Sneak Peek & Tips for the 2021 NIH Virtual Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration

The NIH Virtual Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration officially begins Monday, Nov. 1 and runs through Thursday, Nov. 4. Now is the time to start planning how you will make the most of the seminar! There’s still time to register before the seminar begins, and the site is now open for registrants to explore beforehand:

• Now through November 1: Early access to all features except chat.*
• November 1-4: Seminar site fully opens with chat and sessions available!
• November 5-December 4: Seminar registration, recordings, and resources still available.

Here are five quick tips to help you plan your personal seminar experience:

TIP #1.  Explore!

• Stroll through our virtual lobby to get a feel for the event.
• Enter the auditoriums where 50 different sessions will take place.
• Peruse the navigation tabs at the top of the site for an easy way to access everything you need.
• Earn points for engaging on the seminar site! The more places you visit and people you interact with the higher you climb in our 2021 Virtual Golden “Beaker” Challenge.

TIP #2.  Map Your Adventure!

• Review the agenda and decide which sessions are of interest. The four-day agenda lists concurrent sessions in three auditoriums from 1:00 – 5:45 PM EST on each day of the seminar.
• Visit the Meet the Experts Exhibit Hall including 4 rooms and 45 NIH booths, where you can view resources, chat, and/or schedule 1:1 appointments with NIH staff, when applicable.

TIP #3.  Engage! 

• Ask questions during session If you don’t get your question answered during the session, please visit the Exhibit Hall to ask your question to staff there. Unsure where to go with a question? Ask at the General Information booth.
• Network with attendees. Use the Search Attendees feature to find others with similar interests and experience.
• Explore the lounge. Share your tips and perspectives with fellow attendees about what you wish you knew when you started working with NIH or on the grants process.
• Check out our Social Media Wall. Tweet your favorite tip learned in a recent session and see what others are saying. Add to the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #NIHsem.

TIP #4. Reach Out!

• Find staff contacts in the Exhibit Hall. Whether you are looking for a specific NIH institute or center booth, are looking for a specific program, want to connect with grants policy or compliance, we have it all.
• Connecting with staff. Most booths welcome walk-up ad-hoc conversations via chat. Some staff are available for you to schedule 20-minute, 1:1 private meetings. Booths that offer this will have a “Reserve 1:1 Meeting” button.

TIP #5.  Collect and Reflect!

• Collect information in your virtual swag bag. Email documents in your swag bag to yourself or others at any time.
• Watch a session you missed. Session recordings can be found in the corresponding auditoriums within a day or so following the live presentation and available through December 4, 2021.

Review our FAQs for any questions that we may already have addressed. If you have any additional questions, send an email to: NIHRegionalSeminars@mail.nih.gov.

Important Note: During early access, the chat feature is unavailable and booths in the Exhibit Hall will not be staffed. Resources are available to view and download.