WHAT WILL YOU GET
- Insights into entrepreneurship, lab management, and career development
- Best practices for building biosketches, ORCiD profiles, and academic
presence - Practical guidance on responsible AI use in academic research
- Strategies for maximizing research, internship, and externship experiences
- Skills for crafting and delivering effective oral presentations
OUR ACTIVITIES
- Morning breakout sessions across three tracks: Student Series, Career Series, and Research Writing Series
- Networking lunch with peers, faculty, and professionals
- Graduate and Professional School Fair
OUR GOAL
Give researchers at every stage of their career the tools and relationships they need to make their work matter beyond the lab
Register
Share our flyer (PDF)
I. Dodd Wilson Education Building at UAMS — Driving directions
Contact information:
INBRE Liaison for PUI Faculty
(501) 686-5823 | Email
Agenda (Tentative, as of June 9, 2026)
10 to 10:15 AM | Registration & Grab-and-Go Breakfast
Participants arrive, check in, and enjoy a light grab-and-go breakfast while networking informally.
10:15 to 10:25 AM | Welcome & Workshop Overview
Samantha Kendrick, PhD; Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; PUI Liaison, AR INBRE
Morning Sessions
50-minute sessions
Student Series
10:30 AM | Making the Most of Your Research/Internship Experiences
This session helps students identify how to maximize learning, skill development, and professional growth during research and internship experiences. Participants will learn how to articulate these experiences for future academic or career opportunities.
Jingyi Chen, PhD; Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Feng Wang, PhD; Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
11:20 AM | Graduate School Fellowship Opportunities
Students will explore a range of fellowship opportunities, including eligibility, application timelines, and strategies for crafting competitive applications. The session will also highlight how fellowships can support academic and career goals.
Jingyi Chen, PhD; Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Feng Wang, PhD; Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville & TBD, Graduate Student
12:10 PM | How to Create and Deliver Effective Oral Presentations
This session focuses on building clear, engaging, and confident oral presentations. Students will learn strategies for organizing content, designing effective visuals, and delivering presentations to diverse audiences.
Felipe Pruneda Senties, PhD; Director of the Writing Center, Hendrix College
Career Series
10:30 AM | Making the Most of Your Externship Experiences
This session is geared towards technicians, post-docs, research associates and faculty to provide guidance on how to gain meaningful skills, build professional relationships, and translate externship experiences into long-term career benefits.
TBD, Title
11:20 AM | Bridging Entrepreneurship and Research
Participants including but not limited to faculty and post-docs will explore how research ideas can be translated into entrepreneurial ventures. Topics include innovation pathways, commercialization basics, and collaboration between academia and industry.
Eric Peterson, Associate Professor, Pharmacology and Toxicology, UAMS; President of Bioventures, LLC
12:10 PM | Approaches to Laboratory/Workplace Management
This session addresses effective management practices for laboratories and professional workplaces, including leadership, communication, compliance, and team development.
TBD, Title
Research Writing Series
10:30 AM | Research Papers and Navigating Reviews, Revisions, and Resubmission
Participants will learn how to respond constructively to reviewer feedback, manage revisions, and improve manuscripts for successful publication.
Alicia Byrd, PhD, Assistant Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UAMS
11:20 AM | How to Develop Research Plans
Faculty and post-docs will learn how to design clear, compelling research plans, including defining objectives, methodologies, and expected outcomes for grant and project applications.
Kerry Evans, PhD, ELS; Director of Science Communication Group, UAMS
12:10 PM | From Navigating ORCiD to Crafting Profiles and Biosketches
This session covers best practices for developing strong biosketches and academic profiles with a close look into navigating ORCiD and new SciEnv policies. Participants will learn how to effectively present accomplishments, funding history, and research impact.
Nicole Schartz, PhD, Research Compliance Analyst, Division and Staff of Research and Innovation, UAMS
1 to 2:30 PM | Networking Lunch
Participants enjoy lunch while networking with peers, faculty, and professionals across disciplines and engaging in either or both the fairs below.
Networking Fairs
1:20 PM | Core Facility Exchange Directors Fair
This interactive fair offers all participants the opportunity to meet core facility directors, learn about available resources, and discuss how shared facilities can support research and professional development.
1:20 PM | Graduate and Professional School Fair
This fair connects students with representatives from graduate and professional programs. Participants can explore program options, admissions requirements, and pathways to advanced study.
Afternoon Sessions
50-minute sessions
Research Toolbox Series
2:30 PM | Clarifying Your Research Story: The Message Box Approach
This session for all participants introduces the “message box” framework as a tool for clarifying research ideas and strengthening written and oral communication. Appropriate for all participants will learn how to articulate the problem, significance, approach, and impact of their work to improve grants, manuscripts, and proposals.
Amy Hopper Swan, MBA; Principal, Swan Impact Strategies; Consultant, ARise
3:20 PM | Practical and Responsible AI Applications in Academic Research
This session for all participants explores the effective use of artificial intelligence tools to support the research process, from literature review and data analysis, project organization and productivity, to grant writing, including idea development, drafting support, and compliance considerations. Participants will also discuss ethical considerations, limitations, and best practices for responsible AI use in research.
TBD, Title
4:15 to 4:30 PM | General Meeting Adjourns
Sarah Burnett Smith, MPA; Program Director Arkansas Research Alliance; Principal Investigator, AR-NETWORK
Page updated 04/10/26