Shared resource administration is uniquely different from running a PI research lab. The University of Pittsburgh encourages our Facility Directors to participate in courses and organizations that further their skills and grows their network of those in similar positions.
The Katz School of Business has developed the Shared Research Facility Director Academy as a five-day professional development program designed for Shared Laboratory Research Facility Directors. This in-depth, on-site program will build your business knowledge and leadership skills. You will explore five core areas: accounting, marketing, operations management, strategy, and team collaboration, gaining practical tools you can apply immediately. From increasing space utilization, improving long-range planning, optimizing evidence-based decision making, increasing revenue, and strengthening team collaboration, this program provides the skills and confidence to lead with impact.
Two other important organizations for this are ABRF and UGIM. ABRF offers a business skills workshop that helps orient new core directors to the requirements of federal funding and networking opportunities to share best practices with others in their field, whether that is specifically a technical field, or the challenges common to shared resources.
For technical staff, both UGIM and ABRF offer research groups that develop and carry out benchmarking studies and technology comparison experiments. Working with colleagues to design a robust and reproducible experiment hones staff members’ skills, improving the support they offer users and thus the rigor and reproducibility of those projects.