The award will support trainee-related activities at two annual meetings of the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology (SBN). The annual conference brings together a diverse group of scientists studying the integration of genetic, cellular and molecular concepts into functional frameworks that improve our understanding of behavior. This grant supports significant initiatives to foster participation by undergraduate, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows at society meetings. Funds will support the following: (1) Young Investigators Symposium. A selected group of graduate students and/or post-docs including substantial numbers of women present talks in a dedicated symposium. This format recognizes the accomplishments of trainees, facilitates their movement into more advanced positions, and motivates younger trainees. (2) Career Development Workshops. Workshops educate trainees on important career development topics and retain trainees in the sciences. (3) Travel Awards. Funding for travel to meetings is provided for the best trainees. This allows trainees to present their work in a supportive environment and gain exposure to the breadth and depth of the field. (4) Mentor-Mentee Lunches. Based on the professional and personal needs of the trainee, trainees will be matched with a senior Mentor. The pair will establish a long-term mentoring relationship. Trainees thus acquire a mentor outside of their advisor and local environment that will give them new insights into the research enterprise, how to balance life and work, and consult on career choices and options. (5) Trainee Poster Competition. Posters presented by undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows are judged, based on the scientific merit of the research, the effectiveness of the presentation and the trainee role in the research. The competition provides an opportunity to encourage and reward success at each level. Funding for trainee events at the SBN meeting will play a key role in the attraction and retention of the brightest and best-trained interdisciplinary scientists.
Intellectual Merit: The Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology (SBN) is a multidisciplinary society that promotes research and education concerning hormones, the brain and behavior. The SBN annual conference brings together scientists from many fields, including physiological and developmental psychology, behavioral ecology, animal behavior, chronobiology, psychoneuroendocrinology, neuroscience, cellular and molecular endocrinology, developmental biology, and genetics. In particular the society encourages the integration of cellular and molecular concepts into functional frameworks. The scientific merit of our annual meetings lies in their focus on fostering cross-disciplinary interactions that lead to conceptual advances and continually rejuvenate the research enterprise. The SBN is a vibrant, diverse society with an average of 400 scientists attending the annual meetings. Of these people, more than half are usually trainees. We thus have a significant history of success in the recruitment and nurturing of young scientists. Funding for trainee events at the SBN meeting plays a key role in the attraction and retention of the brightest and best-trained interdisciplinary scientists. For more information visit our website www.sbn.org Broader Impact: The NSF funds were used for travel awards given to trainees to enable attendance at the 2009 and 2010 meetings. We also requested funds to support some of the Education Workshop speakers for the 2011 meeting. The 13th annual meeting was held June 24-27, 2009, hosted by Michigan State University in East Lansing MI. The 14th meeting was held in Toronto, Canada (July 18-20, 2010). A founding principle of the SBN is a commitment to trainees, at all levels. Trainees are the future of the scientific enterprise, and the annual SBN conference is an opportunity to enhance their education, reward their efforts, appreciate their contributions, and make them part of the academic community. We were able to support outstanding undergraduates (n=4), graduate students (n=30) and post-docs (n=7). A subset (n=12) of these travel awards were given to a selected group to present talks in a dedicated Young Investigator symposium at the meeting. This format recognizes the accomplishments of such trainees, facilitates their movement into more advanced positions, and motivates younger scientists. The trainees attended the Career Development Workshops offered at each meeting to educate trainees on important career development topics and retain trainees in the sciences. A supplement was requested by the Education committee to help support four of the Workshop Speakers who attended the SBN meeting in 2011. That venue was held in Querétaro, Mexico and airfare was very high. At all meetings we also have Mentor-Mentee Lunches which were open to students and to faculty. One to one pairing between junior and senior members of the society was made based on the professional and/or personal needs of the trainees. Lunch and discussion with senior mentors helps trainees thus gain insight into the research enterprise, create new relationships, and find strong mentors. All Trainees were also invited to enter the Poster Competition. Posters presented by undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows were judged, based on the scientific merit of the research, the effectiveness of the presentation and the trainee’s role in the research.
