Leadership Orientation Slides

Duties of a Research Group/Committee Chair

Primary Chair Responsibilities

The position of RG/Comm chair is an important one with several responsibilities including:

• Lead RG study/Comm activities
• Manage RG/Comm budgets
• Maintain RG/Comm web page
• Manage presentations at annual meeting
• Ensure a final publication/activity

Lead RG study/Comm activities

• Prepare study proposal & budget for approval by EB
• Devise timetable for completion and publication
• Provide for fair division of labor – DELEGATE!!!
• Guide discussion & ensure all points of view are heard
• Record minutes and archive them for reports to EB
• Communicate activities and results

Annual meeting presentations

Blog articles

Reports to EB (Spring and Fall)

Publication – manuscript review by EB liaison

Lead RG study/Comm activities

Four types of ‘studies’ proposed:

​

• Traditional Research study (see sections D and E for further information).
• Protocol reviewing/revising/writing.
• Community conversation workshop development with the goal of an ABRF conference workshop.
• Survey (only accepted once every four years).

Manage RG/Comm budgets

• RG Studies; Comms can petition for activity funds

EB must approve; no carry forward

Chemicals/Consumables/Sample Shipping

Banner/ Printing/Poster

Additional funds require EB approval-up to $1000 for 2^nd study

​

• Annual Meeting Session Budget

Separate from study / comm budget

Established by Program Committee

​

• Report all study expenses to ABRF by Dec 31
• Report all materials and $ value donated by vendors to CRC as “sponsorships”

Provide updates for RG/Comm web page

• Review content – members, studies, mission, protocols
• Ask for help – abrf@abrf.org
• Post relevant information – draw people to the page!
• Surveys for collecting data
• Central repository for your study - Administered by ABRF

Presentation at ABRF Annual Meeting

Input from RG and Comms is strongly encouraged

​

• RG study sessions available - but must be reserved!

communicate your intentions to the PC EARLY

request slot from meeting organizers by June 1

​

• Additional session proposals are welcome, final selection by PC

​

• Educational Satellite Workshops

EdComm solicits proposals in April

​

​

​

​

​

Ensure final publication

• RG Chair responsible for study publication
• Chair continues ad hoc until publication completed
• Study Publications are IMPORTANT

for the study

for the RG members

for ABRF

• Places to consider for publication

JBT

Nature Methods

Plos

Personnel Management

• Turnover

3-year terms; need to reapply for a second term

• Co-Chairs

EB recommends Chair-Elect

• Ad Hoc

May be useful for enabling completion of a paper

• EB Liaison

Communication/guidance from EB

May also be active member

Communicate awards, publications, news, etc to EB liaison for posting to website/blog

• Ask EB, other Chairs and ABRF members for recommendations.
• Post a message in the All Members online community in.
• Send message to membership in the monthly ABRF Newsletter (send to Ken Schoppmann)
• Network at ABRF annual meeting and Chapter events!

How to Find RG/Comm Members

• Prospective Member submits optional current CV and letter of interest/intent (why they want to join)

​

• RG/Comm approves candidate

​

• New member is given copy of participation guidelines

​

• New Member Completes Conflict of Interest (COI) form

How to become an RG/Comm Member

Conflict of Interest (COI) form

Available on ABRF website from RG/Comm pages

Must be completed annually by all RG/Comm members

​

​

​

While acting as a representative of the ABRF, no RG/Comm member should endorse any product, instrument, or commercial concern that plays any part in the RG's study or that is involved in the RG's area of research.

​

​

​

​

Conflict of Interest

Role of EB liaison

• Your link to ABRF Executive Board (EB)
• There to answer questions: Policy/Reimbursement/COI etc
• Presents RG study review
• Presents Comm initiatives with budgets to EB for approval: Workshops/Surveys etc
• General sounding board for ideas

Relationship with EB liaison

• Different liaisons will have different styles.

• It is best not to rely on the liaison for:

Completing a manuscript

Study design

Study timeline

Scheduling conference calls

Motivation

Writing semi-annual and annual reports for EB

​

Communication

Regular Zoom meetings are important:�

No cost to RG/Comm�

Contact Ken (ken.schoppmann@abrf.org) to schedule your group’s meetings

​

Whatsapp groups: should be set up by ABRF

​

​

Task Calendar

• March/April
• New chair assumes duties
• Send in COI forms for all members
• Discuss & select study/survey topic
• Organize manuscript of completed study
• Suggest topics for Education Workshops (April 15)

​

• May
• Prepare and refine study proposal
• Plan for participation in next year’s ABRF annual meeting
• Contact EB liaison and meeting organizers (PC) with proposals

​

• June
• Submit proposal for project to EB for approval (June 1)
• Receive EB feedback within 2 weeks

Task Calendar

• July
• Select/prepare study materials and survey questions
• Create survey infrastructure
• Request presentation time at annual meeting

​

​

• August
• Test and validate sample materials
• Test survey infrastructure

​

​

• September
• Launch study

Task Calendar

• October
• Collect and curate data
• Divide work among RG members
• Compiling data
• Talk, Poster, Manuscript

​

• November
• Submit abstracts for posters
• Select speakers for presentation

​

• December
• Renew your membership
• Submit all study-related expenses for reimbursement (Dec 31)
• Select new chair and new members

Task Calendar

• January
• Analyze data from yearly study/survey
• Forward list of new members to EB liaison

​

​

• February
• Prepare poster/presentations for meeting
• Draft press release on RG study – (1 week prior to mtg) 
• Plan to attend ABRF annual meeting!
• New chair assumes duties after ABRF meeting

​

​

​

Thank you!!!!

• You are at the “core” of ABRF’s mission:

​

“Catalyzing excellence in shared research resources to advance collaborative science worldwide”

​

• Publications are the best way for ABRF to gain exposure in the broader research community

​

• We want to know your suggestions - please talk to your EB!