Are you interested in being a Student Member-at-Large (SMaL)?

Hello wonderful marine mammal student community! We’re looking for new Student Members-at-Large (SMaLs)! Read on for more information.

What does being a SMaL involve?
We’re members of the SMM Board, with the opportunity to impact the functioning of a large scientific society.

This is a volunteer position, with no remuneration associated with the role. Instead, you gain skills, career benefits, and contacts. Our work includes:

  • Organizing the student-related parts of the Biennial Conference (student travel grants, Student Night, and other student affairs)
  • Coordinating monthly Editors’ Select webinars, organizing talks by scientists from around the world
  • Working with the SMM’s communications committee on social media presence and outreach
  • Fielding student emails and job board updates
  • Learning how a non-profit, volunteer-run organization operates through your role as an SMM board member, seeing and voting on a wide range of topics alongside a team of colleagues with diverse professional and personal backgrounds
  • Flexibility and independence to head new initiatives! We’ve talked about greater integration + support (including $!) for student chapters, increasing student participation in society leadership, exploring establishing a mentorship program, better social media engagement, greater international student participation and support…the world is your oyster, you just need to have the time, passion and energy to make it happen.

What is required to be a SMaL? Please read these carefully!

  • You must be enrolled at a degree-granting institution (masters or PhD) at the time of your nomination
  • You must be a registered student member of the SMM at the time of your nomination AND for your entire term (but note that you can be a student member of the SMM for two years after you graduate your current degree – so you do not have to be an enrolled student for your entire term as a SMaL, though it is preferred you are a student for at least most of your term)
  • You will hold your position for 2.5 years, starting in either July 2025 or July 2026

I’m interested – what next?

  • If you’d like more information, email us (smal@marinemammalscience.org) OR come find us at the student affairs counter at the SMM 2024 conference in Perth in just a few weeks (we’ll be right next to the registration desk!) and we’ll do our best to answer any questions (but note we are dealing with lots of emails right now so responses may be a bit slow).
  • Interested students may be nominated by the SMM Board OR will put their names forward (you can self-nominate or be nominated by someone else) at the General Members’ Meeting at the end of the Perth 2024 conference
  • In weeks after that, you’ll provide a brief write-up about yourself and why you want to be a SMaL, and your name will go to a vote by the entire SMM membership in the months after the conference, exact date TBD
  • Two SMaLs will be elected but will have a staggered start, one in July 2025 and the other in July 2026

Thank you in advance for your interest and support of the SMM!

Best,
The SMaLs

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