A Message from SITAR President – Sadikaj
Dear SITAR colleagues,
As the president of SITAR, I am asked to write this column for the newsletter. The first thought that crosses my mind is the wish that this newsletter reaches you in good health and wellbeing. We recently marked a full year since COVID-19 dramatically altered how we live and work. Our society, like the entire world, had to deal with and adapt to the challenges brought about by the pandemic. The organizing committee was compelled to cancel SITAR’s annual meeting scheduled to be held in Seattle last May. At that time, the Executive Committee (EC) hoped to hold the meeting in the following spring. However, as we approached the end of 2020, it became clearer that the uncertainty related to the public health situation would make it challenging to carry on with convening an in-person meeting in Seattle this May. Moreover, despite the progress made in controlling the pandemic over the past few months, the EC determined that re-scheduling the meeting this coming fall posed other organizational and financial challenges.
In light of these deliberations, the EC made the difficult decision to cancel the contract signed with the Seattle venue and incur some financial damage. Instead, the EC has opted to hold a virtual meeting on June 18/19. While the last details are still being ironed out, the plan is to meet over two consecutive afternoons to share with other colleagues recent and ongoing interpersonal research and to continue with our society’s wonderful tradition of spotlighting student research. In addition, we will hear from a keynote speaker, join a workshop, and attend a poster session. I look forward to this opportunity to re-establish the communal ties and collaborative research endeavors our society has been known and valued for.
I hope to see you in June!
Gentiana Sadikaj