International Forum on Expert Finder Systems
Charting the Informational Universe
September 16-18, 2025
Cleveland, OH

Sponsorship

EFS International Forum

September 16: Opening Reception
September 17-18: Forum Sessions

The Aviator
20920 Brookpark Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44135

Purpose

The EFS International Forum creates a venue for stakeholders to network, learn from each other, and help steer the future of this dynamic field.

Overview

The EFS International Forum continues an important dialogue. Expert finder systems take many forms, including but not limited to:

  • content-rich profiling sites, e.g., ORCID, Google Scholar
  • social media tools, e.g., ResearchGate, LinkedIn
  • research information management (RIM) systems
  • current research information systems (CRIS)
  • networking platforms and other curated information

This facilitates the spread of institutional and individual reputation by showcasing metadata to tell the impact stories of faculty and administrators.

The Forum’s Conference Planning Committee is organizing and hosting this event to include leaders from:

  • higher education, including faculty, librarians, administrators, corporate/community relations staff, industry liaisons/business development/ economic development professionals, and data and information management personnel
  • vendors and nonprofit/open-source solution providers in this marketplace

Attendees also will learn about the economic development impacts of expert finding on the regional, state, national, and global levels.

EFS have been serving universities, business, industry, economic development professionals, and the research community for more than two decades. The Forum provides opportunities for:

  • attendees to learn about various platforms
  • understand best practices for starting and managing an EFS
  • share ideas and information about current uses
  • chart the need for features that support emerging uses
  • learn strategies for enhancing engagement

Attendees also will learn about the economic development impacts of EFS at the regional, state, national, and global levels.
EFS can support:

  • faculty, student, and administrative needs, including student advising and decision-making driving retention and graduation
  • faculty success through collaborative team-building and mentoring arrangements
  • promotion and tenure processes
  • institutional reporting for accreditation and other needs
  • marketing and news dissemination

EFS can be extremely important in supporting economic development, advancing cross-unit collaboration, and promoting discovery and innovation. EFS also are tools that gather, manage, and publish searchable information about equipment/resources/facilities associated with expertise.

The EFS Forum also offers the opportunity to explore establishing a new professional organization to provide leadership and ongoing events supporting:

  • community and system-building
  • development of best practices, e.g., AI/ML
  • value proposition and sustainability
  • evolving platforms and applications
  • EFS and economic development

Attendee Profile

Organizers expect 100 to 150 attendees–primarily faculty, researchers, librarians, and administrators from major research institutions and economic development organizations throughout the nation and world.

  • expert finder and research information management system administrators
  • librarians, research impact professionals, scholarly communication professionals, and administrators of institutional repositories
  • higher education administrators, e.g., corporate and government relations, outreach and engagement professionals, institutional marketing, institutional research/competitive intelligence
  • expert finder system platform providers
  • business and industry academic partners
  • economic development professionals
  • researchers studying research information management systems
  • research commercialization administrators
  • institutional users of platforms such as LinkedIn, ResearchGate, Google Scholar
  • systems developers
  • journal publishers and editors
  • government partners such PubMed, National Laboratories, federal agencies, and other grant-making agencies, e.g., private foundations, NGOs

Why Become a Sponsor?

You are an important part of the community of practice forming in this emerging field. As a sponsor, you will have access to thought leaders and decision makers that will be driving directions and innovations in expert finder systems for years to come.

In consideration of your contribution as a sponsor, we will ensure that all Forum attendees are aware of your support for and importance to the success of the Forum.

Sponsorship Deadline

To take advantage of full sponsorship opportunities, please register by Friday, June 6, 2025.

Sponsorship Packages

Gold Sponsorship: $5,000
(4 available)

  • Advertisement on Forum program webpage
  • Presentation after keynote speaker or lunchtime (10 minutes)
  • Opportunity to moderate a session
  • Logo with link on Forum website footer
  • Acknowledgement in Forum opening remarks
  • Exhibit table in conference meeting room
  • Complimentary Forum registrations for two (meals included)
  • Attendees' email addresses (2 weeks before Forum and after the Forum)
  • Logo on promotional emails sent to prospective attendees and registrants (up to 10 mailings)
  • Logo displayed on poster board/panel on presentation stage

Silver Sponsorship: $2,500
(7 available)

  • Presentation after program session (5 minutes)
  • Opportunity to moderate a session
  • Logo on Forum website footer
  • Acknowledgement in Forum opening remarks
  • Exhibit table in conference meeting room
  • Complimentary Forum registration for one (meals included)
  • Attendees' email addresses (2 weeks before the Forum and after the forum)
  • Logo on promotional emails sent to prospective attendees and registrants (up to 10 mailings)
  • Logo displayed on poster board/panel on presentation

Summary of Gold vs Silver Sponsorship

Sponsor Benefit Gold = $5,000 Silver = $2,500
Advertisement in online Forum program webpage
Presentation after keynote speaker/lunchtime (10 minutes)
Presentation after a program session (5 minutes)
Opportunity to moderate a session
Logo with link on forum website footer
Acknowledgement in forum opening remarks
Exhibit table in conference meeting room
Complimentary Forum registrations (meals included) 2 1
Attendees' email addresses (2 weeks before Forum and after the Forum)
Logo on promotional emails sent to prospective attendees and registrants (up to 10 mailings)
Logo displayed on stage

Shared Marketing Opportunities

We welcome companies interested in custom opportunities for branding at events, e.g., fractional contributions or partial support for events are welcome. Contact us for more information.

Opportunity Number Available Cost Details

Sponsor a morning break

2 $2,000

Sponsor a morning refreshment break: Your logo will be prominently displayed. Place literature or materials in the refreshment area for attendees to pick up.

Sponsor an afternoon break 2 $2,000

Sponsor an afternoon refreshment break: Your logo will be prominently displayed. Place literature or materials in the refreshment area for attendees to pick up.

Forum Attendee List 2 $1,000 Available after the Forum
  Or any idea approved by the conference planning committee    

Register as a Sponsor

Visit to register as a sponsor.

Payment options include check to FSU or credit card payment via registration app.

Learn More about Sponsorship Opportunities

Contact the Sponsorship Committee leads:

Jeff Agnoli, agnoli.1@osu.edu or 614-292-6269, The Ohio State University

Clarke Iakovakis, Clarke.iakovakis@okstate.edu, Oklahoma State University

Brian Rucks, brian.rucks@INL.gov, Idaho National Laboratory

Sponsors and Exhibitors

Gold & Reception Sponsor

Founder and Organizing Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsor

Silver Sponsor