The ISTSS annual meeting draws near, and for the third year, meeting mentors will be on site to help attendees find their way around and answer questions about ISTSS and the meeting.
The first way to access meeting mentors is on-site mentoring—just look for those wearing pink lapel buttons labeled “Mentor,” and ask your questions at the meeting. Mentors have attended ISTSS meetings for a number of years, and they are volunteering their time and effort. They are warm, friendly and accessible. Alternatively, all first-time attendees are issued pink ribbons to wear on their conference ID badge. These ribbons are distributed at the registration desk with the conference program and other registration materials. When you wear the ID-badge ribbon, mentors will reach out to you to make sure you’re finding everything you need. The pink “First-Timer” ribbons are never used to discriminate or stigmatize the wearer in any way.
The second way to receive mentoring is new this year—pre-registration mentoring. If you checked a box on the ISTSS registration form indicating you would like to have a mentor assigned to you, you will be contacted. The assigned mentors will meet with you at least once during the meeting. For more information, e-mail Elisa Triffleman, ISTSS Diversity Task Force chair, at elisa.triffleman@yale.edu.