF OIG Audit inquiries around capital equipment. The learning objectives will include an understanding of how to implement capital equipment and fabrication policies and procedures to the real-world. Basic understanding of fabrication and capital assets terminology will be assumed.
Faith Goenner, Administrator, Computer Science & Engineering
Samiksha Jain, Research Accountant, Computer Science
Hlitawci Xiong, Research Accountant, Computer Science
Thet Letyar, Research Accountant, Computer Science
Sue Gustafson, Department Accountant, Computer Science
Leanne Siercks, Purchasing Coordinator, Computer Science
Scott Eggert, Inventory Services, Controller's Office
Amy Alexander, Accounting Services, Controller's Office
Resources: Presentation slides, Handout - To Do List for Fabrication
Session 6: Intro to Pre-Award and Post-Award Research Administration
Heritage Gallery
Are you new to working with sponsored projects? Come to this session to get a high-level overview of the proposal/award life-cycle. Attendees will come away with a basic understanding of the steps involved in sponsored projects management.
Karen Sachi, Principal Grant Administrator, Sponsored Projects Administration
Meghan Wien, Grants/Contracts Professional 3, Department of Pediatrics
Resources: Presentation slides, resource links
10:35 - 11:20 a.m.
Session 7: Surviving a Sponsor Audit
Heritage Gallery
This session will discuss the roles and responsibilities of units involved in an audit. It will also provide you with best practices to employ as your department goes through an audit.
Marjorie Nebo, Finance Manager, Sponsored Financial Reporting
David March, Assistant Director, Research Compliance Office
Kathy Kipp-Huspeni, Grants Management Coordinator, College of Liberal Arts
Kevin McKoskey, Director, Sponsored Projects Administration
Resources: Presentation slides
Session 8: Delving into the FOA, NOA, and NOGA
Ski-U-Mah Room
Research Administrators need to wade through a large volume of information at all stages of a grant’s life cycle. The program announcement (or funding opportunity announcement), the sponsor’s Notice of Award (NOA), and SPA’s Notice of Grant Award (NOGA), are guides to effectively navigate the grant before and after it is awarded. Attendees at this introductory session will learn tools for analyzing grant application guidelines, NOAs, and NOGAs with a focus on federal sponsors.
Lindsy Halleckson, Pre-Award Coordinator, Department of Pediatrics
Hang McLaughlin, Sr. Grants & Contracts Administrator, Sponsored Projects Administration
Resources: Presentation slides, resource links
Session 9: Expanded Reporting Using UM Analytics
Johnson Room
This beginner session will highlight some of the new features of the UM Analytics Sponsored Reports (Sponsored Award Overview and Sponsored Project Detail). It will also cover how to use UM Analytics Grants, Projects, and Contracts data to create ad-hoc queries and reports.
Robert Howieson, Business Analyst/EFS Module Support, Controller’s Office
Resources: Presentation slides, Common UM Analytics Terms
Session 10: Onboarding New Faculty
Minnesota Room
From grants to compliance, training and more, this beginner-friendly session will discuss how to maximize the onboarding process of new PIs. You will learn how to manage expectations, accommodate varying degrees of knowledge and experience, and create a seamless transition for your department and new hire. Real life experiences will be shared, and will include the good, bad, and the ugly!
Nicki Brickman-Van Erkel, Director of Institutional Operations and Finance, The Hormel Institute
Resources: Presentation slides
Session 11: Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
Swain Room
This session will explore how emotional intelligence competencies are key to high performing individual contributors and leaders. It has never been more important to know who you are and the day-to-day impact you have given our fast paced work environment. Please join us to learn more about how to connect with your EI attributes and make a difference in your work life.
Lisa Warren, Assistant Vice President, Office of VP for Research
Resources: Presentation slides, Emotional Intelligence handout
Session 12: Human Subjects Considerations in Clinical Trial Budgeting - The Research Team Perspective
Gateway Room
Learn, from a research team’s perspective, the common and unseen budget considerations necessary when human subjects are involved. The talk will focus on identifying costs, how to negotiate them, and will highlight the need for real-time financial review and oversight of projects involving human subjects.
Sara Eischen, Project Manager, Department of Surgery
Mary Farnsworth, Project Manager, Department of Surgery
Resources: Presentation slides
1:10 - 1:55 p.m.
Session 13: Learn how to juggle: The circus life of a SPA GA or Dept GA
Heritage Gallery
How many balls do you have in the air on a typical day and how many times do others try to knock one of those balls to the ground? We'll try to bring some balance to the art of being a SPA or Dept. GA. Bring your questions and your favorite juggling object.
Lorrie Awoyinka, Grants & Contracts Manager, Sponsored Projects Administration
Kim Makowske, Grants & Contracts Professional, Sponsored Projects Administration
Lori Nicol, Accountant II, College of Biological Sciences
Crystal Langeberg, Finance Professional 3 Supervisor, CFANS - Plant Sciences
Resources: Presentation slides
Session 14: Comparing and Contrasting Federal vs. Business & Industry Clinical Trials
Ski-U-Mah Room
Created for pre-award departmental staff who work on clinical trials, this advanced-level session will begin by presenting the key elements of clinical trials and highlighting the significant differences between trials sponsored by the federal government and those sponsored by business & industry partners. Please bring your clinical trial questions, as we will be allotting a lot of time to answer specific concerns.
Derek Krogstad, Principal Grant Administrator, Sponsored Projects Administration
April Nelson, Sernior Grant Administrator, Sponsored Projects Administration
Stacy Valenzuela, Grants & Contracts Officer, Pediatrics
Resources: Presentation slides, Handout - Budget Checklist, Handout - Fixed Price Subaward Sample Justification
Session 15: Can I buy this? Would you Approve it? Justifications that Work
Johnson Room
Want to “up your game” when it comes to justifications? The purpose of this beginner session is to revisit why justifications are so important and to share tips on how to write them both effectively and efficiently. A SPA GA, a representative from Purchasing Services and a Certified Approver along with a SPA Trainer will share best practices and answer your questions. Walk away knowing where to find resources and how to create a compliant and effective justification.
Frances Spalding, Grants/Contracts Professional, Sponsored Projects Administration
Amy Rollinger, Grants/Contracts Manager, Sponsored Projects Administration
Erin Flathmann, Finance Professional, Biomedical Engineering
Kristen Berning, Purchasing Program Specialist, Controller's Office
Resources: Presentation slides
Session 16: From There to Here, From Here to There, Grant Transfers are Everywhere!
Minnesota Room
Helpful tips and resources for the successful transfer (in/out) of an award.
Pat Jondahl, Senior Grant Administrator, Sponsored Projects Administration
Erin Knudsen, Grant Administrator, Sponsored Projects Administration
Mia Rampi-Lambertz, Finance Professional, CSENG
Jillian Rung, Grants & Contracts Professional, Psychiatry
Resources: Presentation slides, Departmental Steps for PI Departures, Departure of a PI, Welcome PI
Session 17: Subaward Tricky Scenarios
Swain Room
In this advanced session, we will discuss tricky scenarios that may occur during the life cycle of out-going subawards from proposal stage to close out. We will present best practices for analyzing and addressing each situation and will open it up to discuss other potential approaches. The panelists will be ready to discuss their experiences, and attendees are encouraged to bring tricky scenarios they have encountered so we can work through a few together.
Gina Rumore, Program Development Director, Minnesota Population Center
Lesley Schmidt Sindberg, Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator, Sponsored Projects Administration
Jeff Zytkovicz, Grant Coordinator, College of Education and Human Development
Resources: Presentation slides