The following were some of the topics discussed and suggestions provided during the July 19 and Aug 16, 2022 ABRF Virtual Peer Mentoring Discussions.
- Topic: Training and cost containment
- How to keep the user training costs lower while bringing adequate revenue to your Core Facility?
- Prepare a short video and summary of the important parts of the training. Require the users to go over the video and the written summary before the training begins thus reducing the amount of time spent on training.
- At fixed intervals, say once in six months, provide a basic training session with larger group of users, reducing the need a for lengthy training when they become a regular user.
- Group 2 to 4 users, depending upon the nature of your core, and share the cost with everyone. For example, by grouping 3 people, the cost of training one user is 1/3 cost of the one on one training while your time is still one 3-hour slot.
- Topic: Single Person Core
- How to take personal and professional time off, if you are a single person core?
- Train and lean on an advanced and careful user per group and let him/her run the service (temporarily) for their group during your absence.
- Pre-announce your time off (if possible) and communicate it to all users and PIs and resolve any issues ahead of time.
- Cross-train other Core Facility colleagues and delegate the essential parts of running the Core to them while you are away. Reciprocate the favor while they need time off.
- Let administrator(s) know personal/professional time offs really pay off when you can properly unwind and learn new techniques. Stressed individuals can make mistakes that can be costly and waste of time.
- Topic: Single Person Core
- How to be efficient if you are the only one who has to do everything because you run a single person core?
- Wherever possible automate things. One example given by a user is Microsoft Power Automate. This tool will streamline repetitive tasks like create a task in Planner based Outlook calendar event.
- Attend Project Management Classes, if offered in your institution. Sometimes your core may pay the cost of attending and you can add this skill to your resume.
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Thayumanasamy Somasundaram
Senior Research Associate
Florida State University
Tallahassee FL
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