To: Students and Faculty Mentors/Supervisors of Students interested in participating in the National Conference on Training in Professional Geropsychology
The conference planning committee is pleased to see the strong level of interest in this conference by graduate, internship, and postdoctoral geropsychology students. We've received a number of requests from students for more information about the conference. We are seeking two student delegates each for the grad, intern, and postdoc training levels. The student delegates will be active participants in the conference working groups that will be making recommendations regarding geropsychology training models. (To clarify, this conference will be limited to 40-50 people because it is a working meeting aiming to produce specific recommendations, rather than a conference where many people go to hear expert speakers.)
Given many training programs likely have multiple qualified and interested students, WE ARE SUGGESTING THAT EACH PROGRAM WITH MORE THAN ONE INTERESTED STUDENT ENCOURAGE JUST ONE STUDENT TO APPLY. We would be unlikely to accept more than one student delegate from the same program, so it seems fair to let programs decide which student they would like to apply. We do expect to be able to fund student travel to the conference. Student applications should be the same as applications from other interested psychologists: We just need your CV and a one-page statement of interest regarding why you would like to attend the conference and what you feel you could contribute. Per below, applications should be sent electronically to Forrest Scogin at fscogin@as.ua.edu.
The original conference announcement was as follows:
Announcement: Seeking Delegates for Geropsychology Training Conference
A National Conference on Training in Professional Geropsychology is planned for June 8-11, 2006 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Psychologists with experience related to geropsychology training, practice, and/or research are encouraged to apply to serve as at-large conference delegates. The purpose of this conference is to develop aspirational educational models at the doctoral, internship, post-doctoral, and post-licensure levels for training psychologists with specialized preparation for providing psychological services to older adults.
It is expected that approximately 15 at-large participants will be invited to participate in this working conference. These at-large participants will be joined by representatives of specific stakeholder groups. At-large delegates will be selected to ensure adequate representation across specialty areas, work settings, training roles, career stage, geographical region, and gender, age, and cultural background. Additionally, student representatives will be selected at the graduate, internship, and postdoctoral levels.
Invitees will be expected to cover the cost of travel and lodging with their own funds or those of their sponsoring organization. A scholarship fund will be available for students and, if funding allows, for other psychologists.
Applications should include a one-page statement of potential contributions to the training conference and a vita. Materials should be submitted electronically to the chair of the selection and invitation committee Forrest Scogin, Ph.D. (fscogin@as.ua.edu) by February 1, 2006. Selections will be announced by March 15, 2006. Questions can be directed to the chair of the committee or to Michele Karel, Ph.D. (Michele.Karel@va.gov), co-chair of the training conference.
Thanks,
Michele Karel and Bob Knight, Planning committee co-chairs
Forrest Scogin, Invitation and Selection subcommittee chair
Michele J. Karel, PhD Staff Psychologist, VA Boston Healthcare System Assistant Professor, Dept of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Brockton VA Medical Center, 3-5-C 940 Belmont Street Brockton, MA 02301 (774) 826-3725 (774) 826-3724 fax
