I'm tuning into @CIHR_IHDCYH's "Conducting health research during #COVID19: Challenges & solutions for leadership & productivity" #sparklive panel featuring moderator @DrCChambers with panelists @peterjgill, @KC0nn0r, @TaylorMorriseau & Amy Oliver.

Takeaways in this

Mix of attendees: 26% are early-career researchers (ECRs), 14% mid- or senior investigators, 26% trainees & 16% administrators.

Dr. Kristin Connor highlights challenges that principal investigators face: managing teams & projects, and administrative tasks. #sparklive

What challenges are PIs facing as teachers? #sparklive
Increased workload to offer courses online or via a hybrid model
Emotional burden of being available to each student
Diminished connection with students through online or async course delivery

Dr. Peter Gill highlights challenges re: working from home:
Staff re-deployment to #COVID19 priority areas, team growth/recruitment on hold, pause on research

Gill highlights how to thrive: regular virtual meetings, task management tools, open communication channels.

Next, Gill highlights challenges that clinicians face:
Virtual care
Personal and family stress (e.g. should I move into the garage if I am worried about about my family's safety?)
Extra precautions
Constantly changing policies & procedures

@KC0nn0r highlights an important point PIs have been through a lot already: you've been through day one of your first faculty appointment, planned out first three years, have a five year plan, and written your first grant #sparklive

Next, three key mitigation strategies:
Create structure/routine (define your physical space, do your most high value task first, power down at the end of the day, create time to focus)
Manage productivity expectations
Be creative with your research

Other tips:
Survey the current state of affairs (What were your 2020 goals? What is going well?)
Revise your priorities (What can/should you stop/start/keep doing?)
Anticipate & plan for the lab's return (but best not to embark on long-term or risky research)

Poll: Have you pivoted or shifted your research program to focus on COVID-19 related research?

Attendee responses:
33% No
23% No, but considering
21% Yes, and currently in transition
19% Yes

Gill also touches upon how to help trainees:
Brainstorm ideas
Plan and reflect (e.g. have trainees share accomplishments, what's working, general progress towards a publication, specific priorities, challenges, roadblocks)
Deadlines (What is required, what isn't?)

Next is @TaylorMorriseau: a PhD candidate who is serving on the @ChiefSciCan's Youth Council. Morriseau provides a necessary graduate student perspective, saying that trainees are navigating the same research disruptions that PIs are facing, but with fewer resources. #sparklive

Morriseau highlights the current situation:
Working from home (where 'home' is different from all) can include caregiving and homeschooling, a focus on offline research (data analysis, online courses, etc) and limited potential for sharing data at conferences or networking.

Research disruptions include a lack of access to research sites, compounding delays (e.g. mouse colonies) & extensions to complete degrees but without funding extensions.

Morriseau also highlights health & wellness: trainees are facing financial uncertainty, mental health challenges, pressure to graduate within a certain time frame (e.g. before funding runs out).

Morriseau points out implications: will trainees be able to return to graduate studies or navigate a sparse job market?

Here, PIs can ask trainees what they need, provide clarity around expectations, working with trainees & using their role to advocate for protective measures.

How can you navigate an unstructured schedule?

Morriseau recommends to consider adapting the project, and implementing deadlines for everything (relieves pressure on non-urgent requests).

Lead by example: anything you want your team to do, you must also do.

Morriseau says that this is an opportunity to "build back better"
Approach the return to work with an EDI lens
Increase accessibility to learning opportunities
Respect non-traditional careers in future hiring (as trainees may seek non-academic jobs right now)

Morriseau also shares @TOSciPolicyNet's survey to understand the impact of COVID-19 on graduate students in Canada (disclaimer: I'm the president rn!). #sparklive

We've received over 900 responses so far, but please do fill it in if you haven't already: http://tspn.sa.utoronto.ca/2020/04/21/covid19sgradsurvey/

Key points from Amy Oliver:
Create curious, kind, safe environments
Move towards optimism & possibility (realistic plans)
Challenge assumptions, be creative
Practice collaborative leadership (use supporting & inclusive methods to work towards a common purpose)

/fin