ORED offers a variety of training and educational resources to help UA researchers and staff navigate the research process.
Pre-Award
Limited Submissions
Funding agencies (sponsors) may place limits on the number of letters of intent, pre-proposals, or proposals that any one university can submit in response to a funding opportunity announcement (commonly referred to as a Request for Proposals – RFP). The Limited Submissions Grant Application Process is designed to support an equitable review while preventing any disqualifications due to submissions from The University of Alabama beyond the allowed number.
Pivot
Presented by the ASSIST Office, attendees will learn how to utilize Pivot to locate external funding opportunities. Research faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to create an account in Pivot and to receive personalized weekly Funding Alert emails with funding announcements that match their specific research interests. Funding sponsors include federal agencies, commercial organizations, private foundations, other nonprofits, and professional associations. The session is one hour long. All faculty, staff, and students, have access to Pivot.
Proposal Overview and Instructional Videos
Cayuse Research Suite
The Cayuse Research Suite is a connected cloud-based research suite that is designed to simplify the preparation and electronic submission of proposals and other research administration processes. The system provides faculty and administrators with the opportunity to improve efficiency, collaboration, and compliance specific to research administration processes.
Post-Award
Banner Research
To access Banner Research forms, you must attend a Banner Research Training session. To register for a Banner Research Training session, you must first have completed Banner Navigation training. If you have not taken this training previously, please contact Staff Development and Training at (205) 348-9700. Banner Finance is also recommended.
To register for Banner Research Training, please contact Darlene Burkhalter at 205-348-3135 or darlene@ua.edu.
Sponsored Programs Dashboard
Effort Reporting System
To learn more, visit the Effort Reporting page.
Research Ethics & Compliance
Cayuse Outside Interests (Mentioned under OSP Cayuse, too)
IRB/Human Subject
The University of Alabama’s Human Research Protection Program uses industry-standard training required at peer universities and federal research institutions. The Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training is transferrable and meets requirements for collaborative or multi-site studies. If a researcher has previously taken CITI human protections training at UA or at another institution, they can affiliate with UA through their CITI account to transfer completed courses without retaking them.
The trainings that meet UA Human Research Protection program training requirement are the Basic Biomedical Research OR the Basic Social and Behavioral Research course. These are the only courses that meet the initial training requirement. Human Subjects CITI training remains valid for 3 years, at which point a refresher course must be completed. If you have not previously completed the Basic Biomedical Research OR the Basic Social and Behavioral Research course, taking the refresher course will not satisfy the training requirement.
UA faculty, staff, and students can access the CITI Program’s Human Subjects Research Training through their existing myBama accounts. UA users should log into the myBama CITI Login Portal using their myBama username and password. All other non-UA investigators should go to www.citiprogram.org to access the training. To learn more visit the OREC Human Subjects Research (IRB) page.
For questions or unsure which course to complete, please contact the Office for Research Ethics & Compliance.
Conflict of Interest
UA’s FCOI Policy requires Investigators (project director or principal investigator and any other person, regardless of title of position, who is responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of research, whether externally or internally funded) to receive FCOI training from the University. Investigators must receive training related to FCOIs in research:
- Prior to engaging in sponsored research at the University;
- At least every 4 years; and
- Immediately under the following circumstances:
- University FCOI policies change in a manner that affects Investigator requirements;
- An investigator is new to the University; or
- The University finds an Investigator non-compliant with the University’s FCOI policy or management plan.
Investigators must take financial conflict of interest training every four years in CITI. Investigators should save a copy of the Certificate of Completion for their records (available in the completed courses section in CITI) CITI FCOI Training Instructions.
For more information, visit the RICIP Conflict of Interest page.
Responsible Conduct of Research
While Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training is recommended for all researchers, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) require faculty, undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and any staff participating in the research project to receive appropriate training in the RCR.
Investigators must take the RCR training every four years in CITI and save a copy of the Certificate of Completion for their records (available in the completed courses section in CITI) CITI RCR Instructions.
For more information, visit the RICIP Responsible Conduct of Research page.
Webinar Series
Traditionally, responsible conduct of research (RCR) training has focused on ensuring that investigators follow industry-, agency-, and government-specific regulations to avoid the negative consequences of non-compliance. Our RCR training series provides University of Alabama investigators with enrichment opportunities intended to promote and maintain a culture of ethical research and innovation.
Our webinars are typically one hour and are open to all UA students, faculty, and staff. All presentations provide in-person Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training credit hours towards the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 8-hour in-person RCR training requirement.
Animal Subjects (IACUC)
The IACUC requires that all IACUC members, researchers, students, and anyone working with laboratory animals complete training prior to any involvement with animal subjects. The IACUC supports two online training programs that are designed to provide the user with the required information on the humane care and use of laboratory animals as mandated by federal regulations. View the CITI IACUC Training Instructions.
To learn more, visit the ORC Animal Subjects Research page.
IBC
All faculty, staff and students working with biohazardous materials or recombinant/synthetic nucleic acids must complete the required biosafety training within 60 days of IBC registration and prior to initiating work.
Baseline IBC/Biosafety training is required for all investigators, staff, students, and visiting scientists listed on an approved IBC protocol. The training covers safe laboratory practices, regulatory responsibilities, risk assessment, and emergency procedures for work involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids and other biohazards. The required course, “Initial Biosafety Training” is delivered through the CITI Program. This training must be renewed every three (3) years and satisfies the Institutional Biosafety Committee’s (IBC) baseline training requirement.
Depending on the type and risk level of the work, additional modules or certifications may be required, such as:
- Bloodborne Pathogens Training (for human or animal materials)
- rDNA and Viral Vector Modules (for gene manipulation or viral systems)
- Shipping of Biological Materials (for those packaging or transporting biohazards)
- Select Agent or Gene-Drive Training, when applicable
Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), through its Biological Safety Program, provides and tracks these trainings, conducts laboratory inspections, and advises on containment practices and personal protective equipment (PPE).
The Office for Research Ethics & Compliance (OREC) ensures that IBC training requirements are met for protocol approval and coordinates with EHS to confirm compliance with the NIH Guidelines. The Biological Safety Program, managed by EHS, provides additional biosafety and laboratory safety training through Skillsoft, conducts inspections, and assists researchers with operational safety practices.
Institutions that receive NIH funding for research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules must comply with the NIH Guidelines. Even if only one project benefits from NIH support, all similar research conducted at UA must follow the NIH Guidelines.
Training completion must be verified before the IBC grants final approval for any protocol.
For Training:
Other
Two Minute Tuesdays
In an effort to provide education and support to our faculty, staff, and administrators, the Office for Research & Economic Development presents brief, two- to three-minute videos on specific, targeted subject matter. The subjects are diverse and timely to keep UA employees up to date and informed on the ever-changing rules, procedures, and regulations in University research.
If you have questions, please email Lauren Wilson at lawilson64@ua.edu.
Faculty Workshops
NSF Career Program
NSF CAREER Program is a virtual workshop presented by Dr. Kelvin Chu, former NSF program officer. Topics include an overview of TIG services, a background on the NSF CAREER program, best practices for developing a 1-pager for NSF program staff, how to develop a compelling project description with integrated plans for research and education, and the NSF merit review process.
Networking: Collaborative Arts Research Initiative
The Collaborative Arts Research Initiative (CARI) is an interdisciplinary, arts-focused research engine driven by the interests of faculty from across the University. By facilitating collaborations across disciplines, CARI maximizes the impact of faculty arts research, while enriching the University, local, and regional communities. This speed networking session seeks to assist UA faculty interested in pursuing collaborative arts research.
We invite UA faculty members from a wide range of disciplines to participate in a discussion of ongoing projects, potential funding sources, and next steps toward forming collaborative teams and structuring projects. We encourage faculty with active research projects as well as those with an interest in future projects to participate in this networking opportunity.
Speed Networking is a fun and fast-paced way to bring together faculty researchers from different disciplines who otherwise might not meet. The goal is to provide a structured format in which researchers can explore new partnerships outside their usual group of collaborators, discuss research expertise, spark new approaches, and evaluate the potential for future collaboration.
Workshops and Webinars
Our workshops and webinars are typically one hour and are open to all UA students, faculty, and staff. All presentations provide in-person Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training credit hours towards the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 8-hour in-person RCR training requirement.