Science Committee Report

The Science Committee, co-chaired by Drs. Stephanie Budge and Jon Mohr, currently has 21 members representing students and psychologists at diverse stages of their professional development.

The committee has coordinated the process of soliciting and reviewing submissions for the two Div. 44 student research awards: the Malyon Smith Scholarship Award and the Bisexual Foundation Scholarship Award. We had a record number of submissions for both awards this year, many of which were truly outstanding. The award recipients will be announced at this year's APA convention in Washington, D.C.

The committee also has been working on the final phases of a longstanding and exciting project: the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Researcher Directory. This online directory will allow researchers to create their own online profiles, indicating information such as employer, research interests, and ways the person wishes to share her or his expertise (e.g., taking graduate students as advisees, reviewing grant proposals on SOGI-related topics, offering expert testimony in court cases). Users of the directory will be able to perform focused searches of the researchers who have created profiles. This project has been a long and complex journey, and we are now working with a web development professional who is ensuring a high quality product that can serve all who are interested in SOGI science. We are hoping to unveil the directory in the coming months.

Finally, we have organized a symposium on NIH funding for SOGI/LGBTI research for both graduate students and working professionals. Participants included past and present NIH staff members who have been involved in efforts to increase the face of SOGI issues at NIH, as well as several faculty members who recently applied for NIH funding. The first half featured information about funding opportunities at NIH, along with firsthand accounts of applying for grants by academic researchers. The second half featured Q&A and small group discussion, with a focus on providing useful, personalized information for those who attended.

If you have any questions about our work or are interested in joining our committee, please email Stephanie Budge or Jon Mohr.