Abstract

At the EARMA 2023 conference, the SDU RIO team showcased an innovative poster that was more than just a visual aid; it was an interactive wooden puzzle designed to engage participants in a dialogue about the role of AI and digital tools in research support and management. The poster attracted 42 participants who contributed to our survey, and numerous others who engaged in enlightening discussions. Two major patterns emerged: a majority of research support managers were not employing AI tools, and there was a significant sentiment that existing digital tools could be more supportive.

This year, we are back with a new approach to continue this important conversation. Our EARMA 2024 poster will be presented in a hybrid format, combining traditional analog elements with digital interactivity. The aim is to capture a snapshot of the community's practices and tools a year after our initial survey. We are particularly interested in understanding whether there has been a shift in the adoption of AI tools and if the digital tools currently in use have evolved to better support research management tasks.

The 2024 poster will be designed to allow participants to manually answer the survey, with a digital record being kept in real-time. This will not only make the data collection process more efficient but also allow for immediate analysis. We plan to display the aggregated data in a plenary session at the end of the conference, providing a comprehensive overview of the state of AI tool adoption in the field of research management.

By comparing the data from 2023 and 2024, we aim to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities in the adoption of AI tools among research managers. This will not only provide valuable insights for the community but also help tool developers and policymakers understand the needs and preferences of research managers.

Join us at EARMA 2024 as we delve deeper into the evolving landscape of AI and digital tools in research management, and explore whether the community has moved closer to embracing the digital future.