2008-2009 Proposed PSPS Budget Justification
Sept 3, 2008
Total Requested: $6400
Category ($Amount) and Justification:
1) Annual Travel Award ($3000): Post-docs should have alternative options to cover travel expenses to present their research at conferences. Under some circumstances, PIs may not have the travel monies to support the post-doc's travel. We propose a semi-annual a post-doc travel award ($1500 spring, $1500 fall) which will be awarded given to applicants based on the merit of research, and their participation in PSPS functions including informational types of seminars. Post-docs wanting to be considered for this award will submit and abstract and evidence of acceptance by the conference organizers. The criterion of attending PSPS functions is helpful to the PSPS because we are trying to build a community of post-docs through using the relatively our relatively new society on PSU-UP campus. This annual travel fund should be renewed each year
2) NPSA Meeting Travel Money ($2000): Success of the PSPS and all post-docs at PSU depends on awareness of current issues faced by the post-doc research position and how exploration into how those issues are handled by institutions similar to PSU-UP. Supporting travel by the PSPS executive members to the annual National Post-doc Society of America meetings would further PSU's positive reputation of its support of its post-doc researchers, and their their success at PSU and their careers in general.
3) Mentor Award ($150): The Post-doc-PI relationship is unique, and mentoring post-docs often requires a different skill set. The PSPS feels that mentors should be recognized and awarded for outstanding mentoring. By giving this award, the PSPS would promote good mentoring and would like to use the reward as an opportunity to highlight the multiple ways good mentoring interactions can take form.
4) Monthly Brown Bag Expenses ($550): We are hoping to make the Brown-Bag Seminars the "face" of the PSPS as our most prominent community-building activity, which will encourage networking and professional development among PSU-UP's post-doc. The brown-bag series would include professional development seminars by current PSU post-docs, any PSU-UP faculty, and other speakers from PSU-UP, such as office of research protections. These funds would cover light seminar snacks/drinks and other necessary supplementary materials like paper plates and cups.
5) Annual Summer Picnic ($200): Our annual summer picnic is a our opportunity to build social networks between post-docs and their families. Post-doc positions are a unique career step in that they can be very socially isolating, or isolating your interactions within a small and isolated group of people in your department or research group. At the annual picnic post-docs enjoy a cook-out and games such as croquet and volley ball. The money requested would cover park fees, soft drinks, plates, cups, plastic-ware and items to grill.
6) Office Supplies ($200): Any organization has underlying costs for office supplies such a duplication costs, paper costs, and other costs that go under petty cash. Since we are new, we need to build a cache of office supplies, at least for the first few years to facilitate and support our functioning as a society. Included in this allocation may be a shelf or storage locker for all our supplies that we purchase, including left over soda.
7) Disposable Dining supplies ($50): We need to keep dining supplies on hand for use at brown-bag events, social events, our annual meeting, and the symposia that we may host.
8) Food and Soft Drinks ($300): This would cover the food and soft drink expenses for our annual meeting.
