The SOT commitment to mentoring young scientists is evident in the ways that the Society supports undergraduate activities, including participation in the SOT Annual Meeting. SOT provides travel support through several programs, complimentary meeting registration, and special activities for undergraduate students. These include the event for all undergraduate students hosted by the Education Committee Undergraduate Education Subcommittee at 4:00 pm–5:00 pm on Wednesday, March 13, in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Room 215.
The Education Committee reviews applications for the Pfizer Undergraduate Travel Award and selects recipients from the many outstanding applicants based on their meeting abstracts, academic record, and statements from the applicant and mentor. The 2013 awardees include Anna Lang, Northern Kentucky University; Douglas J. Saforo, University of Louisville; Amy Ashworth, Northern Kentucky University; Naing Bajaj, New Mexico State University; and Adrienne R. Klinger, University of North Dakota. Pfizer toxicologists host these awardees at special events during the meeting and they are recognized at the Awards Ceremony.
The SOT Endowment Fund is providing travel support for three undergraduate students who are presenting posters, including Derek Chamberlin, Appalachian State University; Alexandrea Roperti, University of Pittsburgh; and Carrie Shinyi Yang, Hendrix College.
The Perry J. Gehring Diversity Student Travel Award provides special recognition and travel support for an undergraduate or a graduate student who participated in the SOT Undergraduate Minority Program within the last four years and is presenting an abstract at the meeting. Alexandra Colon-Rodriguez, from Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, is the 2013 awardee and an alumna of the 2009 Undergraduate Education Program. Also from the 2009 program is the Honorable Mention Awardee, Carmen M. Ortiz-Sanchez, from the Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, Puerto Rico. The Committee on Diversity Initiatives (CDI) selects the recipient of this Endowment Award and then recognizes him/her during the CDI Reunion Saturday, March 9, at 8:00 pm. These award recipients will display identifying ribbons on their posters. Meeting attendees are encouraged to look for these posters and engage these scientists in discussion of their work.
CDI has awarded travel support to 42 undergraduate students and six faculty advisors from institutions all over the United States. This minority program, now in the 24th year, is directed to students from ethnic groups underrepresented in the sciences and their advisors. Other funding supports students from schools receiving low levels of federal funding in science, math, and engineering. The funded students will be engaged in the SOT Undergraduate Education Program from Saturday, March 9, through midday Monday, March 11.
Undergraduate students who were not selected for travel support and participation in the full undergraduate program may register for the Sunday portion of the Undergraduate Education Program when they register for the meeting. On Sunday, speakers make topical introductory toxicology presentations and students also learn about toxicology careers, what graduate school is like, and have the opportunity to meet with academic program directors.
CDI is indebted to all the volunteers who make the Undergraduate Education Program possible—committee members, presenters, toxicologist host mentors, student/postdoctoral peer mentors, faculty and research mentors, and all who give their time so generously to support the program and encourage promising young scientists in toxicology.