Current Webinars

Let's Talk AI Club 2026-2027

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:13:49 GMT

Held on: Apr 15 2026, Sept 9, 2026, Nov 18, 2026, Jan 20, 2026

Join our bi-monthly “Let’s Talk AI” Club sessions! As the field of generative AI rapidly evolves, research administrators face the challenge of staying informed. Our sessions feature expert speakers who delve into practical applications of generative AI tools. Learn how to harness this technology effectively in research administration. Engage in group discussions and get your questions answered during our Q & A period.

Organizers: Karen Mosier and Bonnie Zink

Karen E. Mosier

Research Coordinator

Department of Surgery/University of Saskatchewan

Bonnie Zink

Knowledge Mobilization and Community-Based Learning Specialist

SK-NEIHR

bonnie@bonniezink.com

Grant Facilitators’ Journal Club Series 2026-27

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:17:57 GMT

The next Grant Facilitators’ Journal Club is Friday, September 11 at 2pm EDT.

Join us, every second Friday of the month, to share your reflections, experiences, and get advice from others as we discuss a journal article from our field of work.

The article chosen for discussion will be announced in the week prior to the meeting. To consult the list of past presentations: Journal Club Sessions.

Watch the CARA listserv or CARA website for more information on upcoming sessions and contact the organizers to suggest a future journal club article or to volunteer to host a session. Registering below will grant you access to all Journal Club sessions from April 2026 to March 2027.

As a way to continue our monthly conversations, we have started an on-line Grant Facilitators Community of Practice (CoP). Participants are mostly Journal Club Attendees. If you would like to join, please contact coordinator@cara-acaar.ca to be added to the list.

Next Session:

The next Grant Facilitators’ Journal Club is Friday, September 11, 2026.

Friday October 9, 2026, 2-3pm ET.
Friday, November 13, 2026, 2-3pm ET.

Presenter: to be announced

Organizers:

Brandi Povitz

Research Grants Development Officer

Cumming School of Medicine | University of Calgary

brandi.povitz@ucalgary.ca

Gen Clark

Manager, Research Development and Graduate Affairs

College of Pharmacy and Nutrition | University of Saskatchewan

gen.clark@usask.ca

Ann-Marie Field

Research Facilitator

Faculty of Communication | Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

field.ann-marie@uqam.ca

College Best Practices - Discussion Group

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:20:51 GMT

These interactive, bi-monthly meetings invite college research administrators to share information about the strengths and challenges of their research offices. Newer offices to seasoned setups that have changed and grown over the years – all are welcome to share best practices, pitfalls, cautions, and lessons learned in how to create a functional and successful applied research office within the broader institutional college setting.

Next meeting: Wednesday, September 16, 12-1pm ET

Registering below will grant you access to the following 2026 "College Best Practices – Discussion Group" sessions:

Wednesday, September 16, 12-1pm ET

Wednesday, November 25, 12-1pm ET

Wednesday, January 13, 12-1pm ET

Wednesday, March 17, 12-1pm ET

Facilitated by: Rachel Brown

Rachel is the Manager of Finance Operations and Compliance at Niagara College’s Research & Innovation division, and the current President of the Canadian Association of Research Administrators (CARA).

Research Administration and Research Management and Coordination Certificate Overview

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT

August 31st, 2026. 12-1PM EDT.

Learn more about the fully online Research Administration Certificate and Research Management and Coordination Certificate at Mohawk College. This webinar will outline the similarities and differences between these programs , aimed at various career stages in research administration.

Led by industry professionals, courses are offered in a flexible, part-time, online and interactive format that may include face-to-face live video conferencing, allowing you to learn in an engaging environment without interrupting your current employment.

Presented by:

Alison Prescott, Keith Friedlander, and Heather Poechman

The AI Architect: Building Your Personal Research Admin Toolkit

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

September 21, 2026, 12-1:30pm EDT.

Ready to stop talking about AI and start using it? Building on the momentum and expert insights from the CARA 2026 conference, this high-octane workinar bridges the gap between abstract potential and your daily workflow. This is not a lecture; it is a lab. We will build upon the AI skills and concepts we learned at the CARA 2026 conference, but the real work happens when you bring your unique challenges to the table. Together, we will develop, refine, and stress-test custom prompts and agents live, in the moment. You will walk away with a personalized, professional-grade toolkit and the skills to keep building long after the session ends.

Please note this is a 90-minute session.

Presented by: Bonnie Zink

Bonnie Zink: Knowledge Mobilizer, AI Orchestrator, and Professional Jargon-Buster

Bonnie Zink is a Regina-based knowledge mobilizer, research communicator, and AI Coach who has spent over 20 years proving that complex data doesn't have to be dry. She bridges the gap between "knowing" and "doing" by turning dense academic insights into clear, actionable, and occasionally even witty stories.

In the AI arena, Bonnie isn’t just watching the revolution; she’s guiding the transformation. She specializes in helping nonprofits develop robust AI policies, skills, and comfort, ensuring organizations can use GenAI ethically and effectively without losing their human touch.

Bonnie’s eBook series, The Mobilized Mind, is a go-to resource for anyone looking to bridge the gap between ethical AI and practical knowledge mobilization.

When she isn’t busy "humanizing" the machine, Bonnie is:

The Architect of Impact: A recognized leader in her field, named a Top Knowledge Mobilizer in the KMb 100, with a track record of helping researchers secure high-stakes Tri-Council (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) grants.
A Community Connector: A Co-Founder of KM in the AM, she has spent over a decade building a community of practice that makes knowledge mobilization look easy.
A Literary Leader: Serving as the Event Planning Chair for the Creative NonFiction Collective of Canada (CNFC), where she recently organized their most successful writing festival to date (2025), and an active member of the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild (SWG).
A Master of Complexity: Bonnie is a Stitching Coach and Designer. Her philosophy? If she can successfully sort out a complicated lace knitting pattern, managing multi-stakeholder research grants is a walk in the park.
A Proven Communicator: From leading the "Literacy Changes Lives" campaign (which reached 24 million people in a single day) to serving on local advisory groups, Bonnie knows how to move people and policy.

Bonnie is here today to help us stop being discomforted by the future and start using AI as your most efficient, creative teammate.

Contract Negotiation: Moving from Protection to Enablement

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Sept 24, 2026, 12-1pm EDT.

Identifying issues in a research contract is only the starting point. The real challenge, and opportunity, lies in discerning what truly matters and focusing your efforts where they have the greatest impact. How do we avoid over-negotiating while ensuring our institutions remain appropriately protected?

In this interactive panel discussion, experienced research contract professionals will share practical lessons learned from the field. What works, what doesn’t and when it’s time to let go. Moving beyond clause-by-clause analysis, our speakers will explore how to prioritize key risks, build trust within your institution and approach negotiations with context and purpose.

Designed for contract reviewers, negotiators and research administrators at all experience levels, this session emphasizes a shift from a purely protective mindset to one that enables research and collaboration. Join us for an open and welcoming conversation and bring your most pressing questions. This is your opportunity to learn from experienced practitioners and gain insights you can immediately apply to your work.

Presented by:

Panelists

Delilah Ofosu-Barko, Director, Research Operations at Trillium Health Partners and

Kirstyn Dillon, Contracts Specialist, University of Calgary

Moderated by: Michelle Moldofsky, Founder, Moldofsky Professional Corporation

Coaching the first draft: A practical framework for early-stage grant development

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

October 1, 2026, 12-1pm EDT.

Research administrators and facilitators often meet faculty members when they have a promising idea but no proposal draft. This session presents a practical process that combines coaching questions with a Grant Proposal Canvas to help principal investigators organize their ideas into a clear proposal framework in less than an hour. The coaching questions guide the conversation by helping faculty clarify the research problem, objectives, significance, methods, team, expected outcomes, and fit with the funding opportunity. As the PI responds, the research administrator captures the key points on the one-page Grant Proposal Canvas. This combined approach helps turn an early-stage conversation into a structured proposal outline while also identifying gaps that need further development.

Participants will see a demonstration of the process and practice using the coaching questions and canvas with a sample case. They will leave with a repeatable method they can use with both first-time and experienced applicants. No prior coaching experience is required.

Presented by: Rana Mustafa, PhDRana Mustafa, PhD, is a Research Facilitator with the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Engineering and an ICF-certified leadership and Positive Intelligence coach. Her research facilitation work includes Tri-Agency funding programs, industry partnerships, and international collaborations. She applies professional coaching methods in her day-to-day work with faculty, helping researchers clarify ideas, strengthen proposals, and move projects forward.

Beyond research facilitation, Dr. Mustafa supports displaced and immigrant scientists in moving beyond the “quiet expert” mindset. Through leadership development, Positive Intelligence, and personal branding, she helps scientists build confidence, resilience, and professional visibility so that their expertise can be recognized, valued, funded, and applied.

Her work on self-leadership and personal branding is featured in her chapter, “Trailblazing Through Adversity: The Power of Self-Leadership and Personal Branding for Displaced Women Scientists,” published in the 2024 book Evolution of Leadership in STEM: Women Catalyzing Change.

Her contributions have been recognized through the 2023 Newcomer Rising Leader Award (Toronto), the 2024 Immigrant Woman Resilience Award (Saskatoon), and the 2026 University of Saskatchewan Excellence in Research Administration Award.

Research Contract Templates: Understanding the When, How, Why and Impact

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

October 6, 2026, 12-1pm EDT.

Templates and master agreements are a great way to improve on contract review timelines. Many contract reviewers have questions about when to use a template, how to deal with entities that won’t use them, and how to engage in negotiating a template. This webinar will cover tips in using templates, how to implement them into the contract reviewer’s toolkit, what still needs to be reviewed when we receive a standardized template and what to consider when we’re at the table to develop a standardized template.

This webinar is aimed at administrators who manage a contracts office or process as well as front line contract negotiators.

Presented by: Delilah Ofosu-Barko and Michelle Moldofsky

Delilah Ofosu-Barko is Director, Research Operations at Trillium Health Partners, where she oversees operational and governance functions supporting research, innovation, and clinical research infrastructure. She brings more than 18 years of experience in research administration, research ethics, and academic health sciences operations, including leadership in research governance and research agreements management and is recognized for advancing accountable systems and responsible research practices. Delilah has held national leadership roles, including Past President of the Canadian Association of Research Ethics Boards (CAREB) and Co-Chair of the Ontario Hospital Association Research Community of Practice and is an active contributor to initiatives focused on responsible research, research security, and research governance.

Michelle Moldofsky is the founder of Moldofsky Professional Corporation, a law firm providing legal expertise to the not-for-profit, university, healthcare and small business sectors. She has a background in research administration and in the hospital sector in progressive in-house roles, including as General Counsel. Her experience includes providing enterprise-wide legal counsel, developing proactive policies and embedding best practices for leading Canadian healthcare and research institutions. She received her LL.M. in health law from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University and her law degree from Queen's University. Michelle speaks regularly about issues affecting researchers and research administrators; issues such as conflicts of interest, grants and contracts, procurement, privacy, participant consent, and research misconduct.

Beyond the Office: Strategic Visibility for Research Administrators and Building Professional Identity Through Measurable Impact

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

November 4, 2026, 12-1pm EDT.

Research administrators and facilitators create substantial value behind the scenes through coordination, judgment, relationship-building, problem-solving, risk management, and support for researchers and research teams. However, much of this work can remain unseen or difficult to explain. In this practical and interactive session, I would introduce the VISIBLE Impact Framework, a step-by-step approach to help help research professionals become more visible and ensure their work is recognized and valued.

The session includes reflection activities, practical examples relevant to research administrators, and a simple 30-day action plan that participants can use after the webinar.

Presented by: Rana Mustafa, PhD

Rana Mustafa, PhD, is a Research Facilitator with the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Engineering and an ICF-certified leadership and Positive Intelligence coach. Her research facilitation work includes Tri-Agency funding programs, industry partnerships, and international collaborations. She applies professional coaching methods in her day-to-day work with faculty, helping researchers clarify ideas, strengthen proposals, and move projects forward.