E2RA Course

What is E2RA?

E2RA = Education & Excellence for Research Administrators.

E2RA is an amazing educational program on grants administration. 

It covers essential aspects of research administration related to Pre-Award & Compliance (overview of human subjects research and research compliance at large) and Post Award administration of grants.  The course supports research administrators and research managers who want and need to broaden and deepen their knowledge and portfolio of skills related to grants administration, processes and systems used at WCM for Pre-Award and Post Award administration and best practices to follow at WCM.

The E2RA course is a fantastic learning platform for professional development in Research Administration at Weill Cornell Medicine that was first launched in the Spring 2016.

What are you going to learn during the E2RA course? 

The E2RA course covers two modules:

1/The E2RA Pre-Award & Compliance module: All about building up a grant application and a budget + all about understanding the various levels of compliance that apply to the research at WCM. 

2/ The E2RA Post-Award module: all about managing a grant once awarded, from setting up a WBS, placing shopping carts, knowing when to request approval for effort variation, all the way to RPPR and FFR.

When is the next E2RA course? The next E2RA course starts on February 9th, 2022!

If interested to join the next E2RA course that will start on February 9th, 2022: you can review the schedule here E2RA-Curriculum-Schedule-Spring-summer_2022.pdf and register here https://weillcornell.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7TGRrNKrx5du9sG), please email Dr. Helene Brazier-Mitouart, Education Manager for any questions at heb2020@med.cornell.edu.

Fundamentals E2RA course versus Advanced E2RA Course: What are the differences?

There are two options to complete the E2RA course: 

*  Fundamentals E2RA course :  You will get a detailed overview of grants administration from cradle to grave + get to know all about research sponsors, grants application process, compliance, and post award management of awards. The Fundamentals E2RA course represents a time commitment of typically 1 E2RA 2-hour long session per week. Total 60 hours

* Advanced E2RA course : You will complete the E2RA Fundamentals course and along the Fundamentals sessions, you will complete relevant Advanced E2RA sessions. In these Advanced sessions, you will practice more complex budgets + learn all about IACUC animal use protocol approval process and IRB human protocols approval process + sharpen your skills for entering salary distribution by Change of Funding + become an ADR expert + deepen your approach for financial management of grants accounts. The E2RA Advanced Course includes all the E2RA Fundamentals course sessions + all additional Advanced E2RA sessions (one 2-hour long session every other week). Total 90 hours

What can you expect from the E2RA course? (Only good stuff!)

• You will enrich your knowledge and skills relevant to grants administration from application to management of awards and also specifics to the processes at WCM regarding grants administration 
• You will get the knowledge and skills that will help you to know what to do when they have a specific administration task to perform and where to find easily the information they need or the people they need for additional help.
• You will get a bigger picture of a process relevant to grants administration and to be better at anticipating the role they play/will play in that process.
• You will be exposed to relevant and up-to-date information on grants administration ( rules from NIH and policies at WCM).
• You will become more comfortable with understanding and performing tasks relevant to grants administration from pre-award to post-award management.
• You will learn to use that material in a relevant way in typical situations encountered by other research administrators.
• You can expect to be challenged with calculations relevant to grants budgets, and grants post award management such as calculations associated to effort, ADR or re-budgeting situations.
• You will get better at coordinating administrative processes associated to grants and awards
• You will have the full support from the E2RA education manager to grow, to make some errors and learn from them and understand.
• You will be able to better support your PIs to apply to grants, to perform their research in full compliance and to administer successful their awards

To benefit the most from the E2RA course, it's best for you to:

• Already have a little bit of exposure to grants applications/ grants administration before starting the E2RA course (not a lot don't worry!)
• Have some responsibilities associated with grants while taking the E2RA course or to be about to have these responsibilities to increase your engagement and interest with the material covered during the E2RA course.
• Have some basic math skills and excel skills before starting the E2RA course.
• Be willing to learn new concepts and new skills. The E2RA course will challenge you to be engaged into learning, into practicing activities, and into using a large set of information to solve problems and exercises.
• Know you can be attentive during virtual sessions on Zoom.

When attending the E2RA course remote, you are expected to:

• Arrive on time and have your camera ON during the Zoom live sessions - even if your hair is messy!
• Always arrive prepared with your preparatory work done as expected before the session: it can be a reading assignment, or watching video or prepare an exercise or answer some questions.
• Be focused during the live E2RA sessions
• Do your best to NOT engage in other activities (emails, Facebook…) even if it can be tempting.
• Participate to all polls during sessions and answer questions in the chat box if necessary.
• Participate to the breakout rooms activities.
• Be responsive and collaborative with your pod members for activities and homework that will need to be completed on a regular basis throughout the course.

The Final E2RA Graduation Ceremony: 

E2RA participants will obtain the E2RA Graduation Certificate during the Final E2RA Ceremony when they validate both the Pre-Award & Compliance module and the Post-Award module with a minimum grade of of 75/100 to the respective evaluations.

When is the next E2RA course? Soon is always the answer!

If interested to join the next E2RA course that will start on February 9th, 2022: you can review the schedule here E2RA-Curriculum-Schedule-Spring-summer_2022.pdf and register here https://weillcornell.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7TGRrNKrx5du9sG), please email Dr. Helene Brazier-Mitouart, Education Manager for any questions at heb2020@med.cornell.edu.

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Email Dr. Helene Brazier-Mitouart, Education Manager with any questions or concerns at HEB2020@med.cornell.edu

What do previous E2RA graduates think of the E2RA course?

The E2RA course is one of the best things that WCM offers when it comes to learning more about grants and research. Whether you are new to grants or have been working in research administration for years, you will get something out of this course. It covers the fundamental concepts that are perfect for beginners while at the same time, touches on complex concepts that are bound to come up in one's everyday work. Helene is a wonderful instructor who genuinely cares, is patient, and answers all of your questions. The presentations are so thorough and I would find myself referring to them multiple times. By the end of this course, you will feel like an expert and be ready to take on any challenge presented. I've recommended this course to many colleagues because I know how helpful it is. Huge thanks to Helene for providing this course!

~ Mina Redzematovic, Department of Pediatrics

The E2RA Fundamentals course provided a high-level view of grants administration and clinical trials conduct at Weill Cornell, which has already helped me in my current role as Clinical Trials Administrator in Infectious Diseases. Weill Cornell's grant and clinical trial start-up and management processes are complex. This course helped reinforce areas in which I was already familiar, and provided knowledge/solidified understanding in new areas. Helene presented this information in a clear way, and her experience and positivity made classes enjoyable. I would recommend this course to new and experienced research administrators at Weill Cornell!

~ Elizabeth Salsgiver, Department of Medicine / Infectious Diseases

The course is crucial to understanding your role and responsibilities in the grants world at WCM. And knowing which department or group oversees different aspects of the grants lifecycle is very important in deciding who you need to contact in order to resolve any issue. The instructor is energetic, full of knowledge, and a wonderful resource to have! I refer to the course materials she provided time and time again. I highly recommend taking this course, it really clarifies what you need to do, how to do it, and when to do it.

~ Karen Jasie, Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI)

Our E2RA Community is growing strong with 180 E2RA graduates since Spring 2016!

CONGRATULATIONS everyone!

BRAVO to the E2RA graduates from the 13th cohort that graduated in July 2021!!!

July 2021 E2RA Graduates: From top left to bottom right: Ariella Simone, Vincent Arno, Karen Jasie, Peter Ortolani, Elizabeth Salsgiver, Nahla Mohamed, Jianjun Xie, Mina Redzematovic, Anna Gwak and Daniella Rea. Amazing work everyone!

Congratulations to the E2RA graduates from E2RA cohort #12, that graduated in the Fall 2020!

--> Congratulations to all Graduates from E2RA Winter 2020, E2RA Cohort #11! 

--> Congratulations to all E2RA Graduates from E2RA Fall 2019, the E2RA Cohort #10

--> Congratulations to all E2RA Graduates from E2RA Winter 2019, the E2RA Cohort #11

Interested to attend the next E2RA course?

 You can review the schedule/curriculum of the E2RA Spring/Summer 2022 course right here curriculum_and_schedule-E2RA-spring-summer_2022.xlsx. The registration survey will soon be available. Please email Helene Brazier-Mitouart, Education Manager at heb2020@med.cornell.edu to indicate your interest and for any questions!