Training Scientists to Make the Right Moves - Howard Hughes ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

At a Glance Chapter 3 Deciding What,When, and Where If you are planning a complicated training event—say, one that involves multiple sessions, meal functions, and hotel and travel arrangements— and your funds allow it, consider hiring a professional meeting planner to help you develop the timeline and keep you on schedule. Tips for Sticking to Your Timeline How do you keep everyone on track so that the timeline doesn’t slip? The following tips can help: Make sure the planning team members and speakers are well aware of the schedule when they sign on for the project. Issue plenty of reminders to keep the schedule and its tasks on people’s to-do lists. Use a checklist, and attach specific dates to all tasks. Don’t try to do it all yourself. Spread the responsibilities out among the people who have signed up to help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you are falling behind. Managing the Planning Process “You have to know you’re going to be late with almost everything, because you don’t have people whose only job is to work on the course. So build delays into your timeline.” —Laura Bonetta, BWF-HHMI Course in Scientific Management “I’ve found the most valuable lessons to be the importance of delegating responsibility and breaking [course development] down into small chunks.” —Siobhan Corbett, Association for Academic Surgery CHOOSING THE LOCATION Many issues factor into decisions about where the training event will be held. Obvious ones are whether the training can be held in conjunction with another event, the cost of a facility, and the number of expected participants. Another dilemma for planners at academic institutions is whether to have the activity at home or away. On-Site Versus Off-Site:The Cost-Benefit Equation Program planners at universities generally agree that in an ideal world, their training events would be held off-site, largely because participants can better focus on the training and are more at ease about discussing sensitive subjects. But cost may be an impediment to this choice. Even a short retreat can be expensive, unless you have connections that steeply discount a site or offer it to you gratis. If your budget can accommodate some off-site time, ask yourself: Are the benefits worth the cost? Figure 3.1 may help you find the answer. 25
Training Scientists to Make the Right Moves The Different Dynamic of Off-Site Retreats “It’s hard to get people to go someplace for two or three days, but it’s clear that there is a different dynamic when people are in a room together relatively far away from where they normally function. From our experience, people are likely to be more relaxed, focused, and receptive to different experiences if they are physically removed from where they usually are.” —Leslie Sprunger, Washington State University Figure 3.1. Pros and cons of on-site and off-site locations Pros On-Site Location Cons Is convenient for most participants Depending on the facility, could involve little or no cost for meeting space Makes it possible to have plenty of help for “disasters” (e.g., staff with cars there, potential back-up speakers) Has resources (e.g., computers, photocopying machines) that are familiar and easily available Allows access to support staff you already know and trust Lack of anonymity (e.g., if department chairs or principal investigators are present) can stifle interaction and squelch new ideas or frankness People may feel less committed to the entire event as other responsibilities may take precedence (e.g., scientists will be tempted to run to the lab to check on experiments during breaks or even during talks) Fewer chances exist for networking during the evening because most people will go home Off-Site Location Pros Encourages open discussion in an environment away from senior scientists and administrative staff from the same institution Fosters interaction among participants over a long day; opportunities for networking increase even more if the location doesn’t allow people to return home at night Might induce a more active level of attendance and engagement from participants who pay some costs for an off-site locale compared with a free campus event Cons Costs for meeting space plus overnight lodging (if you need it) can be prohibitive Childcare, eldercare, and even pet care can be an issue for participants Staff travel may become an additional cost if the off-site location is far from campus Support staff can be of variable skill and reliability It is more difficult to react to a “disaster” (e.g., a speaker who doesn’t show up) Resources (e.g., computers, Internet access, photocopying machines) may not be easily accessible or, if they are, may be expensive 26
Page 1 and 2: TRAINING SCIENTISTS TO MAKE THE RIG
Page 3 and 4: © 2006 by the Howard Hughes Medica
Page 5 and 6: Training Scientists to Make the Rig
Page 10 and 11: PREFACE In July 2002, the Burroughs
Page 12: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This guide represen
Page 20 and 21: INTRODUCTION Preparing postdoctoral
Page 22 and 23: Chapter 1 GETTING STARTED Deciding
Page 24 and 25: QA At a Glance Chapter One What is
Page 26 and 27: At a Glance “” QA Gathering Ide
Page 28 and 29: Chapter 2 OBTAINING SUPPORT AND ASS
Page 30 and 31: Chapter 2 Obtaining Support and As
Page 34 and 35: “” QA Chapter 2 Obtaining Supp
Page 38 and 39: At a Glance At a Glance “” QA A
Page 40 and 41: Chapter 3 DECIDING WHAT,WHEN, AND W
Page 42 and 43: QA Chapter 3 Deciding What,When, a
Page 46 and 47: QA At a Glance Chapter One Chapter
Page 48 and 49: At a Glance At a Glance “” QA C
Page 50 and 51: Chapter 4 DEVELOPING A BUDGET AND G
Page 52 and 53: Chapter 4 Developing a Budget and
Page 54 and 55: Chapter 4 Developing a Budget and
Page 56: Chapter 4 Developing a Budget and
Page 66 and 67: Chapter 6 FINDING AND WORKING WITH
Page 68 and 69: Chapter 6 Finding and Working with
Page 70 and 71: Chapter One Chapter 6 Finding and
Page 72: Chapter 6 Finding and Working with
Page 82 and 83: Chapter 8 MAKING IT HAPPEN In This
Page 84 and 85: Chapter 8 Making It Happen At a Gl
Page 86 and 87: QA Chapter 8 Making It Happen At a
Page 88 and 89: Chapter 8 Making It Happen Typical
Page 90 and 91: Chapter 8 Making It Happen Reprodu
Page 92 and 93: Chapter 8 Making It Happen What w
Page 94 and 95:
Chapter 8 Making It Happen At a Gl
Page 96:
At a Glance At a Glance “” QA A
Page 99 and 100:
QA Training Scientists to Make the
Page 101 and 102:
Training Scientists to Make the Rig
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 114 and 115:
Appendix 1 BUDGET PLANNING Sample C
Page 116 and 117:
Appendix 1 Budget Planning: Sample
Page 118 and 119:
Appendix 2 THE BWF-HHMI COURSES IN
Page 120 and 121:
Appendix 2 The BWF-HHMI Courses in
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 144 and 145:
Appendix 4 COURSE SUMMARY EVALUATIO
Page 146:
Appendix 4 Course Summary Evaluati
show all

Training Scientists to Make the Right Moves - Howard Hughes ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?