Elections of the Student Chapter Board

Nominations for the 2018 elections are now closed.

Any industrial ecologist may nominate any student (membership not required at this stage). University advisors and professors - please get your students involved! And if you are a student, you are warmly invited to nominate yourself or other talented and dedicated students to serve on the ISIE Student Chapter board of representatives.

The election process begins in September of each year

• Nomination Period: 12 Sep 2018 to 25 Sep 2018
• Preparation of Personal Statement: 26 Sep 2018 to 6 Oct 2018. 
  Nominees will be asked to write a personal statement on a prescribed electronic form. This form will be sent to all nominees on 26 Sep 2017. Only by submitting a personal statement will the nominee be considered a contender for elections.
• Voting Period: 8 Oct 2018 to 20 Oct 2018. 
  The personal statements of all contenders will be made public to all students registered as members of the ISIE Student community. Voting will be held by electronic means during this period.
• Start of the term: First week of November 2018.

Below is some information about the ISIE Student Community and its representative board. 

What is the ISIE Student Community? 

The Student Chapter was formed in 2002 and has been active in providing opportunities for students to interact with the broader industrial ecology community in meaningful ways. Along these lines the Student Community has been involved in diverse activities, such as:

• Receiving funding for student meetings and financial aid for student attendance at society conferences (including the 5th Symposium on Industrial Ecology for Young Professionals in Chicago, USA);
• Organising student competitions at ISIE and Gordon Research Conferences;
• Publishing student newsletters;
• Maintaining the students' section in the official ISIE website, posting information regarding conferences, employment opportunities, and collaborations related to industrial ecology.

More information is available on our website, www.is4ie.org/sections/students.

What is the Student Chapter Board? 

The Student Chapter is managed by a board of about six student representatives who administer and lead the organisation of the activities mentioned above, and who serve as a nexus between the students and the ISIE council. Activities are detailed on the students’ website.

The term of a board member is of two years, and terms in the board are staggered: each year three new board members are elected (in case of a tie, more than three members might be elected) to replace retiring board members. This ensures continuity in the Student Board.

What is expected of a board representative? 

Representatives work at the epicentre of ISIE activities and are thus expected to have a deep interest in all things related to industrial ecology. Being able to interact directly with students, researchers, and practitioners of Industrial Ecology is expected, and participation in IE related events is a plus. Board representatives attend a monthly online board meeting and work as a team with divided responsibilities to fulfil their roles including events planning and management, communications within and outside the student community, grant applications, and strategic planning regarding students within ISIE. For 2018 the Board of will also organise the student events at the 2018 Gordon Research Seminar and Conference, and various regional and section ISIE Conferences all around the world. 

While fundamentally the position is not too demanding on a regular basis, the board members are expected to contribute their time to the efforts of the ISIE student community and have a proactive role in these activities. For example, candidates should be prepared to attend online meetings which are scheduled to suit the time differences of the other members from across the globe and to communicate with senior ISIE members. Failure to fulfil the expectations may lead to re-elections.

Involvement as a Student Chapter Board Member has many benefits

Including: the opportunity to sit on the ISIE council; the chance to build your network through interacting with senior ISIE members and student community members; and the possibility to increase exposure to the many aspects of the field of Industrial Ecology.

Who can be a board member? 

A Nominee must be (1) a student and (2) a member of ISIE. The expected term of a board member is two years, so students early in their studies are ideal candidates. However, even if you are graduating within the 2017-2018 academic year you may also participate as a board member. Students that are not yet members of ISIE and are interested in serving the community, are encouraged to register themselves as student members now and get nominated (registration page). ISIE membership will be confirmed for all nominees.