SRAI Coffee Talks

Find out what’s brewing with SRAI’s Coffee Talks! Wherever you are in the world, grab a cup of joe and tune in to these important discussions happening in real time, as complex and multi-dimensional as your favorite blend of liquid energy.

What's Brewing in Research Administration?

SRAI Coffee Talks are virtual sessions where hand-picked experts tackle the burning questions in the field of research management and administration. These one-hour virtual discussions offers a unique space to connect with peers and explore a range of topics—from the bold hot issues in research administration to the earthy yet essential workplace skills. Find answers to your questions, earn a CEU (continuing education unit), and join the conversation!

What's Percolating? Upcoming Coffee Talks

During this Coffee Talk we’ll talk about those common pain points we all wish we could fix when working in clinical trials. The panelists will discuss some of these familiar scenarios and explore potential solutions that can help provide smoother clinical trial operations. Join us and share your own problem areas, and solutions!


Content Level: All Levels


Discussion Leaders:


Tracie Bistany
Associate Director-Oncology Research
Administrative Director-ARISE Cancer Consortium
Levine Cancer Clinical Trials Office
Atrium Health


Kelly Denney, CCRP
Director
Financial Operations Office of Clinical Research
Indiana University


Chelsie Willoughby, CRA
Division Administrator
Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology
Department of Medicine
Indiana University

Moderator: Kevin Titus, SRAI Distinguished Faculty

Click here to register by May 26

Registration is free for SRAI Members. You need to register to receive the login information. 

Not an SRAI Member?
Review benefits and become a member  

Submit questions for the panel in advance

The hand-off of a proposal that has been selected for funding from pre-award to post-award can make a research administrator feel like a wary tourist in the London tube surrounded by impatient commuters as a train approaches—they have to step from the platform (pre-award) into the waiting train car (post-award), crossing that chasm where the tracks (and potential compliance risks) lie—with the only advice being a shout of “mind the gap” in an unfamiliar accent. 

During this Coffee Talk, the panelists will provide their experience and perspectives on how they mind the gap—that is, how the transition from a funded proposal to an active award is implemented operationally at emerging research institutions (ERIs). The discussion will move beyond the basics of roles and responsibilities, systems, and documentation to examine the real-world approaches that our peers employ, and the reasons behind those choices. 

Join us to get a clearer understanding of ways to “mind the gap” between pre-award and post-award, as well as practical considerations for what might work for your institution and how to make it happen.


Content Level: All Levels


Discussion Leaders:


Samantha Ellithorpe
Pre-Award Services Manager
Office of Research Administration
Western Carolina University


Liz Haney, Sc.M, MSM, CRA, CFRA, SHRM-CP
Director of Post-Award, Compliance, and Operations
Sponsored Projects Administration
Ball State University


Mysty Underwood
Grants & Contracts Specialist
Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Administration
East Tennessee State University


Michelle Willard, M.S.
Award Management Specialist
Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Middle Tennessee University

Moderator: Liz Haney, Sc.M, MSM, CRA, CFRA, SHRM-CP, Director of Post-Award, Compliance, and Operations, Sponsored Projects Administration, Ball State University

Click here to register by July 14

Registration is free for SRAI Members. You need to register to receive the login information. 

Not an SRAI Member?
Review benefits and become a member  

Submit questions for the panel in advance

Research Administration is about adapting and changing processes and workflows to incorporate the next new policy change or software update. The transfer of institutional knowledge sometimes falls to the side when shifting to digital or a hybrid/remote work environment or as institutions deal with training a new workforce amid an influx of retirements. Where this unwritten knowledge was typically picked up through conversations, experience, and learning from others, it is now harder to pass along given these changes in the working environment.

Join us for this Coffee Talk as we discuss how podcasts can be incorporated as a new training opportunity, helping fill the gap left by those missed conversations.   


Content Level: All Levels


Discussion Leaders:


Stefanie Keto
Financial Compliance Manager
Office of Post Award Financial Services
Finance Division
North Carolina State University
SRAI Podcast Committee Presenter

Jumionne Tiako, MPH
Director
Research Grants & Contracts - Post Award Setup
Emory University
SRAI Podcast Committee Chair

Moderator: Julie Swaringim-Griffin, PhD, Assistant Vice President, Central Sponsored Programs Administration, Division of the Vice President for Research, Oklahoma State University, SRAI Communications Co-Chair

Click here to register by August 4

Registration is free for SRAI Members. You need to register to receive the login information. 

Not an SRAI Member?
Review benefits and become a member  

Submit questions for the panel in advance

Submit a Question For An Upcoming Coffee Talk

Have a topic or issue you want an expert to discuss in one of the coffee talks in our lineup? You can share them with us in advance!

Ask A Panelist

See what we've covered this past year!

  • Mental Toughness in Uncertain Times
  • Get to Know the NIH SuRE Resource Center
  • Developing Department Chair Training to Support a Successful Partnership
  • Accountability in Research (FAIR): A New Model for America's Research Enterprise
  • Europe's Research Agenda and Transatlantic Shifts: What U.S. Institutions Need to Know
  • Advocating for Yourself
  • Finding Your Way Through FAR: A Coffee Talk with the Experts
  • Mentoring: What's it All About?
  • Federal Pulse Live: The Federal Landscape in 2026
  • Create a Winning Speaking Proposal
  • Courageous Clarity: Speaking Up with Confidence in Difficult Conversations
  • Building Capacity to Support Growth of Your Institution's Research Enterprise
  • Federal Pulse Live: Interpreting the FY2027 President's Budget Request

Questions?

If you want to learn more about Coffee Talks or have questions for SRAI HQ, do not hesitate to reach out.


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