Newsletter
Volume 29 | 2006 | Number 3
ABA Student Committee News and Updates: Fall 2006
By Marianne Jackson
Your Student Representatives
- Current: Marianne Jackson, University of Nevada, Reno
- Elect: Corina Jiménez-Gómez, Utah State University
- Past: Christy Alligood, West Virginia University
Mission of the ABA Student Committee
The ABA Student Committee is an organization that represents the interests of the student members of ABA and draws its participants from the student membership. The mission of this committee is to ensure that the student membership is provided opportunities for professional growth, collaboration, and contribution within ABA and the professional community as a whole. Additionally, the ABA Student Committee is responsible for collecting and disseminating information of interest to the student membership.
Upcoming Convention: ABA 2007 in San Diego
The Student Committee is currently preparing the Professional Development Series for the upcoming convention. As usual, we have had a great response from the ABA membership and have been able to put together some outstanding events. The planned events will include:
- A panel discussion on effective oral presentations and posters
- A conversation hour with prominent women in behavior analysis
- A panel discussion on finding and obtaining grant funding
- A panel discussion on perspectives of the future of behavior analysis
- A panel discussion on finding and surviving postdoctoral research positions
- A panel discussion on applied internship opportunities
- A panel discussion on non-traditional research areas and their role in behavior analysis
- A panel discussion on applying to graduate school with representatives from various schools
- A panel discussion on advice from the recently hired
- A panel discussion on research in non-university settings
- A symposium on aspects of being a Board Certified Behavior Analyst
- A poster on the activities of the ABA Student Committee for the ABA Expo
- The Student Committee business meeting
We will also continue to present our introductory series of talks on topics suggested by the student members. This year these will include the topics such as the Quantitative Analysis of Behavior, Pivotal Response Treatment, Using Behavior Analysis to Progress through Graduate School, and Behavior Analysis around the World.
This year, at the request of students, an e-mail will be sent to all students outlining the Student Committee-sponsored events and their placement in the
convention schedule.
Students are also encouraged to attend the Student Committee business meeting, where we will discuss topics for Professional Development Series events at the 2008 ABA convention.
Contests and Awards
As a service to the student membership, a number of organizations within ABA sponsor annual contests and awards. These awards are offered by:
- Applied Animal Behavior SIG
- Autism SIG
- Behaviorists Interested in Gambling (BIG SIG)
- Health, Sport, and Fitness SIG
- Human Operant SIG
- Verbal Behavior SIG
In addition, ABA offers two annual fellowships: The Sidney W. and Janet R. Bijou Fellowship and Experimental Analysis of Behavior Fellowship. Information on individual awards, requirements, and award amounts can be found HERE. We encourage all student members to participate in these contests as they provide students with needed financial assistant and, most importantly, are excellent résumé items.
Future Goals
The ABA Student Committee continues its commitment to the development of a convention agenda that promotes the success and professionalism of the student membership. In addition to our Professional Development Series, we are also developing the following initiatives in response to comments or requests from our student members:
- Increasing accessibility to work opportunities in behavior analysis around the world.
- The find-a-roommate program (to assist students in locating someone with whom to share the cost of attending ABA).
Further information on these initiatives will be posted on the ABA Web site as they are developed.
It is the committee’s aim to provide informative, accurate, and important information to the student members attending the annual convention. To this end, we are in the process of recruiting new program representatives for 2006-2007. Individuals interested in these positions should respond to the e-mail notification and/or contact the student representatives directly (e-mail
address below).
Additionally, the Student Committee continues with its commitment to encourage student participation in the elections process. A large portion of the ABA membership consists of students, yet the student membership consistently abstains from participating in the ABA elections each spring. The student representative is your voice and vote on matters discussed at the Executive Council meetings and, as such, is an important way to have your voice heard. We would like to remind all student members that the nominations for the next student representative begin in October.
The ABA Student Committee always has volunteer opportunities available for ABA’s student members. As such, we invite anyone who wishes to become involved in the Committee’s activities to contact your student representative (Marianne Jackson at mariannejackson78@hotmail.com) with your interests and a brief statement of the type of involvement you desire. Further information on the structure and activities of the student committee can be found HERE.