Women in Cognitive Science - Canada (WiCSC+) Trainee Board
Governing Board Member
Women in Cognitive Science is a U.S. NSF-funded organization affiliated with the Psychonomic Society that has been providing valuable professional development and networking opportunities for researchers in cognitive science and related fields for over 20 years. The Canadian chapter, WiCS+-Canada, aims to provide similar opportunities within the Canadian research context. Composed of graduate students and early career researchers, the WiCSC+ Trainee Board focusses on providing information and resources to trainees in cognitive sciences, assisting them in navigating their academic and non-academic career paths - and personal life!
As a member of WiCSC+’s inaugural Trainee Board, I am actively engaged in creating and disseminating information and resources related to graduate school, work-life balance, and various career trajectories. For example, here is a post I created (EN/FR) about the Mitacs Accelerate Internship. In addition to posts, we have a video series where we interview researchers with backgrounds in cognitive science and related fields that are currently working outside of academia. View the first video in this series: Dr. Casey Hall, Head of Research at Cards Against Humanity.
I have created a series of posts for Supporting Neurodiverse Students and am working with other trainees and members of the community to ensure fair representation. View Part 1: Communication.
I’ve also assisted in planning and promoting the:
WiCSC+ Meeting and Speed Mentoring at the 2024 Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour, and Cognitive Science (CSBBCS) Conference, Edmonton, AB
WiCSC Meeting Tri-Agency Awards Panel and Q&A and Speed Mentoring events at the 2023 Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour and Cognitive Science (CSBBCS) Conference, Guelph, ON.
Presentations I have delivered on behalf of the WiCSC+ Trainee Board:
Retanal, F., Bourque, T., Wales, E., Barnoin, G., & Kahwaji, L. (2024, June 13). WiCSC+ Trainee and UCA present “How to Get Leadership and Research Skills”. [Panel]. 2024 Interdisciplinary Conference in Psychology (ICP), Ottawa, ON.
Bourque, T., Cunha, V., Wales, E., & Kahwaji, L. (2024, April 12). WiCSC+ Trainee presents “Academic CVs and Resumes”. [Panel]. 2024 Carleton Cognitive Science Graduate Conference, Ottawa, ON.
Bourque, T., Retanal, F., & Kahwaji, L. (2023, October 13). WiCSC+ Trainee presents “Resources for cognitive science trainees: networking, alt-ac jobs, and supporting neurodiverse students”. [Talk]. Ottawa University Cognitive Seminar, Zoom
Bourque, T., Retanal, F., & Kahwaji, L. (2023, October 11). WiCSC+ Trainee presents “Resources for cognitive science trainees: networking, alt-ac jobs, and supporting neurodiverse students”. [Talk]. Carleton Cognitive Science Colloquia Series, Hybrid Zoom