Building a National Network for Collaborative Quantitative Staff


Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Quantitative Staff are an essential workforce for biomedical research. While faculty can engage with peers locally and through national organizations, similar opportunities are limited for staff and often do not meet their unique needs and interests. Creating a professional community is valuable for supporting and developing this workforce.

METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We established the Quantitative Scientific Staff National Network (QS2N2) with the mission to provide professional development and networking opportunities, and to serve as an information resource and advocate through the fostering of community among staff quantitative analysts at any career stage. The initial membership outreach was to all Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design (BERD) programs through members of ACTS BERD Special Interest Group (SIG). We created a Leadership Team and an Advisory Board consisting of staff and faculty biostatisticians with experience working as or managing staff to govern the network. A Core Planning Committee consisting of 15 members guides planning, implementation, and execution of network activities as operationalized through subcommittees.

RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The network currently has 131 members from over 30 health science institutions. Subcommittees focused on Education and Training, Membership, Communication and Web Development, and Mentoring were created and are developing events, programs and infrastructure to further the network’s mission. Network events such as webinars will be offered quarterly; with our first event planned for Nov 3rd. Expansion and maturation of QS2N2 will be done through regular remote meetings where members can connect with peers at other institutions, engage in career development activities, and attend technical seminars. Additional membership outreach will seek to connect with staff in government and private sectors.

DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Knowledgeable, highly skilled collaborative analysts (e.g., biostatisticians, data scientists) are an essential workforce in clinical and translational science and health research centers. The QS2N2 will support professional development, engagement and growth of this critical workforce which is necessary to advance quality research.

DOI to abstract in JCTS 2024 Abstract Collection vol 8(s1): https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2024.153

Note: Between the submission and acceptance of the abstract and the preparation of the poster, the network changed its name from “Quantitative Scientific Staff National Network (QS2N2)” to “Quantitative Staff Network (QSN).”

Note: Jane Bugden was mistakenly left off the original accepted and published abstract but is now correctly shown as an author.

Poster
non-peer-reviewed

Building a National Network for Collaborative Quantitative Staff


Author Information

Shokoufeh Khalatbari Corresponding Author

Michigan Institue for Clinical and Health Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA

Sandra L. Taylor

Public Health Sciences, Division of Biostatistics, UC-Davis, Sacramento, USA

Mary D. Sammel

Biostatstics and Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, USA

Margaret R. Stedman

Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, USA

Joycelynne Palmer

Computational and Quantitative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA

Shelby J. Smith

Biostatistics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, USA

Jane Bugden

Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA


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