happy hour update, volunteers needed!

Last night's happy hour at Jake's was a great success! Thanks to all who came out, and don't forget to mark your calendars for our next HH on October 27th (location TBD).

The department is looking for a volunteer or two to attend a graduate school fair at UNC-Charlotte on November 4th. Please e-mail Bridgette for more information.

happy hour, grad lounge, quant certificate!

Please note three important updates, including details from the recent executive committee meeting:

1) Don't forget about PGSA Happy Hour THIS THURSDAY, 9/29 from 5:30-7:30 at Jake's (2112 Devine St)!

2) The Executive Committee (chaired by Dr. Henderson) recently discussed potential modifications to our graduate student space, such as increasing the utility of the graduate student lounge and condensing the graduate computer lab. Dr. Henderson would like graduate student input regarding any potential changes. As such, please e-mail Bridgette (kellehbl@mailbox.sc.edu) by October 1st if you are interested meeting with Dr. Henderson as part of a student focus group on graduate student space (will be scheduled around participants' availability). This group is a great opportunity to contribute to the department and represent your fellow students!

3) During the Executive Committee meeting, Dr. Henderson indicated intentions to endorse the proposed Quantitative Area of Emphasis. Although the program must still be formally approved, his endorsement marks substantial progress toward making this exciting opportunity a reality. Thank you to all of the students and faculty who have worked on this proposal.

As always, please continue to send news for the PGSA blog and friend PGSA on Facebook!

Best,

Bridgette
PGSA President

Call for Abstracts: International Meeting for Autism Research

Call for Proposals - Educational Symposia for IMFAR 2012

The Scientific Program Committee for the 2012 International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) requests proposals for Educational Symposia for the 2012 meeting in Toronto. Educational Symposia (ES) can be on any topic that would be of widespread interest to meeting attendees. The symposia take place for two hours and usually include four speakers who each deliver 30 minute lectures. An additional chairperson may be suggested who will introduce the speakers. Proposals are due by 5pm (Eastern Time) on September 28, 2011. Proposals should be submitted electronically to Jennifer Gentry at jgentry@autism-insar.org. IMPORTANT: use a subject line of “IMFAR 2012 – ES Proposal”. 

Call for Abstracts for IMFAR 2012

The IMFAR Scientific Program Committee invites abstract, scientific panel and technology demo submissions for review in all disciplines relevant to autism research for presentation at the 2012 IMFAR meeting in Toronto, Canada.  The online submitter is scheduled to open October 10, 2011 and will close November 10, 2011. Further details on the submission guidelines will be sent in a separate e-mail and be posted on our website by October 3.

Student Summer Spotlight: Ryan Kelly

PGSA asked 3rd year School Psychology student Ryan Kelly to share his experiences during a summer internship in Ecuador. This post will begin a multi-part series on graduate student summer experiences. Read about Ryan's adventure below:

 

Ryan taking a soccer break with the kids

"This summer I was given the opportunity to participate in the Ecuadorian Professional Preparation Program (EPPP).  This is a program dedicated to providing psychological services to the people of Ecuador, in addition to providing cultural education and practical training for Spanish-speaking graduate students of psychology.  During my month-long stay in Ecuador, I lived with a wonderful host family in downtown Quito.  From Monday to Thursday, I worked at a free health clinic just outside of Quito Antigua where I presented weekly on parenting and marital skills to the community, created and ran a 'Chicos Chéveres' activity program for the local children, and provided counseling for all ages.  The most common case problems were marital issues, parenting and child behavior concerns, depression and stress, domestic abuse and substance abuse (adolescents).  During the weekends, my cohort and I were free to do as we pleased.  I took these times to do more volunteer work, travel and present at conferences.  Volunteer work included helping build a house for a student and his family, working at schools and working at a neurological hospital in Cumbayá.  Regarding travel, I explored the coast, Andes and Amazon within Ecuador.  During my travels, I swam in thermal baths, biked down the worlds highest active volcano, danced on the equator, biked 72Km through the Andes into the Amazon, white water rafted on a branch of the Amazon River, whale-watched, experienced the Galapagos, repelled down waterfalls, enjoyed a canopy trail, hiked through the Amazon (where I jumped off a waterfall and broke my foot), went to a professional soccer game and explored the rich history and art of Ecuador.  Lastly, for further professional experience, I spoke at the University of Manta and observed the schools there, as well as gave a presentation on EBTs for depression and anxiety to the Ecuadorian Minister of Health and other health professionals.

"I will say, it's hard to sum up my experiences in Ecuador into a paragraph.  What is important is the life-long relationships I formed with my cohort members, the invaluable experience I gained as an aspiring bilingual psychologist, and the honor of having shared cultures and hearts with the people of Ecuador."

Ryan with Dr. Marcela Cruz, an internationally renown neurologist

Meet the first years!

We look forward to seeing everyone at Jason's house this Friday at 7pm for the PGSA party... which will be a great opportunity to meet the new first year students! See Jason's post below for details and directions.

(Missing students - we will update the bio's/pictures as you submit them!)

Sarah Bertrand is a first year experimental psych student from Hazleton, PA. Sarah graduated from Albright College with a degree in psychobiology. Sarah is working with Dr. Booze, where she is studying the effects of HIV-1 tat on dendritic spines in hippocampal cell cultures. She is into yoga and True Blood.

William Brixius is a first year Experimental Psychology student from various parts of the eastern seaboard and midwestern united states. William graduated from Kennesaw State University (north of Atlanta) with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Statistics. He previously obtained an AAS degree in Architecture, but doesn't like to talk about that much.  William is working with Dr. Rorden and Dr. Henderson, currently investigating the potential of a "when" area of the brain (sandwiched between the "what" and the "why" areas) via an experiment utilizing fMRI.  His main interests currently lie in vision, audition, and stroke rehabilitation, and he hopes to continue his previous research into representational momentum in the near future.  He further intends to delve into the wonderfully obscure world of blindsight, and is itching to get his hands dirty with TMS and eye tracking hardware. William used to draw the basics of how nuclear reactors work on bar napkins, but between his fiancée and graduate school duties, he doesn't have as much time for nuclear/particle physics as he once did. He intends to tie the knot a few days before the scheduled Doomsday 2012.  He says he would have preferred the actual date of the end of the world, but the Mayans were not kind enough to end this age on a Saturday.  He claims to be okay with this, so long as his honeymoon contains that auspicious day.

Alison Connington (Cryer) is a first year Clinical Community Psychology student from Edinburgh, Scotland. Alison Connington graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Experimental Psychology (BS) and a double minor in Biology and Neuroscience. Alison is working with Dr. Brad Smith in the Challenging Horizons Program, where he is creating and implementing a YogaKidz program into two elementary schools in the Columbia area. She loves to travel all over the world and just got married this summer.

Matt Facciani is a first year Experimental Psychology PhD student from Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Matt graduated from Westminster College, PA with a degree in Psychology. Matt is working with Dr. Shinkareva in the Quantitative Neuroscience Lab, where he is using fMRI methodology to identify the neural signature of different thoughts. 

 

 

Marjorie Grefer is a first year school psychology student most recently from Lexington, KY. Marjorie graduated from the University of Kentucky with dual degrees in Psychology and Spanish. Marjorie is working with Dr. Jane Roberts in the Neurodevelopmental Disorders lab, where she is researching the early development of fragile X syndrome and autism. In her free time, Marjorie enjoys cooking & baking, traveling, spending time with her family, and cheering for the Wildcats!

Emily Mancil is a first year School Psychology student from Salisbury, NC.  Emily graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology.  She is working with Dr. Mark Weist in the School Mental Health lab, where she is involved with the CARS (Center for Adolescent Research in Schools) study, a national project designed to implement empirically based treatments into schools.  Emily has specific interests in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and teacher knowledge related to the disorder.  

Bryn Schiele is a first year School Psychology student from San Antonio, TX. Bryn graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in psychology. Bryn is working with Dr. Mark Weist on the School Mental Health Team, where they are researching a variety of factors in school-based mental health, including evidence-based practice and family inclusion. Bryn danced with Ballet Austin for 2 years prior to starting graduate school. In her free time, Bryn enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, running, dancing and teaching ballet, and watching Longhorn football. 

Jessi Scherr is a first year School Psychology student from Jamestown, ND.  Jessi  graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Biology. Jessi is working with Dr. Decker in the Applied Cognitive Neuropsych Lab.  She enjoys attempting to cook, swimming, and watching reality tv in her spare time.

James Siddall is a first year School Psychology student from Great Falls, VA. James graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in both Psychology and Educational Studies and a minor in Anthropology. James is working with Scott Huebner on the relationship between positive psychological attributes and academic motivation and achievement. James enjoys playing a wide range of sports including, but not limited to, rugby, basketball, football, baseball, ultimate, and the occasional games of pool and table tennis. He also likes hanging out with friends and enjoying a good beer (the different styles of which he can often talk about ad naseum).

 

Hannah Snyder is a first year Clinical-Community student from Bethesda MD.  Hannah graduated from Northwestern University with a double major in Spanish and psychology.  Hannah is working with Dr. Abe Wandersman on program evaluation and implementation.  She loves animals and will cross streets to pet a dog.

Friendly Reminder: PGSA Potluck Dinner Party on Friday, September 9th

Where will you be this Friday evening? Don’t miss out on all the end-of-summer fun at the 2011 Back-to-School PGSA Potluck Dinner Party. I will be hosting the event at my house, 405 9^th Street, West Columbia SC 29169 (white/pale gray house with blue shutters on the corner of B Avenue and 9^th Street). There is parking across the street in a slightly paved, slightly sandy lot OR you can park at the baseball field that is located right behind my house. The party begins around 7:00 pm. All psychology graduate students and a friend/affectionate other/spouse are invited to join in the celebration.

To see detailed directions from Barnwell College, please refer to the following link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=1512+Pendleton+Street,+Columbia,+SC&daddr=Columbia,+405+9th+Street,+West+Columbia,+SC&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=46.27475,67.324219&geocode=FdfMBgId458r-ymV6dBg1Lr4iDHxlRQ0dmOvAQ%3BFVCeBgIdGwcr-ykVzkOTXLv4iDHeM0t8ys0tQw&vpsrc=0&mra=ls&t=h&z=14

The dinner party will be “potluck” style. Bring a delicious dish, appetizer, or dessert to the party. To avoid duplication, add the name of your food dish as a Comment to this posting below OR sign up to bring one of the following party supply options:

(1) Soda (Coca-Cola, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Sunkist, etc.)

(2) Sweet Tea (for those Southern types)

(3) Plastic Cups

(4) Plastic/Paper Plates

(5) Plastic Forks, Knives, and Spoons

(6) Chips and Dip

(7) Other Appetizers or Desserts

Hope to see you soon,

Jason Bird

PGSA Social Chair

3^rd Year- School Psychology Doctoral Student

Congratulations, Tal and Carrie!

Congratulations to Clinical Community student Tal Katz on the new addition to his family!

 David Liam Katz

6 pounds, 7 ounces

born August 29, 2011

parents Tal Katz and Carrie Wechsler 

big sister Mia, age 16 months