Discrete Choice Modeling

This course introduces participants to discrete choice models. These econometric models are used to explain how people choose between discrete outcomes, such as mode of travel to work or type of treatment for pain. The course will cover the subset of discrete choice models known as random utility models, namely the multinomial logit and nested logit. These models are often used in disciplines such as economics, transportation, and public health. No prior knowledge of discrete choice modeling is expected. Hands-on exercises will be conducted in Python.

Random utility models are used across many disciplines. They allow one to use regression techniques to model choices between multiple outcomes, something not possible with many other models. Unlike many other models of discrete outcomes, random utility models are interpretable—it is easy to see which predictor variables are associated with which choices. Random utility models are also consistent with rational economic theory, meaning that properly specified estimates can be interpreted as willingness-to-pay and transformed into dollar amounts to understand the welfare impacts of policy. This course will prepare participants both to estimate these models and to interpret and evaluate them when encountered in practice.

Participants should be familiar with linear regression. Some understanding of binary logistic regression, as well as experience using Python, is recommended not required.

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Determining if things are the same: Equivalence testing and agreement

The NC TraCS Biostatistics Seminar Series is appropriate for those with a basic familiarity with statistics. These seminars introduce topics not often included in STATS 101. In this seminar, Jeff Laux, PhD, will discuss how to determine if treatments, groups, assessments, etc., are the same rather than if they're different. This includes equivalence / non-inferiority testing, and the analysis of agreement.

Register

Please note: This seminar will not be recorded and materials will be shared during the seminar or with documented attendees only. Attendance may be gathered from Zoom attendance reports.

The NC TraCS Professional Development Seminar Series is open to anyone seeking exposure to foundational concepts in clinical/translational research such as communication skills, finding funding, career planning, and implementing research. The Finding Funding module focuses on what you need to know before applying for funding for biomedical research.

Seminars in the Finding Funding module are presented every 2 weeks from September 30 - November 14, in-person on Tuesdays from 12 - 2 p.m. ET and repeated via Zoom on Fridays from 12 - 2 p.m ET.

In-person | Bondurant Hall, room 2030
Tuesday, September 30: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Tuesday, October 14: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Tuesday, October 28: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Tuesday, November 11: What is a pilot study?

Virtual | Zoom
Friday, October 3: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Friday, October 17: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Friday, October 31: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Friday, November 14: What is a pilot study?

Join for the topics that interest you and on the days that work for you. Please register for the Zoom-only option if you are unlikely to participate in-person as space for the in-person option is limited.

Register

Mastering communication is not easy, but it is one of the most valuable skills graduate students and postdocs can develop for sharing their research effectively. This Fall, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs is offering a three-part virtual workshop series led by Danielle Hennis from Make it Memorable, focused on strengthening communication and presentation skills. Sessions will cover advanced PowerPoint techniques, the power of scientific storytelling, and effective data visualization strategies.

Each 1.5-hour workshop is highly practical and filled with tips and exercises that you can immediately apply to your own research presentations. Please note: sessions will be live and not recorded, so be sure to take advantage of them in real time.

As a bonus, a pre-series session - Deconstructing Presentations - is available as a limited-time recording through mid-October, providing a foundation on the psychology of audience memory. Learn more about the series and access the pre-series session at research.unc.edu/postdocs.

You’ve learned the theory of creating better slides—now it’s time to put it into practice using advanced PowerPoint tools! In this hands-on PowerPoint lab, you’ll discover how to transform your slides into professional, visually engaging presentations. This session will guide you in applying key design principles, such as aligning objects to utilize the Proximity Effect, replacing ineffective images and icons, and emphasizing critical sections of charts and graphs. You’ll also learn to create infographics using PowerPoint tools, apply the Rule of Thirds to enhance image appeal, and direct your audience’s attention effectively. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have the skills and confidence to turn theory into practice and make your presentations stand out.

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The Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) program mentors and trains early career investigators to become independent interdisciplinary translational science researchers who study high priority areas in women’s health, explore biological sex influences on health and disease, and incorporate research strategies to improve women's health across the lifespan. Priority research areas include maternal health, metabolic disorders, behavioral health, infectious disease, and cancer.

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree and be at or below the rank of assistant professor (or assistant professor-eligible if being recruited to a faculty position). Learn more about the program at this virtual information session. Full details on eligibility, curriculum, and the application can be found at: med.unc.edu.

Engagement in Research 101: Introduction to Engaging Patient & Community Partners in Research

Are you interested in learning about patient and community engagement and how it can benefit your research? Excited by the idea of engaging patient, community, or other partners in your research, but unsure about where to start? Want to know more about how to engage partners at different points throughout your study?

Engaging with patient and community partners who are impacted by your research can be instrumental to the success of your study. This online training will provide an overview of engagement in research, highlighting that engagement is not "all or nothing" or "one-size-fits-all", but instead encompasses a wide variety of low touch to high touch approaches that could be right for your study.

The session will cover common myths/misconceptions about engagement in research, benefits of and key considerations for engaging patient and community partners in research, and initial steps/existing resources you can leverage to begin engaging partners in your research.

Presenters:
Alicia Bilheimer, MPH - Director of Engaged Science, NC TraCS
Veronica Carlisle, MPH, CHES - Senior Community Health Educator, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC)
Nisha Datta, MS - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Simone Frank, MPH - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Milenka Jean-Baptiste, MPH - Qualitative Research Specialist, NC TraCS
Jennifer Potter, MPH, CHES - Senior Program Coordinator for Clinical Outreach, LCCC

Please note: This event may be recorded. Materials such as slides or handouts will be shared with documented attendees only. Attendance may be determined through Zoom meeting attendance reports.

Register

Engaging Patient, Community, and Other Partners in Your Research is a multi-part online training series. You may register for the entire series OR any single training session. This training series was developed collaboratively with patient, community, and researcher partners and is co-sponsored by the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and NC TraCS Institute.

In this session, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and seek feedback on their qualitative analyses from facilitators and other attendees. This session serves as a workshop in which participants get a chance to discuss and review qualitative analysis techniques while also learning from others.

Please note: We will not be presenting information about qualitative analysis in this session; instead, we will ask participants to share where they are in their analysis process, ask questions about their analyses, and collectively discuss strategies for moving our analyses forward. This event will not be recorded.

Facilitators:
Simone Frank, MPH, MaryBeth Grewe, MPH, and Milenka Jean-Baptiste, MPH
NC TraCS Qualitative Research Service

Eligibility Screener

This course will take place over three mornings (10/13/25, 10/15/25, AND 10/17/25), 2.5 hours per morning, and will be offered via Zoom. Attendance is required as the course will not be recorded.

This course introduces participants to constructivist grounded theory (CGT). Grounded theory (GT) methods consist of flexible guidelines to fit particular research problems, not to apply mechanically. With these guidelines, you expedite and systematize data collection and analysis. GT methods can assist researchers in making their work more analytic, precise, and compelling.

In this course, following an exploration of the history and development of GT, we examine GT basic guidelines and major strategies, including initial line-by-line and focused coding, the use of gerunds, memoing, diagramming, theoretical sampling, and categorising. Throughout the sessions, there is an emphasis on CGT’s epistemological foundation and resultant adaptations to the research process, including regarding the literature review, researcher positionality/ies and reflexivity, and participant involvement.

The course will include a number of hands-on exercises to exemplify, and give participants an opportunity to practice, the strategies being discussed. For the coding exercise, you may bring and use some of your own qualitative data, or if you do not have data yet, some will be supplied. Clear guidelines and support are provided to course participants with regard to all aspects of CGT.

The sessions will utilise CGT readings and resources from Kathy Charmaz, Robert Thornberg, Adele Clarke, and myself, and will draw on the extensive scholarship of Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss. A pack of materials will be shared with participants in advance of the course. This course will be of interest to those doing full CGT studies but also to those who may be interested in learning about and potentially using some of the powerful GT strategies (such as coding) in studies with a different overall methodological approach.

Register

Digital Health: From the Academic World to the Real World

The Gillings Innovating Public Health Series and Eshelman Innovation feature Lee Ritterband, PhD, Jean and Ronald Butcher Eminent Scholars Professor at UVA School of Medicine and Director of the Center for Behavioral Health and Technology, for his talk, Digital Health: From the Academic World to the Real World. A leader in digital health interventions and co-founder of the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions and BeHealth Solutions, Ritterband will share insights on turning evidence-based digital health tools into real-world impact.

Don’t miss this chance to learn from a pioneer in behavioral health technology. A reception with light refreshments will follow the seminar for those participating in-person at Kerr Hall, room 2001. If you'd prefer to participate virtually, register at unc.zoom.us/webinar/register.

in-person Registration

The NC TraCS Professional Development Seminar Series is open to anyone seeking exposure to foundational concepts in clinical/translational research such as communication skills, finding funding, career planning, and implementing research. The Finding Funding module focuses on what you need to know before applying for funding for biomedical research.

Seminars in the Finding Funding module are presented every 2 weeks from September 30 - November 14, in-person on Tuesdays from 12 - 2 p.m. ET and repeated via Zoom on Fridays from 12 - 2 p.m ET.

In-person | Bondurant Hall, room 2030
Tuesday, September 30: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Tuesday, October 14: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Tuesday, October 28: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Tuesday, November 11: What is a pilot study?

Virtual | Zoom
Friday, October 3: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Friday, October 17: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Friday, October 31: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Friday, November 14: What is a pilot study?

Join for the topics that interest you and on the days that work for you. Please register for the Zoom-only option if you are unlikely to participate in-person as space for the in-person option is limited.

Register

Targeting Unmet Needs: Innovative AAV-Based Gene Therapy for Rare Neurogenetic Diseases

Join the Children's Research Institute and Tierra Bobo, PhD, a research assistant professor in the UNC School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics & Metabolism, for a seminar on innovative AAV-based gene therapy for rare neurogenetic diseases. Bobo's research focuses on strategies to overcome key barriers in gene therapy, including immune exclusion due to pre-existing antibodies and the development of bystander-mediated cross-correction via extracellular vesicle (EV) mRNA cargo. She earned her PhD in Human Molecular Genetics from The Ohio State University, where she studied the epigenetic regulation of aging-related lung diseases, followed by postdoctoral training in epigenetics and extracellular vesicle biology at West Virginia University, and gene therapy at UNC. Her long-term goal is to translate innovative gene therapy platforms into effective and accessible treatments for children with neurodegenerative diseases.

Participate in the seminar at 3116 Mary Ellen Jones Building (with lunch provided). A zoom option is available by request.

Learn More

This course will take place over three mornings (10/13/25, 10/15/25, AND 10/17/25), 2.5 hours per morning, and will be offered via Zoom. Attendance is required as the course will not be recorded.

This course introduces participants to constructivist grounded theory (CGT). Grounded theory (GT) methods consist of flexible guidelines to fit particular research problems, not to apply mechanically. With these guidelines, you expedite and systematize data collection and analysis. GT methods can assist researchers in making their work more analytic, precise, and compelling.

In this course, following an exploration of the history and development of GT, we examine GT basic guidelines and major strategies, including initial line-by-line and focused coding, the use of gerunds, memoing, diagramming, theoretical sampling, and categorising. Throughout the sessions, there is an emphasis on CGT’s epistemological foundation and resultant adaptations to the research process, including regarding the literature review, researcher positionality/ies and reflexivity, and participant involvement.

The course will include a number of hands-on exercises to exemplify, and give participants an opportunity to practice, the strategies being discussed. For the coding exercise, you may bring and use some of your own qualitative data, or if you do not have data yet, some will be supplied. Clear guidelines and support are provided to course participants with regard to all aspects of CGT.

The sessions will utilise CGT readings and resources from Kathy Charmaz, Robert Thornberg, Adele Clarke, and myself, and will draw on the extensive scholarship of Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss. A pack of materials will be shared with participants in advance of the course. This course will be of interest to those doing full CGT studies but also to those who may be interested in learning about and potentially using some of the powerful GT strategies (such as coding) in studies with a different overall methodological approach.

Register

Engagement in Research Nuts & Bolts: Specific Approaches for Engaging Patient & Community Partners in Research

There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to engaging patient, community, or other partners in your research. Rather, there are a variety of engagement methods to suit your study's needs, your research team's capacity, and your partners' interests.

This online training will describe three common approaches for working with patient, community, and other partners in your research: 1) consultative community feedback sessions; 2) advisory boards; and 3) sustained collaboration with partners as members of the research team.

The session will cover considerations for choosing these specific engagement methods, as well as concrete processes and steps for implementing each approach. Participation in our Engagement in Research 101 training is not required to attend this session; however, some knowledge of engagement, whether from prior training(s) or personal experience, may foster deeper understanding of the material in this session.

Presenters:
Alicia Bilheimer, MPH - Director of Engaged Science, NC TraCS
Veronica Carlisle, MPH, CHES - Senior Community Health Educator, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC)
Nisha Datta, MS - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Simone Frank, MPH - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Milenka Jean-Baptiste, MPH - Qualitative Research Specialist, NC TraCS
Jennifer Potter, MPH, CHES - Senior Program Coordinator for Clinical Outreach, LCCC

Please note: This event may be recorded. Materials such as slides or handouts will be shared with documented attendees only. Attendance may be determined through Zoom meeting attendance reports.

Register

Engaging Patient, Community, and Other Partners in Your Research is a multi-part online training series. You may register for the entire series OR any single training session. This training series was developed collaboratively with patient, community, and researcher partners and is co-sponsored by the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and NC TraCS Institute.

Accelerate your ideas through customer discovery and market opportunity validation!

KickStart Venture Services is recruiting community startups as well as faculty, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate students with innovations and an interest in commercialization to participate in their virtual NSF I-Corps program. They will teach you the principles of customer discovery to help you better understand the market potential of your innovation!

The National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps Program (I-Corps) was launched in 2011 and has quickly become one of the world’s largest and most successful technology commercialization accelerators. The I-Corps regional program helps researchers and aspiring innovators determine if they are solving a real-world problem with true market opportunity. NSF’s I-Corps Program not only provides funding, mentoring, and networking opportunities to help commercialize promising technologies, it is offered at NO COST to the community.

Register

For more information about the I-Corps Program, visit KickStart Venture Services.

Professional Development for Research Professionals: A Crash Course (From Folks Still Figuring It Out, Too)

Join the UNC Network for Research Professionals (NRP) for a hybrid education session with Susan Moist, MPH, CCRP, Director of Clinical Trial Operations at the Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, and Stephanie Morales, MS, CCRC, Clinical Research Coordinator in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science, on professional development for research professionals.

Register

This course will take place over three mornings (10/13/25, 10/15/25, AND 10/17/25), 2.5 hours per morning, and will be offered via Zoom. Attendance is required as the course will not be recorded.

This course introduces participants to constructivist grounded theory (CGT). Grounded theory (GT) methods consist of flexible guidelines to fit particular research problems, not to apply mechanically. With these guidelines, you expedite and systematize data collection and analysis. GT methods can assist researchers in making their work more analytic, precise, and compelling.

In this course, following an exploration of the history and development of GT, we examine GT basic guidelines and major strategies, including initial line-by-line and focused coding, the use of gerunds, memoing, diagramming, theoretical sampling, and categorising. Throughout the sessions, there is an emphasis on CGT’s epistemological foundation and resultant adaptations to the research process, including regarding the literature review, researcher positionality/ies and reflexivity, and participant involvement.

The course will include a number of hands-on exercises to exemplify, and give participants an opportunity to practice, the strategies being discussed. For the coding exercise, you may bring and use some of your own qualitative data, or if you do not have data yet, some will be supplied. Clear guidelines and support are provided to course participants with regard to all aspects of CGT.

The sessions will utilise CGT readings and resources from Kathy Charmaz, Robert Thornberg, Adele Clarke, and myself, and will draw on the extensive scholarship of Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss. A pack of materials will be shared with participants in advance of the course. This course will be of interest to those doing full CGT studies but also to those who may be interested in learning about and potentially using some of the powerful GT strategies (such as coding) in studies with a different overall methodological approach.

Register

The NC TraCS Professional Development Seminar Series is open to anyone seeking exposure to foundational concepts in clinical/translational research such as communication skills, finding funding, career planning, and implementing research. The Finding Funding module focuses on what you need to know before applying for funding for biomedical research.

Seminars in the Finding Funding module are presented every 2 weeks from September 30 - November 14, in-person on Tuesdays from 12 - 2 p.m. ET and repeated via Zoom on Fridays from 12 - 2 p.m ET.

In-person | Bondurant Hall, room 2030
Tuesday, September 30: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Tuesday, October 14: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Tuesday, October 28: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Tuesday, November 11: What is a pilot study?

Virtual | Zoom
Friday, October 3: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Friday, October 17: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Friday, October 31: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Friday, November 14: What is a pilot study?

Join for the topics that interest you and on the days that work for you. Please register for the Zoom-only option if you are unlikely to participate in-person as space for the in-person option is limited.

Register

University Research Week returns Oct 20-24, 2025, with the theme “UNC Research is North Carolina.” This year, UNC will highlight all the ways our research benefits our state.

Help us showcase how UNC-Chapel Hill’s research fuels North Carolina’s economy, supports businesses, meets community needs, trains the workforce, and cares for our citizens. Join us for a week packed with inspiring talks, interactive events, and opportunities to engage with Carolina’s thriving research community.

University Research Week is an annual, campus-wide event sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Office for Undergraduate Research.

For a calendar of events, visit researchweek.unc.edu.

University Research Week returns Oct 20-24, 2025, with the theme “UNC Research is North Carolina.” This year, UNC will highlight all the ways our research benefits our state.

Help us showcase how UNC-Chapel Hill’s research fuels North Carolina’s economy, supports businesses, meets community needs, trains the workforce, and cares for our citizens. Join us for a week packed with inspiring talks, interactive events, and opportunities to engage with Carolina’s thriving research community.

University Research Week is an annual, campus-wide event sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Office for Undergraduate Research.

For a calendar of events, visit researchweek.unc.edu.

Utilizing LLMs for Medical Analysis: a SHIRE Databricks Demonstration

In this seminar, Josh Fuchs, PhD, will provide a technical introduction to using Large Language Models (LLMs) in Databricks, with a focus on SHIRE, the new secure environment for working with CDW-H data. Fuchs will discuss cost considerations as well as provide an in-depth look at how to programmatically run, track, and evaluate LLMs in a reproducible and efficient way.

Speaker:
Josh Fuchs, PhD
Research Data Scientist
TraCS Data Science Lab

register

Seminars in the NC TraCS Data Science Lab Seminar Series cover a range of topics related to health care data science, clinical data, data engineering, and working in these areas at UNC-Chapel Hill. These hybrid seminars are usually held monthly on the third Tuesday of each month from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the NC TraCS suite on the 2nd floor of Brinkhous-Bullitt or via Zoom.

Designing Web Surveys

This course will introduce methods for effectively designing web surveys to mitigate common mistakes that impact data quality and introduce measurement error. The course will focus on the following elements of web survey design – overall formatting and visual layout of screens, selecting and designing questions and response options (e.g., radio buttons, check boxes, grids, and open text fields), error and validation messaging, navigation elements, and usability. Special considerations for designing web surveys to accommodate mobile response will also be covered. This course will also offer practical guidance on selecting appropriate web survey platforms. However, this course will not provide instruction on the technical aspects of web survey programming or introduce programming languages. The course will draw from empirical literature on best practices coupled with practical considerations when designing and implementing web surveys.

Register

University Research Week returns Oct 20-24, 2025, with the theme “UNC Research is North Carolina.” This year, UNC will highlight all the ways our research benefits our state.

Help us showcase how UNC-Chapel Hill’s research fuels North Carolina’s economy, supports businesses, meets community needs, trains the workforce, and cares for our citizens. Join us for a week packed with inspiring talks, interactive events, and opportunities to engage with Carolina’s thriving research community.

University Research Week is an annual, campus-wide event sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Office for Undergraduate Research.

For a calendar of events, visit researchweek.unc.edu.

Strengthening Engagement in Research: Building and Maintaining Relationships with Patient & Community Partners

Meaningful partnerships with patients, community members, or other collaborators involved in your research are invaluable. Projects are set up for success when care is intentionally given to developing and strengthening partnerships over time.

This online training will describe best practices for building mutually beneficial partnerships. The session will also cover common challenges that researchers and patient, community, and other partners experience when working together, along with suggested solutions.

Participation in our Engagement in Research 101 or Engagement in Research Nuts and Bolts trainings are not required to attend this session; however, some knowledge of engagement, whether from prior training(s) or personal experience, may foster deeper understanding of the material in this session.

Presenters:
Alicia Bilheimer, MPH - Director of Engaged Science, NC TraCS
Veronica Carlisle, MPH, CHES - Senior Community Health Educator, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC)
Nisha Datta, MS - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Simone Frank, MPH - Senior Project Manager, NC TraCS
Milenka Jean-Baptiste, MPH - Qualitative Research Specialist, NC TraCS
Jennifer Potter, MPH, CHES - Senior Program Coordinator for Clinical Outreach, LCCC
Members of the NC TraCS Community and Patient Advisory Board and the UNC Lineberger Community Advisory Board

Please note: This event may be recorded. Materials such as slides or handouts will be shared with documented attendees only. Attendance may be determined through Zoom meeting attendance reports.

Register

Engaging Patient, Community, and Other Partners in Your Research is a multi-part online training series. You may register for the entire series OR any single training session. This training series was developed collaboratively with patient, community, and researcher partners and is co-sponsored by the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and NC TraCS Institute.

Implementing Techniques for Assessing and Addressing Inadequate Physical Activity

Please join the Department of Health Sciences Office of Research & Scholarship for their October research forum. Mariana Wingood, PT, DPT, PhD, MPH, an assistant professor in the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, will present Implementing Techniques for Assessing and Addressing Inadequate Physical Activity. Learn more about utilizing implementation science methodologies to identify and address barriers to adopting new innovations into clinical practice.

The hybrid forum will take place in person (MacNider 321, LUNCH provided) and via Zoom. Please register to attend.

Questions? Contact the Department of Health Sciences Office of Research & Scholarship at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Register

University Research Week returns Oct 20-24, 2025, with the theme “UNC Research is North Carolina.” This year, UNC will highlight all the ways our research benefits our state.

Help us showcase how UNC-Chapel Hill’s research fuels North Carolina’s economy, supports businesses, meets community needs, trains the workforce, and cares for our citizens. Join us for a week packed with inspiring talks, interactive events, and opportunities to engage with Carolina’s thriving research community.

University Research Week is an annual, campus-wide event sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Office for Undergraduate Research.

For a calendar of events, visit researchweek.unc.edu.

University Research Week returns Oct 20-24, 2025, with the theme “UNC Research is North Carolina.” This year, UNC will highlight all the ways our research benefits our state.

Help us showcase how UNC-Chapel Hill’s research fuels North Carolina’s economy, supports businesses, meets community needs, trains the workforce, and cares for our citizens. Join us for a week packed with inspiring talks, interactive events, and opportunities to engage with Carolina’s thriving research community.

University Research Week is an annual, campus-wide event sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Office for Undergraduate Research.

For a calendar of events, visit researchweek.unc.edu.

Hidden Gems: Lesser-Known, but Incredibly Useful Research Methods

This workshop introduces researchers to a wide range of lesser-known data collection and analysis methods – both qualitative and quantitative. Techniques explored include a set of projective techniques designed to dig deeper and elicit individuals’ beliefs, values and emotions. Moving beyond the individual, participants will next learn about unique methods developed to describe and understand social/cultural processes, and the interaction between individual beliefs/behaviors and the physical, social, and temporal contexts in which they are developed and expressed. Workshop participants will learn how to design and execute more than a dozen of these engaging methods, in both supplemental and stand-alone contexts. Workshop includes interactive components and hands on practice of concepts presented.

Register

Mastering communication is not easy, but it is one of the most valuable skills graduate students and postdocs can develop for sharing their research effectively. This Fall, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs is offering a three-part virtual workshop series led by Danielle Hennis from Make it Memorable, focused on strengthening communication and presentation skills. Sessions will cover advanced PowerPoint techniques, the power of scientific storytelling, and effective data visualization strategies.

Each 1.5-hour workshop is highly practical and filled with tips and exercises that you can immediately apply to your own research presentations. Please note: sessions will be live and not recorded, so be sure to take advantage of them in real time.

As a bonus, a pre-series session - Deconstructing Presentations - is available as a limited-time recording through mid-October, providing a foundation on the psychology of audience memory. Learn more about the series and access the pre-series session at research.unc.edu/postdocs.

Discover how storytelling can elevate your scientific presentations in this engaging workshop. Science and stories both revolve around problem-solving, yet they often seem worlds apart. This session will explore the similarities between the two and demonstrate how storytelling can be used ethically and effectively in technical presentations. You’ll learn about common story structures, how to apply them to your research, and how to ideate and uncover the core message of your presentation. The workshop will also delve into using analogies and metaphors as alternatives to traditional stories, helping you connect with your audience on a deeper level. By the end, you’ll understand the power of storytelling and how to apply these principles to create compelling scientific presentations.

Register

Recruitment is one of the most critical—and challenging—parts of research. Many studies struggle to meet enrollment goals, and understanding why can make all the difference. This session provides a foundational overview of recruitment, covering common challenges, barriers and facilitators, and the impact of participant perceptions on retention.

Attendees will also explore practical strategies to strengthen recruitment efforts, including active vs. passive methods, campus-specific resources, communication tactics, and ways to engage participants effectively. This session lays the groundwork for more advanced techniques covered in subsequent talks, including AI-assisted recruitment and audience-centered design.

Presenter:
Summer Choudhury, MPH
Program Manager, Recruitment & Retention Program
NC TraCS Institute

Register

The NC TraCS Professional Development Seminar Series is open to anyone seeking exposure to foundational concepts in clinical/translational research such as communication skills, finding funding, career planning, and implementing research. The Finding Funding module focuses on what you need to know before applying for funding for biomedical research.

Seminars in the Finding Funding module are presented every 2 weeks from September 30 - November 14, in-person on Tuesdays from 12 - 2 p.m. ET and repeated via Zoom on Fridays from 12 - 2 p.m ET.

In-person | Bondurant Hall, room 2030
Tuesday, September 30: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Tuesday, October 14: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Tuesday, October 28: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Tuesday, November 11: What is a pilot study?

Virtual | Zoom
Friday, October 3: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Friday, October 17: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Friday, October 31: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Friday, November 14: What is a pilot study?

Join for the topics that interest you and on the days that work for you. Please register for the Zoom-only option if you are unlikely to participate in-person as space for the in-person option is limited.

Register

This seminar is a 2-hour introduction to NIH and Foundation career development awards (CDAs). Learn how to read and interpret the instructions for a CDA, along with strategies for identifying mentors and developing your research and training plans. This session will cover both NIH CDAs and selected non-NIH examples, giving you a broad foundation to support your funding journey. Whether you're new to the CDA process or looking to sharpen your approach, this seminar offers valuable guidance to help you take the next step in your research career.

Register

The NC TraCS Professional Development Seminar Series is open to anyone seeking exposure to foundational concepts in clinical/translational research such as communication skills, finding funding, career planning, and implementing research. The Finding Funding module focuses on what you need to know before applying for funding for biomedical research.

Seminars in the Finding Funding module are presented every 2 weeks from September 30 - November 14, in-person on Tuesdays from 12 - 2 p.m. ET and repeated via Zoom on Fridays from 12 - 2 p.m ET.

In-person | Bondurant Hall, room 2030
Tuesday, September 30: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Tuesday, October 14: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Tuesday, October 28: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Tuesday, November 11: What is a pilot study?

Virtual | Zoom
Friday, October 3: Introduction to Sponsored Research
Friday, October 17: NIH 101, or Anatomy of a Request for Funding Announcement
Friday, October 31: Working with Foundation/Industry Sponsors/ SPIN database
Friday, November 14: What is a pilot study?

Join for the topics that interest you and on the days that work for you. Please register for the Zoom-only option if you are unlikely to participate in-person as space for the in-person option is limited.

Register