WACD 2026 Annual Meeting

Main Conference Agenda:

Now Available! In addition, we invite you to browse our Program Archives to see the benefit of attending.

Business Skills Workshop

Date: September 28^th, 2026

Time: 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Faculty:

Cassie Sather, Associate Operations Director, Shared Resources, Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Julie Auger, Executive Director, Research Operations, Salk Institute

Business Planning

An overview of the elements of a Business Model for Shared Research Resources including personnel, expenses, equipment, space, user fees/rates, and external funding support.  Includes exercises on how to apply FAIR principles within SRRs, to communicate the range of services and resources available through SRRs, and their contribution to the institution’s mission and goals.   Learners will be introduced to the Business Model Canvas, a framework to capture the structure and operations of an SRR, as well as how to evaluate SRR operations. 

Strategic Planning

Learners will be able to draft short and long-term strategic plans for shared resource resources, assess utilization and stakeholder alignment, and make strategic investments that align with institutional missions. Learners will also obtain practical tools and resources on best approaches to strategically manage their SRR’s to maximize their output and impact to all stakeholders. 

Please Note: 

The Academic/Non-Profit Early Bird registration closes on September 8, 2026.

Registration for the WACD 2026 Business Skills Workshop ends September 21, 2026.