WELCOME TO THE SEVENTH ANNUAL
SPR STUDENT NEWSLETTER

Spring 2006, Volume 7

This newsletter is created by the SPR Committee to Promote Student Interests and is sent to current and recent student and full SPR members.

• The upcoming SPR conference in Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • Make your reservations now! Discounted junior suites available for SPR students
  • Conference Poster Award
  • Student Travel Award
• Things to do in Vancouver
• Good Eats
• Things to Do & Sights to See
• Meetings of Interest to Students
• Interview with SPR Member and prominent psychophysiologist Jochen Kaiser
• Postdoc "Student" Subcommittee: Plans for Vancouver
• Update from the Student Web Subcommittee
• Update from the Clinical Psychophysiology Subcommittee
• Update from the Membership Retention Subcommittee
• How to contact members of the Committee to Promote Student Interests

I. ANNUAL SPR CONFERENCE: ABSTRACTS DUE MAY 1ST

This year, SPR will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from October 25-29, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver Hotel. Registration, travel, and other conference-related information will be mailed out to members around May. Refer to the featured section below on Vancouver, BC highlights!
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Junior Suites Available for Student Members
For the upcoming meeting at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver, there are 10 junior suites that have been designated for students. The junior suites are comprised of two rooms, one with two double beds and the other with a double Murphy (pull-out) bed. Students also may request an additional cot. The conference rate for a junior suite is $167 USD per night. To provide this opportunity to as many people as possible, minimum occupancy for a suite is 4 students. Maximum occupancy is 7 students. Reservations for a junior suite CANNOT be made directly through the Hyatt Regency. Instead, you will need to designate one representative for your group and have that person contact Jane Shepard, Director of Meetings, by email at jshepard@reesgroupinc.com. In the email message, please be sure to provide your date of arrival, date of departure, and number of occupants. Your credit card number and expiration date can be included in the email or faxed separately to Jane at 1-608-443-2474; reservations will be guaranteed only after credit card information is received. Prior to contacting Jane, please be sure to check the SPR website to determine if junior suites are still available as they will be assigned in the order in which requests are received.
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Looking to bolster your CV? If you submit a 250-word abstract by May 1, 2006, you are automatically eligible for a student poster award!

You are eligible for a student poster award as long as you are: 1) a full-time student, 2) an SPR student member, 3) first author on a poster, and 4) in attendance at the Vancouver conference. Students' winning poster awards also receive a cash prize. In addition, the names of all winners and the titles of their posters will be announced in Psychophysiology as soon as possible after the award.

Click on the link below for submission instructions and sample posters from past award winners.
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Graduate student salary woes? Can't seem to find the funding to attend SPR this year? Thanks to the generosity of SPR, Student Travel Awards are now available! Apply today!

II. VANCOUVER: SIGHTS TO SEE, THINGS TO DO!

Start planning your trip to beautiful Vancouver, BC today! Special thanks to Tracy Cassels, our local student host, for putting together this wonderful guide of places to eat, things to do, and sights to see. Be sure to try and squeeze in some of these local attractions during your visit:

Good Eats:

• Banana Leaf: (820 Broadway West and 1096 Denman Street) Malaysian food that is excellently priced, but not very veggie suitable.
• CinCin: (1154 Robson St) Excellent Mediterranean food, but again on the more expensive side.  If you feel like treating yourself, it’s worth a visit.
• Hell’s Kitchen and Nevermind: (2041 4th Avenue West and 3293 W 4th Ave)  In essence the same restaurant.  Great food, good drinks, TVs with hockey (you are in Canada).  Good times are had by all.
• Naam:  (2724 W 4th Ave) Vegetarian and vegan fare.  Famous in the city for it, but it also can be hit or miss with the meals, particularly for non-vegetarians.
• Sophie’s:  (2095 W 4th Ave) EXCELLENT diner.  Great food, big portions, but expect a wait, particularly on weekends and breakfast/brunch time.
• Thai House:  (1116 Robson St and 1766 West 7th Ave) If you like Thai, one of the best in the city.  A bit pricier than some of the other places, but definitely worth it and it still won’t break the bank.
• The Tapas Tree:  (1829 Robson Street) Definitely on the more expensive side, but great food for veggies and non-veggies alike. 
  Other Recommendations (in no particular order):
  Caredero's (1583 Coal Harbour Quay)
  Sun Si Wah (3888 Main, Seafood)
  Sandbar (1535 Johnston, Seafood)
  Wimaan (1063 W Broadway, Thai)
  Rangoli's (1488 W 11th, Indian Fusion)
  Vij's (1480 11 Avenue West, Indian Fusion, same owners as Rangoli’s)
  The Reef (4172 Main, Jamaican)
  Tomato Fresh Food Cafe (3305 Cambie St)

Places to Go & Things to See

Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park:  For those people with a death-wish and no fear of heights, one of the most spectacular things you can do.  Located in a rainforest, you won’t feel as though you’re anywhere near civilization upon entering.
Admission: $25.95 for adults, $20.25 for students
Hours: Check website for updates to hours.
http://www.capbridge.com/

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden:  Based in Chinatown, this garden is based on a 15th Century Chinese garden and named after the founder of China. 
Admission: $8.95 for adults, $7 for students
Hours: 10am to 4:30pm
http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com/

Gastown:  Tourist trap-style shopping and steamclock as well as being Vancouver’s oldest shopping neighbourhood.
http://www.gastown.org/

Granville Island:  This market by the water offers various types of food, live performances, boat rides, shopping, and almost anything else you could ask for.
Admission: Various, but free to show up
Hours: Market is open from 9am to 7pm, but other activities have different hours
http://www.granvilleisland.bc.ca

Grouse Mountain:  Trams take you up the side of the mountain providing you with an excellent view of the city along with various activities and some good dining once you’re up there.
Admission: $29.95 for adults
Hours: 9am to 10pm
http://www.grousemountain.com

Harbour Centre Tower:  40-story tower with an observation deck on top.  Smaller than some of the others in the world, but a spectacular view!
Admission: $11 for adults, $7 for students
Hours: Not posted yet for October 2006
http://www.vancouverlookout.com/

Jericho and Kitsilano Beaches:  Both beautiful beaches with park and picnic areas and great views of the mountains.
http://www.vancouver.hm/beaches.html

Queen Elizabeth Park:  52 hectares overlooking the city, this park is the highest point in Vancouver.  Miniature golf, tennis, sculptures, a rose garden, and more all are contained within Queen Elizabeth Park.
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/queenelizabeth/index.htm

Stanley Park: Famous enough that it doesn’t need an introduction; includes the Sea Wall which is a beautiful walk (or run or bike).
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/stanley/index.htm

UBC’s Botanical Garden:  A larger version of the Van Dusen at 44 hectares and includes over 8000 types of plants.
Admission: $6 for adults, $3 for students
Hours: Not posted for October 2006
http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org

UBC’s Museum of Anthropology:  On the UBC campus (worth a visit itself).  Some very amazing artifacts and the totem poles out front are beautiful.  (You are then also close to the world famous Wreck Beach where people frolic nude all year round!)
Admission: $9 for adults, $7 for students
Hours: Not posted for October 2006
http://www.moa.ubc.ca

Van Dusen Botanical Garden:  22 hectares of plants and trees.  You can arrange for a tour or just walk around by yourself.  In October, East North American and Gingko trees, Autumn Crocus, Fatsia, Rubeckia, Asters, and Hydrangeas are all in bloom.
Admission: $5.75 for adults
Hours: 10am to 5pm
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/vandusen/website/index.htm

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre:  Located in Stanley Park.  As long as you aren’t afraid of fish, a very fun place to check out.
Admission:  $18.50 for adults, $13.95 for students
Hours:  10am to 5:30pm
http://www.vanaqua.org/home/

Vancouver Art Gallery:  The largest art gallery in Western Canada, it has close to 8,000 works of art in its collection, including more than 200 works by Emily Carr, one of Canada’s most prominent artists and a British Columbian herself.
Admission:  $15 for adults, $10 for students
Hours:  Monday, Wednesday, Friday to Sunday 10 am - 5:30 pm; Tuesday and Thursday 10 am - 9 pm
http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

Yaletown:  The more bohemian shopping area.  Very cute neighbourhood with lots of boutiques and restaurants.
http://www.myyaletown.com/

And of course, what would a trip to Canada be without catching an NHL game?  ;)  The Canucks may be in town, tickets are hard to get, but you can try via Ticketmaster.ca or just go to a local bar and catch a game! 
*All photos are from the sites listed.
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Don't forget that there are plenty of opportunities to meet and mingle with other SPR students and members. Here is just a brief sampling of some of the special interests lunches, dinners, and meetings in the works:

The Student Social - A "can't miss"! The time and date for this years annual social are still in the works, but keep your eyes peeled for updates.

The Open Dinner Meeting with the Committee to Promote Student Interests - We were ecstatic to see so many students attend last year's dinner! All SPR student members are welcome to attend. Do you have suggestions for improvements in student outreach? Would you like to work with one of our many subcommittees on issues relevant to your research? Please come with your appetite and opinions! Let's break last year's attendance record! Time, date, and location will be announced in the Fall Newsletter.

Early Careers Conversation Hour - A wonderfully informative meeting with a panel of our generous SPR young investigators who share advice, tips, and tricks of the trade. A must attend for any student approaching the 'real world'! If you're interested in attending please see the brief note below, and don't forget to complete the survey so that the meeting can be tailored to your desires.

Special Interest Lunches & Dinners - These events are a wonderful way to connect with others who share your research interests. Typically, the events are organized on an ongoing basis and are announced in various ways (over email, on the website, and posted on the message board at the conference), so keep your eyes peeled for topics that pique your special interest. Remember, these are typically no-host meals, which means bring your own funds. Currently known to be in the works: 1) Women in Psychophysiology and 2) Clinical Psychophysiology. More information on the upcoming conference and on Vancouver to come from our Meeting Events Subcommittee in the Fall Newsletter.!
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III. OUR FEATURED INTERVIEW WITH JOCHEN KAISER

For the SPR Student Newsletter's regular feature, "Interview with an SPR member", we bring you an exclusive interview with Dr. Jochen Kaiser from the University of Frankfurt, Germany. Thanks to Jochen, Sylvia Kreibig, and the rest of the SPR Student Interview Subcommittee for such an informative and compelling interview!
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IV. UPDATE FROM THE POSTDOCTORAL "STUDENT" SUBCOMMITTEE

We are currently planning the 2006 Early Careers Conversation Hour.  To help us tailor this event to the needs of the membership/conference attendees, please click on the link below to complete our survey.  This will only take a few minutes and will help to make sure that your questions get answered!  If you have any questions or would like to help with planning the conversation hour, please contact Rebecca Houston (rhouston@ria.buffalo.edu) or any member of the postdoctoral subcommittee.
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V. UPDATE FROM THE STUDENT WEB SUBCOMMITTEE

Greetings SPR student members! As you may have noticed, the design of the SPR Student Website has changed quite drastically. In addition, the site is now hosted on a new server, so if you have bookmarked the previous SPR Student Website (which, of course, you all have), you may want to note that the new address is http://www.sprweb.org/student. Special thanks to John Hoffman, the SPR Website Committee, and the Rees Group for graciously extending some of their space, time, and resources to us!

While we are taking every effort to ensure a smooth transition, there is always a chance that a link or two will be missed. If you encounter a broken link, or a page that no longer exists, please contact Jenny Robinson at robinson@case.edu so that we can fix it as soon as possible. Also, please don't hesitate to contact her if you have any suggestions or comments regarding the new site.

Finally, please take some time to explore both the SPR mainsite, and of course, the student site! In addition to keeping you up to date on the upcoming meetings and the ongoings of the society, both sites provide some wonderful resources, such as job listings, the new SPR Software Repository, and much more!

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VI. UPDATE FROM THE CLINICAL PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY SUBCOMMITTEE

Are you interested in research that integrates psychophysiology and clinical science? Do you conduct basic psychophysiology or fMRI research that has clinical applications? Do you employ psychophysiology or fMRI methods to study clinical populations? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the Student Subcommittee on Clinical Psychophysiology may be right for you. The aims of this subcommittee are to facilitate discussions about clinical applications of psychophysiology and fMRI, create networking opportunities among researchers interested in this field, and stimulate collaborations among clinical psychophysiologists across the globe. If you are interested in joining the Clinical Psychophysiology Subcommittee or have any suggestions, please contact the chair, Julie Hall, at jlhall@psych.stanford.edu . This year at the SPR convention in Vancouver, we will be hosting a special interest Clinical Psychophysiology lunch and will be inviting several prominent clinical psychophysiologists to share their experience and wisdom. We hope to see you there!
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VII. UPDATE FROM THE MEMBERSHIP RETENTION SUBCOMMITTEE

VIII. MEMBERS OF THE SPR COMMITTEE TO PROMOTE STUDENT INTERESTS

Are your needs being met? Please feel free to contact members of the committee with suggestions, questions, comments, or to bond with a fellow psychophysiologist, click below...