Graduate Student Corner - Sindes Dawood
Hi SITAR members! As you may recall from this past SITAR conference, Kate Thomas announced that she would be stepping down from the Graduate Student Representative (GSR) position, as she has begun a new chapter in her life as an Assistant Professor at Purdue University. I am delighted to say that I have taken up the position of GSR. Kate’s excellent and aspirational leadership will undoubtedly be missed, and although I have big shoes to fill, I am looking forward to continuing in her footsteps (and those before her) of representing graduate student members on the SITAR Executive Council.
For those who do not know me (yet), I am currently pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology at The Pennsylvania State University under the mentorship of Dr. Aaron Pincus. Prior to graduate school, I received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Michigan State University, and it was here that I had the good fortune to be mentored by both Chris Hopwood and Kate Thomas. These two first introduced me to interpersonal theory and research, and from the time they did, I I've been interested in understanding interpersonal processes in personality and psychopathology.
Now a third year graduate student, one of my main clinical and research efforts has been aimed at demonstrating to clinicians and researchers the utility of conceptualizing and assessing the personality and interpersonal dynamics of patients in a therapeutic context (e.g., cognitive-behavioral or psychodynamic therapy). This can be used in the consultation room with individual therapy patients to help them better understand their dynamics, which provides a context to better understand their symptoms and helps inform treatment decisions in therapy. I have not only my past and present mentors to thank for helping shape and cultivate these interests, but also SITAR! Not only has the Society been an important source of academic inspiration and expanded my ways of thinking more generally, it has also helped me cultivate the skills needed to facilitate my contribution to the field of interpersonal research. As GSR, I hope to expand opportunities for learning, networking, and further promoting and maintaining a sense of community for students within SITAR.
I would like to use next issue’s Graduate Student Corner to have student members showcase their interpersonal research. With an international conference in Berlin on the horizon, it only seems fitting to take the opportunity to introduce new and returning graduate student members to one another before having a pint (or two) together in the local. Of course, those folks who are not attending this year’s conference are also welcome to contribute to the newsletter.
Thus, graduate student members interested in sharing their research in the next newsletter, please send me an email at: [email protected]
For those who do not know me (yet), I am currently pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology at The Pennsylvania State University under the mentorship of Dr. Aaron Pincus. Prior to graduate school, I received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Michigan State University, and it was here that I had the good fortune to be mentored by both Chris Hopwood and Kate Thomas. These two first introduced me to interpersonal theory and research, and from the time they did, I I've been interested in understanding interpersonal processes in personality and psychopathology.
Now a third year graduate student, one of my main clinical and research efforts has been aimed at demonstrating to clinicians and researchers the utility of conceptualizing and assessing the personality and interpersonal dynamics of patients in a therapeutic context (e.g., cognitive-behavioral or psychodynamic therapy). This can be used in the consultation room with individual therapy patients to help them better understand their dynamics, which provides a context to better understand their symptoms and helps inform treatment decisions in therapy. I have not only my past and present mentors to thank for helping shape and cultivate these interests, but also SITAR! Not only has the Society been an important source of academic inspiration and expanded my ways of thinking more generally, it has also helped me cultivate the skills needed to facilitate my contribution to the field of interpersonal research. As GSR, I hope to expand opportunities for learning, networking, and further promoting and maintaining a sense of community for students within SITAR.
I would like to use next issue’s Graduate Student Corner to have student members showcase their interpersonal research. With an international conference in Berlin on the horizon, it only seems fitting to take the opportunity to introduce new and returning graduate student members to one another before having a pint (or two) together in the local. Of course, those folks who are not attending this year’s conference are also welcome to contribute to the newsletter.
Thus, graduate student members interested in sharing their research in the next newsletter, please send me an email at: [email protected]