RDC Events
Throughout the year, RDC hosts a variety of events designed to bring its members together to connect, learn, and grow. These gatherings provide opportunities to network with peers, gain insights, and stay informed about resources and best practices. From RD Day to informal meetups, RDC events foster a collaborative community that supports professional development.
2026 Events
| Coffee Corner (Virtual) | February 12, 2026 at 3:00pm Teams meeting |
| Field Trip to Molecular Maker Lab | April 8, 2026 at 10:30am Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology |
| NORDP 18th Annual Conference Debrief | May 20, 2026 at 2:30pm Room 2008, 1901 S First St, Champaign |
| Coffee Corner (in person) | August |
| Field Trip | TBD |
| Donuts and Cider | October Curtis Orchard & Pumpkin Patch |
| RD Day 2026 | December 9, 2026 Chancellor’s Ballroom, Illinois Conference Center |
Past Events
RD Day 2025
At the event, RDC members received valuable insights into entrepreneurship resources available at Illinois from Gerald Wilson, Director of Entrepreneurship, EnterpriseWorks & Clinical Assistant Professor, TEC. Joy Brownridge and Colleen Crawford from System Human Resource Services also led a much-needed wellness session for RDC members, sharing practical tips and everyday strategies to support well-being. Check out the agenda.
Congratulations to 2025 ARDEES on their well-deserved recognition!
RD Day 2024
The Research Development Community hosted its 2024 Research Development Day. The event featured a keynote by Tony Boccanfuso, Director of the University-Industry Demonstration Partnership, who shared insights on building and sustaining strong collaborations. It also included a panel discussion on working with foundations, featuring Dr. Terre A. Constantine (Brain Research Foundation), Janice Dunbar-Travis (MacArthur Foundation), and Kevin Hamilton (Humanities, Arts, and Related Fields, OVCRI), who offered practical perspectives on engaging with foundation funders. Check out the agenda.
RDC Lunch ‘n’ Learn: NORDP Conference Debrief
Members hosted recap of the 2023 National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) Annual Conference. Watch the recording.
RDC Lunch ‘n’ Learn: Science of Team Science
RDC members recently hosted a Lunch ‘n’ Learn on the science of team science. They shared their takeaways from a Divergent Science LLC workshop, which was focused on the five topics of followership, team visioning, team agreements, creating effective teams, and navigating team conflict. Watch the recording.
RD Day 2022
The Research Development Community hosted Research Development Day in December 2022. More than 70 campus research professionals attended. They represented seven colleges, 10 academic departments, more than 10 research centers and institutes, and 10 administrative units within the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation.
At the event, participants played UIUC trivia, learned about others via speed networking, and heard a keynote speech, “Social Justice Leadership in Action” from V. Chunoo, an assistant professor of organizational and community leadership in the College of ACES.
Feedback from attendees included:
“I’m grateful to the Research Development Community for taking the time and effort to create Research Development Day. It’s an important part of our vocation to be aware of and understand the impact we have, and how we can use it to further our units.”
“It was great to have an in-person event to reconnect with established colleagues, and to meet people new to research development support roles.”
“Great opportunity to see old colleagues and to meet new ones while learning about research that happens on our campus.”