SRAI invites knowledgeable and engaged subject matter experts from around the world to submit proposals to speak at the 2027 Lifecycle Summit for Research Management. We welcome innovative perspectives, practical insights, and fresh ideas that reflect the dynamism of the full sponsored research lifecycle.

Presenting at the Summit offers a valuable opportunity to share your experiences, highlight emerging practices, and engage with fellow research administrators and managers.

How to submit a speaking proposal

• Click on "Submit a Speaking Proposal" at the top of this page and complete the online form.
• Note: Once submitted, proposals cannot be edited via the portal. To make changes before the deadline of Friday, October 23, please email SRAI at sraeducation@srainternational.org.

Proposal Limits

You may submit multiple proposals, but individual speakers may not lead more than one workshop and two concurrent sessions.

Review Timeline

Proposals will be reviewed in November 2026, with notifications sent out in December 2026.

Presentation Formats

• 60-minute concurrent sessions and panels
• 90-minute concurrent sessions and panels
• 30-minute quick sessions

• Half-day and full-day workshops

Program Tracks

The Summit is built around three Journeys (Pre-Award, Compliance, and Post-Award) plus a Specialized focus that runs across all four days. Each Journey aligns with a domain of the SRAI Professional Development Framework and has four tracks:

Pre-Award Journey (April 12th -13th):

• Funding Strategy & Research Development
• Proposal Review, Submission & Budgeting 
• Award Review, Negotiation & Acceptance
• Subawards & Consortium Management 

Compliance Journey (April 13th - 14th): 

• Research Security & Export Controls
• Responsible Conduct & Research Integrity
• Human Subjects, Animal Care & Biosafety
• Research Agreements & Data Governance 

Post-Award Journey (April 14th - 15th):

• Award Setup, Monitoring & Departmental Practice
• Financial Management & the F&A Landscape
• Internal Controls, Audit & Risk
• Reporting, Closeout & Deliverables 

Specialized Research Management Areas (April 12th - 15th):

• Leadership, Management, Teams & Career Development
• Technology, Systems & AI
• Commercialization & Innovation
• Clinical & Translational Research

Certificate Offering

We are excited to offer the Pre-Award, Research Compliance and Integrity, and the Financial Management certificates in full at the Summit.