Main - USWORKSHOP

About the Workshop

Join NCURA, Polish Chamber of Commerce for High Technology and Poznan University of Technology for a dynamic one-day workshop “Strengthening U.S.–Central European Research Collaboration with an Emphasis on Defense-Related Research” which will prepare Polish and Central European universities and businesses to compete for, participate in, and responsibly manage U.S.-funded and international research collaborations with a focus on U.S. funded defense research. It will help participants understand the internal systems and professional expertise needed to engage effectively in transatlantic defense research, diversify international funding opportunities, and better navigate U.S. federal funding systems, in particular the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The discussion will include building institutional capacity in financial management, research compliance and security, and international collaboration.

Who Should Attend

• Researchers and Principal Investigators
• Research managers and administrators
• University leadership
• Faculty involved in international research
• Ukrainian researchers and support staff
• Professionals interested in U.S. federal funding and compliance

Key Themes

• U.S. federal funding overview

NIH - National Institute of Health
NSF - National Science Foundation
DoD - U.S. Department of Defense

• Opportunities working with the Department of Defense
• Strategies for identifying funding
• Varieties of DoD funding
• Compliance rules applying to DoD funding
• Financial, contracting and subcontracting management

NCURA Faculty

Shannon Sutton

Senior Grants & Contracts Administrator in the Office of Sponsored Projects at Western Illinois University

where she leads special projects, provides research administration expertise and training, and supports sponsored programs operations. She is a Certified Public Accountant and holds an MBA in Accounting from the University of Denver. With more than 25 years of research administration experience, Shannon brings extensive expertise in sponsored programs administration, financial management, compliance, policy development, and organizational leadership. Prior to returning to Western Illinois University in September 2026, Shannon served as Associate Director of University Research Centers at Georgia State University, where she led comprehensive pre- and post-award operations for the University Research Centers. She previously spent more than two decades at Western Illinois University, including serving as Director of Sponsored Projects and, concurrently for two years, Interim Vice President for Finance and Administration. In these leadership roles, she advanced sponsored programs infrastructure and policy, strengthened institutional compliance, and provided strategic leadership across research administration and university operations. Shannon has served in numerous national and regional leadership roles, including NCURA Treasurer, Region IV Treasurer and Board Member, and Vice President/President-Elect. She currently serves as NCURA President.

Ara Tahmassian

Chief Research Compliance Officer, Harvard University

Ara Tahmassian, Ph.D., is the Chief Research Compliance Officer at Harvard University, where he oversees research compliance activities across the institution. He leads efforts to integrate and coordinate compliance requirements, manage institutional committees, and develop policies that address research-related risks. Ara is also a Fulbright Specialist and an active contributor to national and international compliance initiatives.

Eva Björndal

Head of Department of the ITM School Office at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden

Eva Björndal is the Head of Department of the ITM School Office at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. Previously, Eva has served as the Director of Research Award Administration (Pre- and Post-Award) at King’s College London. In this role she leads the pre- and post-award services which are responsible for the financial management, audit preparations and financial compliance of externally funded grants, both national and international. Eva has 22 years of Research Management experience in leadership roles both in Sweden and the UK. She has given numerous workshops and presentations on Grants Management in Asia, Africa, Europe and the USA and is currently the Treasurer-elect of the National Council of University Administrators in the USA.

John Hanold

Associate Vice President for Research, Director of Research Administration Services, Pennsylvania State University.

John Hanold has worked as a Penn State research administrator in various capacities, serving in Materials Science and Engineering (1995-1996), the Institute for Policy Research and Evaluation (1996-2001), and the Office of Sponsored Programs (2001 to 2024), and the Office of Research Administration Services (2024 to date). As an instructor and content developer for PSU’s ACES program, John provides comprehensive training to PSU staff in all aspects of pre-award and post-award research administration. He has taught over 50 philosophy classes at Penn State, including classes in logic, ethical theory, business ethics, medical ethics, and research ethics. John has served on PSU’s Conflict of Interest Committee, the Research and Graduate School Diversity Council, the University Ethics Committee, the Ethics and Compliance Council, the Human Research Protection Program Executive Committee, and the Research Security Advisory Board. He has taught national and international workshops on federal contracting, industry contracting, international contracting, export control regulations, research ethics, and the art of contract negotiation. John is a 1990 graduate of Marquette University (B.A., philosophy) and a 1999 graduate of Penn State (Ph.D., philosophy).

Background on NCURA

The National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) is the premier professional association for research management and administration, with a membership network spanning more than 1,900 institutions across 47 countries. For over six decades, NCURA has advanced excellence in the global research enterprise by delivering training, fostering professional exchange, and building institutional capacity. Its member institutions are deeply committed to NCURA’s mission, with experts volunteering their time and expertise to design and deliver high-quality programs worldwide. NCURA has a proven track record of implementing State Department funded capacity-building programs in Egypt, Jordan, Georgia, and across Europe, where it has strengthened research administration systems, enhanced compliance with international standards, and cultivated long-term partnerships between local institutions and global research communities. This extensive experience, coupled with the active support of its member institutions, positions NCURA as a trusted partner to lead international collaborations and to design and implement sustainable models for research capacity development in the Middle East and beyond. NCURA also participated in the US-Italy Joint Committee Meetings (JCM) in 2022, and Finnish-US JCM in 2023, leading the discussion of research security, illustrating research administrators are at the forefront of research security issues, representing the nexus between funding agencies and institutions. NCURA is also the National Contact Point (NCP) for legal and financial matters for the United States in the European Commission Horizon Europe program.

Registration

Pogrubione skróty Registration: 450 PLN + 23% VAT
IZTECH Members:  350 PLN + 23% VAT
Ukrainian citizens: Free