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Spring Issue 2008
Student Advisory Committee Increases Student SOT Involvement: 2007–2008 Highlights
Submitted by: Alison Hege, outgoing SAC Secretary-Treasurer and SS-GC Chairperson Pat Shaw, outgoing SAC President and RC-GC Chairperson.
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SAC President Pat Shaw and Alison Hege. |
In May of 2007, the Student Advisory Council (SAC) initiated a major reorganization of student representatives in which two separate, but collaborative, committees with their own leadership were formed, with the SAC serving as the coordinating body. The Committees are the Regional Chapter Graduate Committee (RC-GC), composed of the Regional Chapter and Special Interest Group student representatives, and the Specialty Section Graduate Committee (SS-GC).
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Students mingle during the Mixer. |
Each is headed by three elected officers, the Chairperson, Chairperson-Elect, and Secretary; the six officers, combined from the two groups, comprise the leadership for the SAC. Through the SAC meetings, communication between the two committees is maintained at all times. We consider this reorganization to be a resounding success, allowing for the development of new initiatives to increase student involvement in SOT. For an orientation to election of representatives and functioning of these groups, you can review the SAC Guidelines and other information on the Student Section of the Web site.
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The Mixer is a chance to meet new friends and old. |
SAC
Our major goal this year was to improve communication among students. We implemented a Contact SAC on-line form by which students can directly contact SAC with comments or questions via the SAC Secretary-Treasurer. To increase student membership, we developed a student recruitment card in collaboration with the Membership Committee. This new communication tool was distributed at the Annual Meeting in Seattle. Finally, to maintain communication between student members and SOT, we identified volunteers from the Graduate Committees to serve as a liaison to key SOT committees.
RC-GC
Members of the Regional Chapter Graduate Committee were instrumental in planning the Graduate Student/Postdoc Mixer this year. The event was a great success and had a record registration. Door prizes were given to the following winners: Holly Martinson and Christina Hickey received SOT portfolios; Chester Rodriguez and Anna Neri were the recipients of Starbucks gift cards; Fanny Casado-Pena and Irene Abraham took away Barnes and Noble gift cards; Igor Koturbash and Mitsuko Yamamoto jumped on the chance to claim their a jump drive; and Marissa Lauren Papaccioli and Heather Klintworth received the sought after iPOD shuffle. To assist graduate students in navigating the SOT meeting, we put together the 2008 Annual Meeting Student Event Planner that explained each of the Annual Meeting event types, listed times and locations for all of the planned student and career development events, and contained contact information for all student representatives. During the RC-GC business meeting, new representatives were elected or transitioned to their new positions. For 2008–2009, Kristina DeSmet is Chairperson and incoming SAC Secretary-Treasurer, Erica Sparkenbaugh, is Chairperson-elect, and Melanie Weed is Secretary.
SS-GC
A major project for the Specialty Section Graduate Committee was to organize and implement the Lunch with an Expert (LWAE) Program at the Annual Meeting. We had a great deal of interest and support for the program this year. We greatly appreciate and thank the 57 expert volunteers and over 120 students and postdoctoral fellows who participated during the Seattle meeting. Throughout the year, we archived LWAE materials and developed a SOP so that we may focus on additional initiatives in future years. During the SS-GC business meeting, the 2008–2009 officers were elected or transitioned to their new positions. The incoming officers are Thomas Kannanayakal, Chairperson and SAC President, Sheppard Martin, Chairperson-elect, and Daniel Hochman, Secretary. We have a number of exciting initiatives for the upcoming year. These include putting together a Symposium proposal in collaboration with the Postdoctoral Assembly to highlight the research of graduate student and postdoctoral fellows in a theme area for the 2009 Annual Meeting. We will also strive toward better informing students of our activities by improving and updating the student informational pages on the SOT Web site.
We look forward to serving the SOT community and sincerely thank the SOT Council members, James A. Popp, our Council Liaison in particular, and our staff liaison, Betty Eidemiller, for their outstanding guidance and support.
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