The Young Forensic Toxicologists (YFT) Committee is planning several activities for the 2013 SOFT meeting in Orlando. We invite all young forensic toxicologists to participate in the events and extend a special welcome to those who may be attending their first SOFT meeting. New this year, the YFT will host a Professional Development Fair which will be open to all meeting attendees. We kindly ask all SOFT members to share information about the YFT activities with their colleagues and other interested individuals.
YFT activities currently planned for Orlando 2013:
• October 27 (5pm-9pm): YFT Symposium
• October 29 (8am-5pm): Student Enrichment Program (SEP)
• October 29 (6:30pm-8pm): Professional Development Fair
• October 30-November 1 (TBD): YFT/ Dal Cortivo Award Competition
YFT Symposium
The Symposium begins with a social hour and is followed up with a keynote speaker and then a discussion of current topics relevant to young forensic toxicologists. This is a wonderful opportunity for first time meeting attendees to meet their colleagues and for newer scientists to discuss their professional experiences in a small group of their peers. To register, you must be under 41 years of age and a registered meeting attendee. Registration should be done through the online meeting registration program.
SOFT Student Enrichment Program
The YFT Committee will host the Student Enrichment Program (SEP), an educational outreach program targeting undergraduates and graduate students interested in forensic toxicology. Students will learn about various disciplines within forensic toxicology and what knowledge and skills are necessary for this career path from practicing forensic toxicologists. The day-long program will be free of charge, but space is limited. For additional information, please email the YFT Committee at softyft@gmail.com.
YFT / Dal Cortivo Award Competition
The Leo Dal Cortivo Memorial Fund is allowing the YFT committee to present two awards, each with a cash prize of $1000 in addition to free registration at a future SOFT meeting. One award will be presented to the best poster presentation and the other for the best oral presentation. To be considered for these awards, the presenting author should mark the box on the abstract submission form that they are eligible for the YFT Award. The eligible abstracts with the highest scores, as determined by the YFT committee, will be chosen as candidates for the awards. For additional information, please see the YFT pages on the SOFT website.
SOFT Professional Development Fair
New this year, the YFT will be hosting a Professional Development Fair. The goal of this event is to provide an opportunity for attendees to meet with representatives of organizations that can provide them with information on obtaining board certification, an advanced degree, or new career opportunities. This event will be open to all meeting attendees. At this stage in the planning process, YFT asks that anyone interested in promoting their program or future job openings contact us at softyft@gmail.com.
The YFT Committee was founded in 2009 to promote education, networking and interaction among young forensic toxicology practitioners. Anyone with questions or comments about the SOFT YFT activities can reach us at softyft@gmail.com or by visiting our Facebook page.
