Professional Development Committee

Co-Chairs: Sara Miller

Sara Miller
Phone: 465-4245
Email

Maggie Chan
Email

Background and mission:
The Professional Development Committee (formerly known as the Continuing Education Committee) was established to provide training that will improve and expand the knowledge and skills of Alaskan biologists so that they can become more effective stewards of fishery resources and fish habitats. Specialized continuing education provides fishery professionals with opportunities to improve their professional skills and to become informed of significant new scientific findings or techniques.

Duties:

  • Ensure that the training needs of Alaskan fishery scientists are met by conducting surveys of Chapter members to determine what types of professional training are desired.
  • Organize courses and workshops by soliciting instructors, scheduling time and place, developing course agendas, coordinating travel and local arrangements, preparing course announcements, determining appropriate income and enrollment fees, determining minimum and maximum enrollment numbers, conducting enrollment, providing receipts as necessary, and conducting a course evaluation.
  • Announce all courses and workshops, their fee structure, and enrollment requirements in the Chapter newsletter and on the Web Pages, as soon as possible, prior to the course date.
  • After the Continuing Education event, transmit a final agenda and lists of attendees to the Chapter Secretary-Treasurer to identify individuals who have paid registration fees, those who need to be invoiced and those who are exempted from registration fees (e.g., special guest speakers); and, a “best-estimate” event budget, including any projected costs for publication and distribution of proceedings.
  • Coordinate training efforts with State and Federal agencies, other professional societies and private organizations involved in fisheries resource management, enhancement, and research.