The next elections will happen in September/October 2022!

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: Sep 2022 (tba)
  
• Preparation of Personal Statement: Sep-Oct 2022 (tba)
  Nominees will be asked to write a personal statement on a prescribed electronic form. This form will be sent to all nominees on (tba). Only by submitting a personal statement will the nominee be considered a candidate for elections.
• Voting Period: soon to Oct 2022 (tba)
  The personal statements of all candidates 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 2022

What is the ISIE Student Chapter? 

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 Symposium on Industrial Ecology for Young Professionals during the biennial ISIE conference);
• Increasingly, involve students around the globe through virtual networking
• Organising student competitions at ISIE and Gordon Research Conferences;
• Publishing student newsletters;
• Maintaining the students' section in the official ISIE website and social media, posting information regarding conferences, employment opportunities, and collaborations related to industrial ecology.
• Spearheading diversity and inclusion initiatives to create a more accessible and inclusive environment for all industrial ecologists everywhere.

What is the Student Chapter Board (SCB)? 

The Student Chapter is managed by a board of about ten 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 four or five new board members are elected (in case of a tie, more members might be elected) to replace retiring board members. This ensures continuity in the Student Board.

6 students are continuing into their second term in 2022-2023.  This year the SCB is opening up 4 positions for board members-at-large. Nominees, once elected, will have opportunities to join and participate in several sub-groups within the SCB like - the diversity and inclusion committee, the peer groups committee, the virtual networking committee, the SIEYP planning committee and so on.

The SCB will strive to ensure that there is at least one board member (new or continuing) who will be representing their region out of the current five world regions: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and North America. The world region selected for representation will be based on the country of the Institute or Organization the selected member is affiliated with. We currently have members representing all the continents through their backgrounds, but none residing in Asia, so members from Asia are especially encouraged this year!

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. [info from last year] For 2022 the Board will work on planning the 2023 ISIE Conference, while adapting to new travel regulations and ISIE Council plans, in an inclusive and safe way for all.

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.

Sub groups within the board:

1. Diversity and Inclusion: 

The diversity and inclusion (D&I) committee at the student chapter board aims to increase the voice, representation, and participation of students and researchers who represent our global society. The focus of our activities this year have widely been to broaden the student community of underrepresented areas through further inclusion and engagement with student associations.

 2. Virtual Networking:

The virtual networking team organizes various structured networking opportunities for possible collaborators. They pair and match students and young scholars based on interests, and ensure that student members of ISIE have dynamic ways to interact and keep in touch with each other's research.

3. Peer Groups:

Peer groups are made up of a community of students who meet regularly to share research interests and resources. They also allow students to discuss topics more casually through the ISIE student forum. We want to create an inclusive environment where student members researching similar topics or drawing upon similar methods can expand their knowledge base and get feedback on their work. This also is a casual hang out space, which can be used to bounce off ideas off of each other, and can be used to create your own sub-groups or conversations.

4. SIEYP Committee:

The SIEYP Committee plans the Symposium on Industrial Ecology for Young Professionals for the ISIE Conference. In non-conference years, this committee lays the foundation and plans for the next year's SIEYP. In conference years, this team ensures smooth operations by organizing, advertising, securing funding learning and networking opportunities for attendees on the first day of the conference. 

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. Additionally, this team is a great way to effect change and bring your visions to life within the ISIE community.

Who can be a board member? 

A Nominee must be (1) a student and (2) a member of ISIE (join now!). 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 during the second year of the term, 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. Please note that members do not need to be doctoral students. Masters students are encouraged to nominate themselves for the student chapter board as well!

Questions about the election process?

Feel free to email: students@is4ie.org

Other leadership opportunities

The SCB recently launched Industrial Ecology Peer Groups.  These groups enable a network of students researching similar topics to share progress on resarch, ask each other questions, and generally support each other.  Each of the roughly dozen groups need a coordinator, which is another fantastic way to lead your industrial ecology peers. Interested in coordinating? Email: students@is4ie.org