Governance Changes
From its inception in 2017, the Rhododendron Research Network (R-RN) has been supported by volunteers of the American Rhododendron Society, a not-for-profit organization whose mission recognizes a need to foster and disseminate Rhododendron research for the public good.
Six years on, we're proud to say that we've increased the representation of research in American Rhododendron Society events and publications, we've attracted new researchers to Rhododendron, and we've connected to researchers across every continent where Rhododendrons occur. Through these connections we have learned about the great Rhododendron research going on around the world, but also the challenges faced by Rhododendron researchers.
We learned that researchers need CV building opportunities, such as getting more grants and publications, yet most of us have very little time left for these activities after meeting the demands of our research. We learned that members of the American Rhododendron Society want to participate in Rhododendron research, but these opportunities are few and far between.
Lastly, one of the most important things we learned is the need to support Early Career Researchers, both in terms of funding and CV building opportunities. While many graduate students and postdoctoral researchers may be excited about Rhododendron research, opportunities to continue working in Rhododendron beyond the early career stage are currently limited.
Knowing that we are making some headway in addressing issues faced by the Rhododendron research community, we also recognized a need to conduct succession planning, to make sure that the R-RN continues to serve the this community well beyond the time commitment of a few individual volunteers.
So what's next? It's clear that our network is playing a critical role in advancing Rhododendron research, but also that some aspects of our network needed to change so that we can service the important issues that have come to light.
While we have enjoyed immense volunteer support from the American Rhododendron Society, the R-RN has not been part of an official committee structure, leaving us vulnerable to leadership transitions.
Thus, in Fall of 2022, the American Rhododendron Society Board of Directors approved a proposal to include the R-RN as an official activity of the American Rhododendron Society Research Committee. The Board of Directors also approved restructuring of the R-RN Charter Documents in regards to Governance.
Governance changes for R-RN included transforming from a "Steering Committee" model to a "Working Group" model, and the identification of four Working Groups to advance Rhododendron research and the dissemination of that research to the public.
In moving to a Working Group model, the Chair position of the R-RN was eliminated and replaced by a Program Coordinator, who will work with Working Group Leaders to define R-RN activities for the year and recruit participants for limited terms to lead and/or engage in specific activities.
These changes are expected to have positive benefits for the R-RN and it's participants, including:
- incorporation into the Research Committee provides a mechanism of succession for R-RN leadership and volunteer recruitment and integrates different aspects of research taking place across the Society.
- the working group model provides more flexibility in R-RN leadership and objectives so that these can be closely targeted to volunteer resources and researcher needs, which we expect will open up the opportunity for more individuals to participate in and benefit from R-RN initiatives.
The structure of our new Working Groups and their current activities are described in detail below.
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