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International Collaborations: Policies, Processes, & Partnerships


Virtual PreCon Event: November 9, 2022 ET
International Collaborations: Policies, Processes, & Partnerships
  • Are you from a foreign organization looking to secure NIH funding?
  • Are you a domestic researcher looking to partner with a foreign entity?
  • Or are you a domestic institution partnering with a foreign collaborator?

This event is designed to provide each of these audiences with valuable tools and guidance on navigating NIH grants policies and processes. Don't miss this engaging and informative time with NIH experts as they share resources and knowledge during the presentations, case studies, and live Q&A.

Presentations & Q&A: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM ET
Continuing the Conversation: Post-Event Discussion: 2:35 PM – 3:30 PM ET

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Virtual Event Overview

Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Time: 11:00 AM – 3:30 PM ET

One-Time Registration Required: NIHGrantsConference.vfairs.com
(If you have already registered on the NIH Grants Conference & PreCon Events website, then you do not need to register again!)

Log In: Once registered, you can join live events and explore the NIH Exhibit Hall with additional resources at Institute, Center, & Office Booths.

During this event, participants will:
  • Gain a better understanding of NIH grants policies, processes, and systems affecting applications and awards with foreign components;
  • Obtain guidance from NIH experts on partnering with foreign institutions;
  • Participate in a case study discussion of issues impacting registration and the application process.

Event Resources:

Agenda

11:00 AM - 11:10 AM

Welcome & Overview

Moderator: Kasima Garst, M.F.S.
Systems Policy Analyst
Office of Policy for Extramural Research (OPERA), NIH

11:10 AM - 11:55 PM

Understanding International Collaborations

  • Policies, processes, and systems, including common registration issues related to foreign applicants and awardees, foreign sub awards, and foreign components
  • Q&A
Presenter: Michelle Bulls
Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), NIH

Presenter: Emily Linde
Director, Grants Management Program
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH

Presenter: Kristin Ta
Senior Advisor
Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), NIH

11:55 AM - 12:00 PM

5-Minute Break


12:00 PM - 12:20 PM

Sub Award Agreements: Case Studies on What Should Be Included

Presenter: Michelle Bulls
Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Presenter: Kristin Ta
Senior Advisor
Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), NIH

12:20 PM - 12:45 PM

A Walk-Through of the Federal Financial Report (FFR)

Presenter: Emily Linde
Director, Grants Management Program
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH

Presenter: Alan Whatley
Lead Grants Financial Analyst
Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

12:45 AM - 12:50 PM

5-Minute Break


12:50 PM - 1:35 PM

Collaborating and Partnering with Foreign Entities From a Scientific Perspective

  • How to identify potential collaborators
  • How U.S. institutions collaborate with foreign institutions
  • How to set up programs designed to support foreign collaborations
  • Q&A
Presenter: Emily Linde
Director, Grants Management Program
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH

Presenter: Glen C. McGugan, Jr. Ph.D.
Program Officer
Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH

1:35 AM - 1:40 PM

5-Minute Break


1:40 PM - 2:25 PM

Foreign Interference

  • Protecting biomedical research, innovation, and research integrity
  • Q&A
Presenter: Ki-Cha Flash-Zapata, M.S., M.B.A.
Deputy Director, Division of Grants Compliance and Oversight
Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

2:25 PM - 2:30 PM

Acknowledgments & Closing


2:30 AM - 2:35 PM

5-Minute Break


2:35 PM - 3:30 PM

Continuing the Conversation: Building a Successful Program to Support International Collaborations

Moderator: Pamela A. Webb
Associate Vice President for Research
University of Minnesota

Presenter: Kim Moreland
Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Administration
Director, Research and Sponsored Programs
University of Wisconsin - Madison

Presenter: Elizabeth D. Peloso
Associate Vice President & Associate Vice Provost
University of Pennsylvania

Presenter: Geeta K. Swamy, M.D.
Vice Dean for Scientific Integrity
Haywood Brown, MD Distinguished Professor of Women's Health
Duke University

Presenters

Click the image to view bios of each presenter.

Michelle G. Bulls
Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Michelle Bulls is the Director of the Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA) with policy and compliance oversight for the 24 Institutes and Centers' grants management offices within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She provides national leadership and oversight in the business and financial management of the federal assistance biomedical research programs supported by NIH.

Ms. Bulls provides over 30 years of grants policy and compliance administration experience and is well respected Federal-wide for her expertise. She continues to lead, on a national scale, grants policy and compliance efforts in implementing financial assistance regulations and policies across the Federal research platform. Ms. Bulls continues to serve as a leader where she champions and drives harmonization, grants management streamlining, and reformation efforts for financial assistance research programs across the Federal government.

Ki-Cha Flash-Zapata, M.S., M.B.A.
Deputy Director, Division of Grants Compliance and Oversight, Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Ki-Cha Flash-Zapata, M.S., M.B.A., is the Deputy Director of the Division of Grants Compliance and Oversight in the OER's Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA). She assists the grants management staff and recipients in understanding their responsibility in safeguarding Federal funds, establishing and maintaining effective management of resources, and monitoring compliance with Federal requirements, policies, regulations, and legislative mandates. Ms. Flash-Zapata previously served in awards management for over 13 in the areas of Other Transactions Authority and Grants Management throughout her tenure at the NIH. In 2008, she served as an Administrative Fellow at the NIH. In 2008 and 2009, Ms. Flash-Zapata earned a dual master's degree in healthcare administration and in business administration.

Kasima Garst, M.F.S.
Systems Policy Analyst, Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Kasima Garst, M.F.S., is a Systems Policy Analyst in the OER's Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA) Systems Policy Branch. Ms. Garst represents NIH on systems policy initiatives at the HHS and Federal-wide levels and works with key NIH stakeholders to ensure successful implementation of critical systems, policies, and compliance requirements across the NIH. Prior to joining OPERA in 2019, she was a Grants Management Officer at the NIH Fogarty International Center and a Grants Management Specialist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Ms. Garst earned her bachelor's degree in molecular biology and biochemistry from Middlebury College and a Master of Forensic Sciences degree in forensic molecular biology from George Washington University.

Emily Linde
Director, Grants Management Program, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH

Emily Linde is the Director of the Grants Management Program for the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Ms. Linde has been in grants management at the National Institutes of Health for over 20 years. Prior to joining NIAID, she worked at several other institutes, including the Office of the Director (OD) where she served in the Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA); the National Cancer Institute (NCI); and the Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

Glen C. McGugan, Jr. Ph.D.
Program Officer, Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH

Dr. Glen McGugan, Ph.D., is a Program Officer in the Parasitology and International Programs Branch (PIPB) in the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). He oversees a portfolio of research grants focused on various aspects of the biology of medically relevant protozoan and helminth parasites. He also serves as the contracting officer's scientific and technical representative for the Schistosomiasis Resource Center. He is particularly interested in global health, advising trainees and early career researchers, and currently oversees the International Research in Infectious Diseases (IRID) program. Dr. McGugan received a B.S. from the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. from Clemson University, and conducted postdoctoral research as an IRTA fellow in the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases at NIAID.

Kristin Ta
Senior Advisor, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Kristin Ta joined the Division of Grants Policy as a Grants Policy Analyst and currently serves as a Senior Advisor to the OPERA Director. Ms. Ta has been with NIH for over 11 years, and previously served as a Senior Program Analyst in the Office of Management Assessment, Division of Program Integrity, where she led reviews of allegations of misuse of NIH grant and contract funds and employee misconduct. Prior to that, she worked as a post-award administrator in the Department of Biochemistry at George Washington University. Ms. Ta studied health and societies and environmental studies at the University of Pennsylvania and has an MPH in health promotion from George Washington University.

Alan Whatley
Lead Grants Financial Analyst, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Alan Whatley is the Lead Grants Financial Analyst within the Federal Financial Report (FFR) Reconciliation and Financial Closeout Center, located within the NIH Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA). Joining in 2022, Mr. Whatley's team focuses on the review of FFRs and ensures that each accepted FFR results in a successfully closed document in the Payment Management System.

Prior to joining OPERA, Mr. Whatley had worked in the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR) since May 2021 as a budget analyst. The OAR is responsible for allocating and maintaining the entire NIH HIV/AIDS budget. There, Mr. Whatley worked with the NIH institutes and centers within his portfolio to ensure they successfully reported totals for their HIV/AIDS categories in the required systems for each budget cycle within the fiscal year.

Mr. Whatley began his journey with NIH in December 1998 with the Office of Financial Management (OFM), General Ledger Branch (GLB) where he worked as an accountant. He worked in the GLB from 1998–2006 performing various financial duties such as Interagency Payment and Collection, interagency agreement processing, fund balance with Treasury cash reconciliations, and Intra-Departmental Delegation of Authority fund transfers with other Department of Health and Human Services operating divisions. In 2006, Mr. Whatley transitioned to the Government Accounting Branch (GAB) of OFM. While in the GAB, he worked with all financial aspects of NIH grants with a focus on the processing of FFRs. There, he led a team of 6–9 accountants and financial management analysts in their daily duties.

Mr. Whatley graduated from Morgan State University in 1996 with a B.S. in accounting.

Michelle G. Bulls
Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Michelle Bulls is the Director of the Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA) with policy and compliance oversight for the 24 Institutes and Centers' grants management offices within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She provides national leadership and oversight in the business and financial management of the federal assistance biomedical research programs supported by NIH.

Ms. Bulls provides over 30 years of grants policy and compliance administration experience and is well respected Federal-wide for her expertise. She continues to lead, on a national scale, grants policy and compliance efforts in implementing financial assistance regulations and policies across the Federal research platform. Ms. Bulls continues to serve as a leader where she champions and drives harmonization, grants management streamlining, and reformation efforts for financial assistance research programs across the Federal government.

Ki-Cha Flash-Zapata, M.S., M.B.A.
Deputy Director, Division of Grants Compliance and Oversight, Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Ki-Cha Flash-Zapata, M.S., M.B.A., is the Deputy Director of the Division of Grants Compliance and Oversight in the OER's Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA). She assists the grants management staff and recipients in understanding their responsibility in safeguarding Federal funds, establishing and maintaining effective management of resources, and monitoring compliance with Federal requirements, policies, regulations, and legislative mandates. Ms. Flash-Zapata previously served in awards management for over 13 in the areas of Other Transactions Authority and Grants Management throughout her tenure at the NIH. In 2008, she served as an Administrative Fellow at the NIH. In 2008 and 2009, Ms. Flash-Zapata earned a dual master's degree in healthcare administration and in business administration.

Kasima Garst, M.F.S.
Systems Policy Analyst, Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Kasima Garst, M.F.S., is a Systems Policy Analyst in the OER's Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA) Systems Policy Branch. Ms. Garst represents NIH on systems policy initiatives at the HHS and Federal-wide levels and works with key NIH stakeholders to ensure successful implementation of critical systems, policies, and compliance requirements across the NIH. Prior to joining OPERA in 2019, she was a Grants Management Officer at the NIH Fogarty International Center and a Grants Management Specialist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Ms. Garst earned her bachelor's degree in molecular biology and biochemistry from Middlebury College and a Master of Forensic Sciences degree in forensic molecular biology from George Washington University.

Emily Linde
Director, Grants Management Program, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH

Emily Linde is the Director of the Grants Management Program for the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Ms. Linde has been in grants management at the National Institutes of Health for over 20 years. Prior to joining NIAID, she worked at several other institutes, including the Office of the Director (OD) where she served in the Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA); the National Cancer Institute (NCI); and the Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

Glen C. McGugan, Jr. Ph.D.
Program Officer, Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH

Dr. Glen McGugan, Ph.D., is a Program Officer in the Parasitology and International Programs Branch (PIPB) in the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). He oversees a portfolio of research grants focused on various aspects of the biology of medically relevant protozoan and helminth parasites. He also serves as the contracting officer's scientific and technical representative for the Schistosomiasis Resource Center. He is particularly interested in global health, advising trainees and early career researchers, and currently oversees the International Research in Infectious Diseases (IRID) program. Dr. McGugan received a B.S. from the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. from Clemson University, and conducted postdoctoral research as an IRTA fellow in the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases at NIAID.

Kristin Ta
Senior Advisor, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Kristin Ta joined the Division of Grants Policy as a Grants Policy Analyst and currently serves as a Senior Advisor to the OPERA Director. Ms. Ta has been with NIH for over 11 years, and previously served as a Senior Program Analyst in the Office of Management Assessment, Division of Program Integrity, where she led reviews of allegations of misuse of NIH grant and contract funds and employee misconduct. Prior to that, she worked as a post-award administrator in the Department of Biochemistry at George Washington University. Ms. Ta studied health and societies and environmental studies at the University of Pennsylvania and has an MPH in health promotion from George Washington University.

Alan Whatley
Lead Grants Financial Analyst, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), Office of Extramural Research (OER), NIH

Alan Whatley is the Lead Grants Financial Analyst within the Federal Financial Report (FFR) Reconciliation and Financial Closeout Center, located within the NIH Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA). Joining in 2022, Mr. Whatley's team focuses on the review of FFRs and ensures that each accepted FFR results in a successfully closed document in the Payment Management System.

Prior to joining OPERA, Mr. Whatley had worked in the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR) since May 2021 as a budget analyst. The OAR is responsible for allocating and maintaining the entire NIH HIV/AIDS budget. There, Mr. Whatley worked with the NIH institutes and centers within his portfolio to ensure they successfully reported totals for their HIV/AIDS categories in the required systems for each budget cycle within the fiscal year.

Mr. Whatley began his journey with NIH in December 1998 with the Office of Financial Management (OFM), General Ledger Branch (GLB) where he worked as an accountant. He worked in the GLB from 1998–2006 performing various financial duties such as Interagency Payment and Collection, interagency agreement processing, fund balance with Treasury cash reconciliations, and Intra-Departmental Delegation of Authority fund transfers with other Department of Health and Human Services operating divisions. In 2006, Mr. Whatley transitioned to the Government Accounting Branch (GAB) of OFM. While in the GAB, he worked with all financial aspects of NIH grants with a focus on the processing of FFRs. There, he led a team of 6–9 accountants and financial management analysts in their daily duties.

Mr. Whatley graduated from Morgan State University in 1996 with a B.S. in accounting.

Day of the Event

NIH Exhibit Hall Booths

  • Event Support Booth (Staffed from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
  • NIH Grants Policy
  • Fogarty International Center (FIC)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Stop by the virtual NIH Exhibit Hall to view and download resources related to this event topic at one or all of these booths. If you have general questions, feel free to stop by the Event Support Booth. All booths have a “Contact” tab to send questions at any time.

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The NIH Office of Extramural Research strives to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage and participate fully. All presentations during the NIH Grants Conference and Pre-Con Events will include closed captions and ASL interpreters. In addition, look for this icon when navigating the virtual conference platform. It will allow you to customize the online conference pages to be more accessible based on needs.
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