At the end of April, members of the CSBS team attended the 18th Annual Conference hosted by the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) in Indianapolis. This year’s conference theme, “Charting the Frontiers of Research Development,” focused on how professionals support institutions and researchers navigate an increasingly complex, competitive, and rapidly evolving research landscape.
The annual conference brought together research development professionals from across the country to exchange ideas, share emerging practices, and discuss strategies for advancing research, scholarship, and creative activity at their institutions. Sessions explored topics including faculty development, strategic communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, research advancement, and the shifting funding environment facing universities.
More than 20 colleagues from Illinois attended the conference, creating valuable opportunities to connect with peers across campus while also engaging with the broader national research development community. Representing CSBS at the conference were Kaylee Lukacena, Stephanie Sloane and Olivia Olvera, who participated in workshops, panels, and discussions centered on strengthening support for researchers and building institutional capacity for impactful, collaborative scholarship.
A major theme woven throughout the conference was the growing importance of adaptability in research development work. Across sessions, speakers emphasized the need to support researchers in communicating the significance and impact of their work particularly in a constrained and increasingly competitive funding environment.
Several CSBS attendees reflected on how this theme appeared across sessions.
I left the conference with fresh ideas for scaffolding training to help faculty strengthen how they communicate the significance and impact of their research across audiences. A key focus is building skills in adapting how research ideas are framed for different funding contexts, while also helping faculty develop a clear, brief narrative they can draw on when they are in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. This includes supporting more agile and responsive modes of research storytelling.
Kaylee Lukacena
CSBS Senior Research Development ManagerAnother recurring theme was the evolving role of artificial intelligence in research development and how institutions can thoughtfully integrate AI tools to better support research teams.
I attended multiple sessions on how research development staff and faculty are using AI to streamline and support internal-facing processes and workflows as well as to support research proposal development. The key takeaway was that AI is not a human replacement—it’s there to lighten the load. The goal in utilizing AI is to maximize the time faculty can dedicate to their own research.
Stephanie Sloane
CSBS Senior Research AssociateDiscussions also highlighted a shift toward more proactive research strategy, particularly in how institutions position themselves for funding opportunities and build interdisciplinary teams in advance.
One of the themes I heard repeatedly throughout the conference was that universities can no longer afford to simply react to funding opportunities. Institutions need to be strategic, positioning themselves ahead of opportunities and intentionally building interdisciplinary teams rather than assembling them at the last minute. I also heard a lot of discussion about local philanthropic ecosystems as an underutilized source of support, but one that depends on cultivating strong, long-term relationships rather than responding to open calls.
Olivia Olvera
CSBS Research Development SpecialistIn addition to formal sessions, the conference created space for informal connection and exchange with colleagues from institutions across the country. These conversations offered insight into shared challenges in research development and highlighted innovative approaches being used across the field. The experience reinforced the value of collaboration, community, and continuous learning in strengthening research development practice.
CSBS staff returned from the conference re-energized, bringing back strategies that will continue to inform how the center supports social and behavioral science researchers at Illinois, particularly in strengthening communication, collaboration, and research development practices.
CSBS Research Support Services
The CSBS research support team is available to assist faculty and research teams with proposal development, strategic communication, research narrative development, and building connections for interdisciplinary collaboration. We welcome opportunities to support projects at any stage, from early concept development to submission and dissemination.
For questions or support, please reach out—we’re here to help!