On September 10, 2025, the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at the University of Wisconsin – Madison hosted a one-day event for researchers and professionals working on health-related topics. The event provided a space to explore the evolving research landscape and offered practical tools to help participants navigate emerging challenges in the field. The day started with a poignant keynote presentation from Dr. Geoff Curren, Director for the Center for Implementation Research at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He spoke candidly about the lessons he learned over the course of his career including failures or roadblocks he referred to as U-turns, flat tires, and engine failures.
Throughout it all he focused on his values and used them to guide both his personal work and interdisciplinary collaborations. The sentiments learned in the keynote presentation were echoed in the events that followed. The poster session and lightning talks provided an opportunity for scientists across the spectrum to learn, engage, and create new connections. The afternoon workshops gave participants a chance to practice skills garnered from the morning in sessions about ways to enhance recruitment for research success, reframing grant language, mentoring in times of crisis, and team resiliency. The day ended with a frank discussion of how best to build a varied funding ecosystem to provide greater stability for research programs. It was a terrific day that reminded all to look inward to find what is important to us, to connect with those who share our values, and work together to not just survive in times of crisis but thrive.
Questions? Want to learn more about team science?
Reach out to Whitney Sweeney (wasweeney@wisc.edu)