For students, summer often is a time for change and transition. Many will be moving on to a graduate program, an internship or a postdoc. Summer also offers a chance to look forward at careers and life. As students take that look forward, they should consider opportunities available within ISTSS.
First, ISTSS offers money for research. Students still have plenty of time to apply for the 2002 Student Research Awards. Two $1,000 awards will be presented to graduate students to help cover research costs for either dissertation or thesis projects. The topic must be relevant to traumatic stress. Students from all fields are encouraged to apply. Further information and applications materials can be found on the student section of the Web.
Second, there are many task forces and committees that are interested in help from student members. These groups are made up of board members and other professionals working to address a specific concern or need of ISTSS, and they recognize the importance of student involvement, especially as student membership continues to rise. Specific tasks and the required time commitment vary from group to group, but each group provides a great way to interact with the leaders in the field. A list of committees and task forces can be found on the ISTSS Web site under ISTSS leadership. If you are interested in one of these groups, e-mail the student chair or the chair of the specific group for more information.
Third, the student section needs volunteers for several ongoing projects. One project is a survey of the ISTSS student membership. In order to better serve all of the student members, we are trying to get an idea of what types of students are members and what services and resources would be most helpful to them. Information from this survey will be compiled and presented to the ISTSS board of directors as well as any committees or task forces that might benefit from the information. We are looking for a few volunteers to help design the survey and analyze the resulting data. If you are interested, please e-mail the student chair at alethea_smith@hotmail.com. Even if you cannot donate time, you can help by keeping an eye out for the survey in your e-mail and replying as quickly and thoroughly as possible.
Finally, the student section listserv offers a unique opportunity for students worldwide to communicate about training opportunities, interests and difficulties. This venue is meant to encourage communication among students-and there are many members that would be interested in learning about your particular graduate program, internship or postdoc. The student listserv e-mail address is studentsection@istsslist.org.
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