SPSP is seeking a diverse pool of candidates for the next election cycle of Board members (positions starting January 2021). Members of the SPSP Board help guide the future and vision of the organization and field. Please consider adding your name for consideration or identifying a colleague whom you think would be a good candidate. No prior SPSP leadership experience is required.
SPSP encourages nominations of colleagues and self-nominations nominations from both academic (large and small universities and colleges) and non-academic settings.
The following positions will be on the ballot this spring:
- Member at Large for Education / Professional Development – Three-year term (8 years post-PhD is recommended but not required). While not directly in charge of any one activity, this MAL is responsible for liaising with committees and staff overseeing these tasks and providing support, guidance and input as needed in the areas of the professional development and training opportunities, training resources, and special training events (SISPP, etc.).
- Member at Large for Community/Diversity - Three-year term (8 years post-PhD is recommended but not required). While not directly in charge of any one activity, this MAL is responsible for liaising with committees and staff overseeing these tasks and providing support, guidance and input as needed in the areas of diversity and inclusion, membership, awards/fellowship, and special member groups (student, early career, international, etc.).
- President – Three-year term, including president-elect and past president (15 years post-PhD is recommended but not required). In addition to leading SPSP in implementing SPSP’s strategic goals and objectives, the president often targets specific initiatives during his/her tenure.
Additional information about each position may be found here.
“Serving on the board has been a great opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at how society decisions are made,” said Rich Lucas, outgoing Board Member at Large for Science Publishing. “I never knew how many complex issues figure in to what members might see as relatively simple decisions. Having the opportunity to weigh in on these issues and help steer the organization was rewarding.”
In addition to leading current projects and guiding new ones, serving on the SPSP Board is a great opportunity to network with other colleagues and influence the future of the field and the organization.
“For me personally, it was very inspiring to be part of a Board and a Society where we share many of the same values and views,” said Batja Mesquita, outgoing Board Member at Large for Science Programming. “The job has all the benefits of being involved without being very arduous, thanks to SPSP’s extraordinary support staff.”
To nominate yourself or a colleague, please complete this simple form here. Nominations should be completed by 5 pm, January 17. Under direction of the Past President, the SPSP Nominations and Elections Committee will seriously consider all nominations to create a slate of candidates for each position that will contribute to the Board’s diversity of people and ideas. Being nominated does not guarantee that a nominee will appear on the ballot.
If you have questions about the election or nomination process, please contact 2020 Past President Linda Skitka Cooper (lskitka@uic.edu) or Executive Director Chad Rummel (director@spsp.org).
