ISSUE
Investigators lack opportunities for novel interactions with partners with whom they do not ordinarily collaborate, either because they haven’t had the opportunity to meet each other by virtue of operating in different disciplines or locations, or because there has been neither a straight-forward mechanism nor incentive to look outside one’s usual circle of partners.
GOAL
- Provide an opportunity for scientists to meet research, community, and/or community partners outside their usual circle of collaborators in order to foster a broader network partnership through a designated networking event;
- Provide seed-funding for up to three collaborative projects per event in the amount of approximately $5,000 each for feasibility pilot studies that encourage new collaborations, new methods, and/or innovative interdisciplinary research approaches to outstanding translational healthcare issues; and
- Aide in the transition of funded projects to further larger, enabling projects.
PROPOSAL
In an effort to encourage collaborations across disciplinary, geographical, or institutional boundaries, the Research Development Office (RDO) will facilitate a series of interactive events that will bring targeted investigators and community, affiliate, and/or commercial partners together and incentivize innovative collaborations.
These “Speed-Networking” events will provide a structured environment in which each researcher will have an opportunity to meet potential outside collaborators in a prescribed format. Additional social interaction time will then allow interested parties an opportunity to continue specific threads of inquiry. Potential partners will ultimately complete a card indicating their interest in speaking further with one or more of the participants. The RDO will manage the follow-up from these events.
The particular focus area for any single event could be selected strategically to support larger campus initiatives or be uniquely chosen to “test the waters” for new areas of potential strategic importance.
PREPARATION
Initially, ten separate Speed-Networking events will be planned over the course of a year. The RDO will work with CTSI leadership to identify both the specific focus of an event and the cadre of participant researchers and outside partners. The number of participants will be capped at 30 to ensure adequate interaction time. The RDO will manage all the logistics, including invitations, securing meeting space, arranging food and beverage as needed, and setting-up the event space and materials. The RDO will also lead participants through the event and manage all follow-up.
EVENT AGENDA
- “Slush” Time (20 min.): the success of this event in part depends on all attendees being punctual; light refreshments, therefore, will be available during this time to allow for casual conversation and serve as “slush” time for stragglers to arrive
- Introduction (5 min.): the RDO team leader will introduce the program, focusing on the intent, format, and financial incentive
- Rotations (1 hr.): four-minute rotations between each set of attendees, allowing all investigators to meet all potential partners around a short set of pre-designed questions (e.g., who, what, what if, and how might we)
- Free Association (20 min.): people are able to reconnect with a partner with whom there is a “spark” and pursue their shared interest a bit more, potentially developing a more concrete vision of a collaborative project
- Next Steps (10 min.): each attendee will fill out a card identifying her/his top three choices for collaboration; the RDO team leader will close the event by informing participants of next steps and timeline
FOLLOW-UP
After the event, “matches” will be identified by the RDO team based on participants’ mutual identification. The RDO will reach out to these partners, inviting each “match” to prepare a simple, two-page proposal describing their feasibility or pilot project and associated budget needs of up to $5,000. The target goal would be to have these due within three weeks of the event, if possible. CTSI leadership, with the assistance of the RDO, will make the final funding decision, based on both the likelihood of project success and a fit with CTSI strategic goals. The goal is to make these funding decisions within about five weeks of the event, if possible. For projects not outlined or funded as a result of this event, it is important to note the tremendous value in the networking component for potential future collaborations and faculty satisfaction. For funded projects and where appropriate, the RDO will collaborate with the Office of Innovation, Technology and Alliances (ITA), as well as the appropriate UCSF community engagement office, to foster success in the translation of the idea.
OUTCOMES
There are three specific returns on investment of the Speed-Networking event that will be measured: 1) the number of researchers that participate in a networking event will be counted; 2) the direct benefit to future collaboration activity made possible by supporting the generation of preliminary data and providing evidence of prior collaboration; this will be measured by following funded projects and capturing the percentage that go on to receive related funding from extramural sources, initiate new contracts, or otherwise move to further the collaboration; and 3) the participant satisfaction value, which will be measured through a short survey instrument sent at the end of each event. The RDO will track and report these measures.
PROPOSED PROGRAM BUDGET
In the first year, we plan to facilitate ten speed networking events. Each event will target 30 participants, leading to the funding of two or three $5,000 pilot proposals. While the RDO will leverage resources from its Building Teams for Innovative Research (BTIR) program personnel for this Speed-Networking program, additional resources will be needed to facilitate the program at a rate of approximately one FTE per three events. We also plan to minimize the logistical event costs by utilizing freely available facilities on campus wherever possible. The anticipated costs are presented in Table 1 below.
Item | Cost for 3 Events | Costs for 10 Events |
Event logistics, including beverages, food, paper goods, copying (assuming ~$500 per event) | $1,500 | $5,000 |
Pilot Proposal Award, assuming 30 awards per event, at $5,000 per award | $15,000 | $150,000 |
Two FTEs, at $80,000 each | 0 | $160,000 |
Total Annual Proposed Budget | $16,500 | $315,000 |
Commenting is closed.
Comments
OVERVIEW FOR CTSI RETREAT
OVERVIEW FOR CTSI RETREAT DISCUSSION
The Big Tent: CTSI 2016 NIH Renewal Proposal Launchpad
“Speed-Networking” to Drive Novel Translational Research Connections
Submitted by: Gail Fisher & Gretchen Kiser
1. Summarize the problem being addressed. Please make sure this is NOT disease-specific.
2. Summarize the solution being proposed. Please make sure this is NOT disease-specific, although you can provide examples of specific test cases.
3. What partners are involved in the solution?
4. What is the potential impact?
1. How do we maximize
Identify a theme (a plane or axis, to focus the potential collaboration) for each event to draw a variety of participants who may have some things in common but would not normally work together.
Select venue for events that will optimize the experience for participants
Use networking tools, i.e., UCSF Profiles, to identify possible matches and participants for each event
Ask participants to record a short video/pitch that can link to profile - “Mission in a minute” – who are you, what do you do, and why does it matter. Record pitches, add to profile short videos.
Look for ways to create unanticipated connections between people
Structure so that potential collaborators interact with each other for 10 minutes (as their speed date) suggested to establish rapport, exchange ideas.
Experiment, start small, try different approaches (and measure success), i.e., “fishbowl” approach, where experts are gathered to apply their expertise to a particular problem of question.
Get some high profile champions to draw a crowd
Think of examples of successful collaborations, get testimonials.
Follow up – send contact list to all participants
Think about expanding budget to hire trained facilitators to ensure success of events
Develop UCSF Profiles – expand to include wish list/magic want/interests – make this function searchable to help identify collaborators
Can draw upon existing examples in postdoc office, alumni relations, identify other places where examples of this type of event already exists, study what has been effective.
Include participants from a broad array, national labs, VA, SFGH, CHORI, Galdstone, LBNL, UC BRAID
Systemwide committee on research – end up writing a grant together.
Question 3 –
Try partnering with industry, hold events at their locations
Partner with industry,hold some events there – Genentech, or Onyx?
Other Notes (group ran out of time):
Some thoughts from CTSI
Some thoughts from CTSI Retreat / Leadership panel with UCSF Deans:
Infrastructure is needed to facilitate faculty collaboration. Can we find more efficient ways of connecting; are there are ways that UCSF Profiles could be leveraged to use data analytics to facilitate networking between the four schools and the graduate division. One option is to promote lunches where guidance and potential funding opportunities could be presented. Another suggestion was made to propose a research field and invite researchers from across the campus to attend focused meetings. CTSI could help by facilitating collaborations, and recommending leading questions for interactions.
Expanding Profiles to be a
Expanding Profiles to be a more active networking tool would be helpful. A good example is Research Gate (http://www.researchgate.net) - this service automatically notifies an investigator (on a preset schedule) when a peer and published and when one of their articles is cited. I find this very helpful to keep up with what my peers are doing and develop new collaborations (as well as have fun and enlightened conversations when we meet at events).