Behavioral and Social Sciences as Key Components in National Research Initiatives

Lied Lodge, Nebraska City, NE

July 13-15, 2011

Our keynote speaker for this research retreat was Robert Kaplan, PhD, Associate Director for the Behavioral and Social Sciences; Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences, NIH.

Regional research administrators and research faculty participated in formal presentations and moderated discussions, and then conference participants continued related discussions over meals in the relaxed atmosphere.

Pictured standing, left to right: Elaine Johannes, Mary Lee Hummert, Deb Teeter, Yin Xia, David Geary, Scott Vitter, David Ekerdt, Cary Savage, Alyson Abel, Dennis Molfese, Evelyn Haaheim.  Seated: Robert Duncan, Steve Warren, Virginia Moxley, Jeffrey Vitter, Mabel Rice, Robert Kaplan, Prem Paul, Sam Enna, Danny Anderson, Sharron Quisenberry, Chitra Rajan. 

Resource

Standing, left to right: Elaine Johannes, Mary Lee Hummert, Deb Teeter, Yin Xia, David Geary, Scott Vitter, David Ekerdt, Cary Savage, Alyson Abel, Dennis Molfese, Evelyn Haaheim. Seated: Robert Duncan, Steve Warren, Virginia Moxley, Jeffrey Vitter, Mabel Rice, Robert Kaplan, Prem Paul, Sam Enna, Danny Anderson, Sharron Quisenberry, Chitra Rajan.

Retreat Participants 

Keynote Speaker 

  • Robert M. Kaplan, PhD, Associate Director for the Behavioral and Social Sciences; Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences, NIH 

Iowa State University 

  • Sharron Quisenberry, PhD, Vice President for Research and Economic Development 
  • Chitra Rajan, PhD, Associate Vice President for Research 

Kansas State University 

  • Virginia Moxley, PhD, Dean and Professor, College of Human Ecology 
  • Elaine Johannes, PhD, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, School of Family Studies and Human Services, Kansas State University 

The University of Kansas 

  • Jeffrey Vitter, PhD, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor 
  • Danny Anderson, PhD, Dean, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences 
  • Mabel L. Rice, PhD, Fred & Virginia Merrill Distinguished Professor of Advanced Studies; Director of the Merrill Center 
  • David J. Ekerdt, PhD, Director, Gerontology Center; Professor, Sociology 
  • Mary Lee Hummert, PhD, Vice Provost for Faculty Development 
  • Deb Teeter, PhD, University Office of Institutional Research and Planning 
  • Steven F. Warren, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Research & Graduate Studies, and Merrill Board member 

University of Kansas Medical Center 

  • Salvatore Enna, PhD, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education; Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology 
  • Cary R. Savage, PhD, Director, Center for Health Behavior Neuroscience; John H. Wineinger Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science 

University of Missouri 

  • Robert V. Duncan, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Research 
  • David C. Geary, PhD, Curator’s Professor; Thomas Jefferson Professor, Dept. of Psychological Sciences 

University of Nebraska-Lincoln 

  • Prem S. Paul, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development 
  • Dennis Molfese, PhD, Director, Center for Brain, Biology & Behavior; Professor of Psychology 

Other Participants 

  • Alyson Abel, Doctoral Trainee in KU Child Language Doctoral Program 

Agenda 

Lied Lodge, Nebraska City, NE 

July 13-15, 2011 

Wednesday, July 13 

Opening Reception  

Dinner 

  • Welcome by Mabel Rice, Director of the Merrill Advanced Studies Center at KU  
  • Introduction of Participants 

Thursday, July 14 

Breakfast, followed by brief group photo shoot 

  • Welcome and introduction of the keynote speaker – Mabel Rice 

Keynote Address 

  • Robert Kaplan, Associate Director for the Behavioral and Social Sciences; Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences, NIH, “Behavioral and Social Sciences as Key Components in National Research Initiatives” 
  • Open Discussion – Moderator, Mabel Rice 

Break 

Research Administrators Panel 

  • Virginia Moxley, Dean and Professor, College of Human Ecology, Kansas State University, “Managing Multi-Institutional Projects” 
  • Prem Paul, Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, “Human Dimensions: Integrating the Social and Behavioral Sciences with the Biophysical and Natural Sciences” 
  • Open Discussion – Moderator, Steve Warren 

Lunch 

Research Faculty Panel 

  • Cary Savage, Director, Center for Health Behavior Neuroscience; John H. Wineinger Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Kansas Medical Center, “Functional Neuroimaging Studies of Obesity: Linking Neuroscience to Health Behavior” 
  • Elaine Johannes, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Youth Development; Director, K-State Great Plains IDEA Youth Development Graduate Program, Kansas State University, “Dilemmas and Opportunities Surrounding Action Research to Promote Health in Community Contexts” 
  • Open Discussion – Moderator, Jeffrey Vitter 

Research Faculty Panel 

  • Sam Enna, Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology; Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education, University of Kansas Medical Center, “Behavioral Sciences and Drug Discovery” 
  • David Geary, Curator’s Professor; Thomas Jefferson Professor, Dept. of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, “Developing a top 25 Program in the Behavioral and Social Sciences” 
  • Open Discussion – Moderator, Danny Anderson 

Break 

Research Administrators Panel 

  • Sharron Quisenberry, Vice President for Research and Economic Development, Iowa State University, “The Nexus of Scientific Integration – Behavioral and Social Sciences” 
  • Robert Duncan, Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Missouri, “Advancement of the behavioral and social sciences research at MU through inter-disciplinary efforts” 
  • Open Discussion – Moderator, Jeffrey Vitter 

Dinner 

Friday, July 15 

Breakfast 

Opening Remarks – Mabel Rice 

Research Faculty/Administrators Panel 

  • Steve Warren, Vice Chancellor for Research & Graduate Studies, University of Kansas, “Myths, Reality, and the Future of the Social and Behavioral Sciences” 
  • Chitra Rajan, Associate Vice President for Research, Iowa State University, “Promoting interdisciplinary collaborations in behavioral sciences – an administrator’s perspective” 
  • Open Discussion – Moderator, Danny Anderson 

Break 

Research Faculty Panel 

  • Dennis Molfese, Director, Developmental Brain Laboratory; Professor of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, “Brain Imaging as a Tool for Studying Life Span Development”  
  • David Ekerdt, Director, Gerontology Center; Professor of Sociology, University of Kansas, “The Human Life Course as a Social Construction” 
  • Final Discussion – Moderator, Mabel Rice 

Lunch and Departure