SWAN Student Advisory Committee

The ad hoc Student Advisory Committee was established in the year 2002. It was originally suggested by Dr. Mike Kennedy and later authorized by President Paula Williamson. The committee was promoted to a full standing committee in 2007.

Formal Charge
Student Membership and Awards
Student Workshops and Events
Student Listserve and Job Board
Facebook Group
SAC Representatives

Formal Charge

1. increase student attendance at annual meetings
2. increase student participation at annual meetings
3. increase (and retain) graduate student members
4. encourage and facilitate student-student interaction at meetings via workshops, seminars, socials, etc.,
5. provide input regarding student travel awards
6. provide input regarding first-time student memberships

The 2007 Annual meeting of SWAN brought several exciting changes to the SAC and addressed several student-related issues. The Board of Governors voted to:

1. change the SAC from an ad hoc committee to a standing committee
2. continue funding Student Travel Awards for a further 5 years
3. double monetary awards for the Wilks Award (to $1000) and Clark Hubbs Student Poster Awards (to $600)
4. create a permanent fund, dubbed the Student Naturalist Fund, to assist funding of student-related awards and programs

Student Membership & Awards

SWAN is a great organization for students. A student membership is only $15 annually, and includes a subscription to The Southwestern Naturalist. Students also get special registration rates to attend the annual meeting each spring. SWAN also sponsors a student social and student workshop at each annual meeting. The annual meetings provide a great opportunity for students to present original or collaborative work in a relaxed setting, and SWAN itself funds several awards to encourage and support student research. In addition to the Wilks Award, Clark Hubbs Student Poster Award and Howard McCarley Research Award, SWAN also supports Student Travel Awards (to assist students in attending annual meetings) and provides a handful of free student memberships each year (30 nomination forms are given to students at each annual meeting).

Student Workshops & Events

At each annual meeting, the SAC sponsors a student social and workshop. In the past, the student socials have been held independently and jointly with the student workshops. Workshops are intended to provide useful and practical skills to students and include a presentation on the featured topic plus useful first-hand experience and advice of invited guest speakers, and an interactive Q&A segment. Past workshops have included:

• Oral and Poster Presentation Tips, Tricks, and Tactics (2011, University of Texas at Tyler)
• PowerPoint Guidelines (2011, University of Texas at Tyler)
• SWAN Student Presentation Review Service (2011, University of Texas at Tyler)
• How to Write & Publish a Scientific Paper (with emphasis on The Southwestern Naturalist) (2009, Monterrey)
• Applying for Funding as Students: Opportunities and Strategies (2008, University of Memphis)
• Slides from 2008 presentation
• Choosing your Study System & the Wildlife Permitting Process (2007, Tarleton State University)
• Tips for International Students Applying to Graduate Programs in the US (2006, Colima)
• Applying for Funding as Students: Strategies and Opportunities (2005, Sam Houston State University)
• Choosing and Completing a Graduate Program: Survival and Success Strategies (2004 San Antonio, TX)

Student Listserv & Job Board

As a result of past meetings and suggestions for the student body, we have created a student listserv (in addition to the regular SWAN listserv) and a student job board. You do not have to be an official member of SWAN to participate.

The listserv is intented to convey important information to student members (e.g. announcing SWAN student-related news, workshop and social events and membership reminders) and to allow communication between student members (e.g. looking for room at the upcoming meeting, need advice on a student-related situation, looking for someone who knows a certain technique?) To subscribe to the listserve, send an email to listserv@lists.ou.edu with the following in the body of the message: SUBSCRIBE SWANSTUDENTS

The job-board is intended to connect prospective students or researchers with professors, other students, and institutions in need of graduate students, research assistants or post docs. All students and professors are encouraged to post opportunities on the board in English and Spanish if possible.

New Facebook Group

SAC Representatives

Current Representatives:

Contact Information:

SWAN Home Page.

Please send your suggestions and comments to swan03@ou.edu
This page was updated on 14 January 2015.

This page is sponsored by the
Oklahoma Biological Survey

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