Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to NCURA’s 65th Annual Meeting at the Washington Hilton, our home away from our home institutions, where we come together to engage, network, and learn.

We are very passionate about our meeting theme Inclusion. Inclusion is an intentional practice to ensure people are embraced and integrated to make meaningful contributions to an organization's success. Research administration and research itself must have proactive approaches to integrate different people, perspectives, approaches and thinking. Inclusion encourages people to feel valued for their unique qualities and experience and develop a sense of belonging in an organization. Working together through collaboration, communication, and compassion builds stronger outcomes in research administration.

There are 14 conference tracks. You will hear from a mix of new and experienced speakers from institutions of all type and sizes bringing together diverse perspectives on our panels and in our discussions. New this year will be a series of “Get Engaged” sessions that highlight the ways to be involved and engaged with NCURA and research administration. We will provide avenues for you to be involved to share your perspectives, approaches and thinking on research administration.

You won’t want to miss this keynote. The family of Henrietta Lacks will join us. Medical researchers took samples of Henrietta Lacks’ cancerous tumor during her treatment. These cells are known as “HeLa” cells - derived from the first two letters of her first and last name. HeLa cells were a breakthrough in cell research . It was not until 20 years after Henrietta’s death that her family would learn how science retrieved her cells and of her enormous contribution to medicine and humanity. You can learn more about Henrietta Lacks by visiting the Lack’s Family website or reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. In addition to the keynote, there will be an engaging panel book discussion organized by distinguished members of NCURA’s Select Committee for Diversity Equity and Inclusion.

In addition to the deep learning, there will be networking opportunities including a private evening reception on Sunday night at the stunning Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery (two venues under one roof!). The exhibitions at both venues are culturally rich representing a diverse group of artists.

There will be much learning, reflection, opportunities to network and fun. "Us" is at the center of Inclusion. AM65 focuses on "us"--we are all in this work together to advance and support research.

Sincerely,

Kris Monahan, NCURA Vice President, Chair, 65th Annual Meeting

Nancy Lewis, Co-Chair, 65th Annual Meeting

David Smelser, Co-Chair, 65th Annual Meeting