April 27, 2026
ABRF Core Administrators' Network,
Here's the AI-generated summary of the recent CAN meeting.
Let me know if you have any questions/updates.
A reminder that the next meeting is Thursday, May 14. Please share any suggested agenda items with Raj or me...
Thank you.
ABRF Core Administrators'' Network Meeting
April 9, 2026
Quick recap
The meeting focused on discussing feedback from the recent ABRF conference, where participants shared insights about workforce challenges, financial pressures, and operational changes affecting core facilities. Sarah provided a comprehensive summary of key themes from the conference discussions, including workforce instability, staffing constraints, budget limitations, and increased administrative oversight requirements. The group discussed how institutions are managing capital equipment purchases by negotiating extended maintenance contracts and warranties, with Rajesh sharing his institution's successful approach of securing 3-4 year maintenance agreements. The conversation also covered the potential for AI tools in core facilities, with Andrew mentioning a successful AI workshop and suggesting future sessions, while Rajesh recommended an MIT AI certification course. The conversation ended with a brief discussion about centralization models in core facilities and updates on a book project currently in development.
Next steps
- Andrew: Make an introduction between Michelle and Melissa Mann from St. Jude's regarding AI tools and survey prompts.
- Andrew: Share information about CAN CC best practices articles (including metrics paper and external customers best practices) with the group for consideration of updates.
- All (led by Rajesh): Bring up the topic of updating CAN CC best practices articles at the next meeting to see if anyone on the committee wants to take action on updating them.
- Rajesh, Gordon, Sibel, Gerard, and Joe: Finalize and submit the paper on centralization/federated models of core facilities in the next few weeks.
- Andrew: Provide an update on the status of the book (including chapters on final revision) once there is something formal to report.
- (If applicable) Nicole: At the small group meeting next Tuesday, discuss sending out a reminder or additional round of the survey to those who were not able to attend the meeting, to capture more feedback.
Summary
Meeting Logistics and Attendance Updates
The team discussed meeting logistics and attendance, noting that several people had messaged they couldn't attend and there were duplicate meeting invites. Rajesh confirmed they had one main topic to discuss regarding feedback from the meeting.
Focus Group and Workshop Updates
The team discussed a recent focus group and presentation that went well, with participants finding it difficult to choose between competing presentations. Rajesh's team conducted a fully attended PowerApps workshop that received positive feedback, though there were challenges with facilitation that could be improved in future sessions. Several team members including Roxann and Nicole were unable to attend the meeting due to scheduling conflicts, with Nicole rescheduling her discussion to next Tuesday at 3pm due to a prior commitment.
Workforce Trends and Financial Pressures
Sarah presented a summary of trends identified through transcription of notebooks, focusing on workforce instability, staffing constraints, and morale declines due to increased workloads and limited career advancement opportunities. She highlighted financial pressures including hiring freezes, budget constraints, and changes in capital investment strategies, as well as the need for increased administrative oversight and quantitative justification of value. The discussion also touched on institutional consolidation efforts and the broader changing research landscape, with participants noting a tension between short-term cost-cutting measures and long-term sustainability.
Institution Financial Strategy Discussion
Rajesh discussed the current financial situation of their institution, noting that while budgets have increased slightly and grants remain unchanged, indirect costs have not been reduced as expected. Andy confirmed that most institutions are maintaining a business-as-usual approach and haven't experienced specific indirect cost cuts yet, though Florida switched to 15% immediately. Rajesh shared that their institution successfully negotiated extended maintenance contracts with vendors as part of a capital spending strategy, avoiding OpEx increases for the following year.
ABRF Changes Impact Discussion
The group discussed the impact of potential changes at ABRF, with participants sharing experiences from recent meetings. Andrew reported that while most attendees were preparing for potential changes, some institutions had already implemented adjustments, including holding back IDC distribution, which caused subsequent issues. Natasha shared that her institution is in a holding pattern, with reluctance to make long-term commitments, especially regarding staff hiring and equipment purchases. The team agreed to follow up on survey responses to gather more feedback from those who couldn't attend the meeting.
Equipment Service Agreement Negotiations
Natasha discussed challenges with negotiating 3-year service agreements for equipment, noting that while they were previously allowed, the Office of Research has now restricted this practice. Meghan suggested pushing back to at least secure 2-year agreements during rate reviews to maintain consistent pricing. Andrew provided an update on an AI-related talk he attended, where Jim Chambers from UMass Amherst and Melissa Mann from St. Jude's shared insights on using AI tools for data analysis and user surveys, with a focus on developing effective prompts.
AI Tools Development Task Force
Andrew discussed the formation of a group or task force focused on developing AI tools and creating a repository for all to access, particularly for analyzing survey prompts. Rajesh shared his experience with a MIT certification course on AI implementation and digital transformation, highlighting its value but expressing concerns about time management and the cost of the program.
Next Year Meeting Planning Discussion
The group discussed planning for next year's meeting, with Andrew suggesting they reach out to Sean and Barbara, co-hosts of the 2027 Dallas meeting, about organizing pre-meeting workshops or in-meeting sessions. Andrew noted that there was significant interest in materials science sessions and mentioned that core directors would benefit from attending the meeting. Rajesh expressed enthusiasm about the potential for hands-on workshops, and Natasha referenced a successful mini bioimaging workshop from Experian 2025. Michelle shared her experience starting from scratch at UT Austin, where they lack user surveys and different tools are being used.
AI Implementation in Core Facilities
The group discussed several topics related to AI implementation and centralization in core facilities. Rajesh shared that a new paper on federated models of core facilities is about 70% complete and will be submitted soon, based on a survey conducted by Isabel and Joe. Andrew suggested updating previous best practices articles for current use, and Rajesh requested that Andrew share these resources for potential discussion in the next meeting. The group also briefly touched on the progress of a book project led by Andrew, which is currently in final revision stages for most chapters.
Ken Schoppmann, CAE
Executive Director
ABRF
ken.schoppmann@abrf.org
