SPC Presidents Message

Alright Students and Postdocs, it’s time to start gearing up for SER submission season! Yes, the Annual Meeting is half a year away. Yes, there are midterms and finals and projects that need your attention. But whatever you’re able to do now is going to set up your SER experience for next year. So here we go (*cracks knuckles*).

  1. SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT. Abstracts are due the MORNING of January 13th (or earlier, see #2). Given how long it takes to do an analysis, write an abstract, get feedback from coauthors, and make appropriate edits, NOW is the time to start working on these. https://epiresearch.org/annual-meeting/2023-meeting/abstract-submission/
  2. APPLY FOR TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIPS. These are due December 9th, and they require you to have ALREADY submitted an abstract. This is real money that SER awards to real students and postdocs to help you get to the Annual Meeting. Also be sure to ask your advisors and check with your graduate schools etc. for additional funding options. There is often internal support for academic conferences, and those will have their own deadlines. https://epiresearch.org/annual-meeting/awards/spc-travel-scholarships/
  3. STUDENT DISSERTATION WORKSHOP. Applications are due February 3rd. This program is specifically geared towards epidemiology doctoral students MIDWAY through their training. SER pays for you to come to the Annual Meeting early and you get help and support on your dissertation work. The experience is amazing, I don’t even know what to say about it, just do it. Reach out if you have questions or want to hear more. Note this application is more extensive than an abstract submission, but still less than an NIH grant. Start NOW. https://epiresearch.org/annual-meeting/student-dissertation-workshop/dissertation-workshop-details/
  4. SER AWARDS. Awards nominations and materials are due January 13th. Again, some of these can take a bit to put together, so start now. SPC members should especially look into the Tyroler Student Prize Paper Award, and the Lilienfeld Postdoctoral Prize Paper Award. https://epiresearch.org/annual-meeting/awards/
  5. MIDYEAR MEETING. Stay tuned for additional details about this live web conference on March 3rd. https://epiresearch.org/mid-year-meeting/
  6. The next SERdigital is November 9th with Drs. Jean Feng and Jack Wilkinson, entitled “The Promise and Perils of Machine Learning Approaches in Epidemiologic Research.” Sign up here if you haven’t already. https://epiresearch.org/serlibrary/serdigital/

Whew, ok, that was a lot, thanks for sticking with me. SER offers so much for students and postdocs, but it all starts now, when the Annual Meeting is far away. If it feels overwhelming, I encourage you to add one new thing at a time. If you’re totally brand new to SER, start by registering for November’s SERdigital and maybe submit an abstract. If you submitted an abstract last year, do that again, and also apply for a travel scholarship or nominate someone for an award. Everything’s a learning experience, including “how to conference.” You don’t have master it all at once. Reach out to me or any of the SPC officers if you have questions. https://epiresearch.org/students-and-postdocs-2/spc-officers/

 

Sharia M Ahmed
SPC President