The current proposal is for funds to enhance and extend the training potential of the annual meeting of the Society for Behavioral Endocrinology. Founded in 1996 in response to the need for an umbrella organization to unite the diverse disciplines involved in behavioral endocrine research, the SBN holds an annual meeting with an average attendance of 250-300. Approximately half of the attendees are students and an additional 20 - 25 percent are postdoctoral fellows, collectively referred to as trainees. The Society perceives a need to enhance the training potential of the annual meeting by formalizing workshops and enhancing the exposure of trainees to outstanding scientists both within and outside the field of neuroendocrinology.
The aim of this proposal is to achieve that goal. The proposed format for the meeting involves 5 components. One day of workshops, half of which is focused on career development and half of which is an in-depth examination of scientific issues. Two days of general program consisting of symposia initiated and moderated by the membership. A final day focused on a single theme and referred to as the SBN Presidential Symposium. The proceedings of this symposium and abstracts of all posters and talks will be published in a special issue of Hormones and Behavior, the official journal of the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology. The fifth component of the meeting is a variety of social events tailored to promote interactions among and between trainees and faculty. The importance of hormones to the control of both reproductive and non-reproductive behaviors is becoming increasingly apparent. Hormones exert profound influences on the brain throughout the life span and have major consequences for the risk of developing and potential outcomes of neurological disorders and diseases. A wide range of scientists participates in behavioral neuroendocrine research, including psychologists, ethologists, behavioral neuroscientists, physiologists and endocrinologists. Bringing together this diverse group for an annual meeting both promotes and advances research in our field and furthers the understanding of complex human behaviors relevant to mental health.
