COGS’ Education Program aims to continually promote collaborations between all stages of researchers transforming the transdisciplinary field of Sex & Gender Science, to increase the opportunities for learning as well as knowledge translation and diffusion to the public by informing on recent research developments, to foster the inclusion of students, and to encourage public education at an international scale. To do so, this program aims to raise awareness of the importance of addressing issues pertaining to sex and gender, and to educate students, trainees, scientists, and the public at large on new developments within the field.

The COGS Education Program consists of students, scientists, and educators who are already integrating sex and gender into their research as well as those interested in doing so. Members of the Education Program Committee may be nominated and/or self-appointed by the current Co-chairs and other members of the Committee.

The COGS Education Program Committee will comprise no fewer than X and no more than X members. Members of the EPC will all be members of COGS and will have the following composition:

Chair who will be appointed by the Executive Committee and is a full COGS member. When nominating the Chair:

The chair is appointed by the Lead of the Executive.

For this nomination, the Executive will give priority to members of the Education Program Committee

The Chair will sit on the COGS Executive Committee

Composition of the committee

At least 4 Full COGS members (Past Chair (serves for one year), Secretary, in-coming Chair)

At least 2 Student members

2 members of the Executive Committee

If possible with representation from the following groups: community, social science, humanities, sciences, NGO, government, business

Priority given to BIPOC members

Selection process for committee member:

In order to maximize inclusivity and diversity, calls for committee members will be made soon after the current conference (e.g. after the 2021 conference sending calls for the 2022 Program Chair and committee members) and sent to all the members. Further calls should also be sent to specific BIPOC academic associations and organizations (ideally provide a list to ensure transparency).

Application for the education program committee membership will be reviewed and approved by the Executive.

Decisions regarding committee members will be based on:

Disciplinary expertise

EDI

Career stage?

Calls for committee members will be sent every year in order to maintain a balance between junior and senior members.

Term of appointment: 3 Years

The incoming chair, the past chair, the President, the President-Elect, and the Secretary serve as ex officio members of the committee. The chair, past chair, and incoming chair are empowered to act on behalf of the committee on matters that require decisions between meetings of the full committee.

The time commitment expectations are to be discussed and determined together with the new recruits and the current members of the Education Program Committee at the time of recruitment.

Oversee the creation and dissemination of accurate, accessible, and authoritative sex and gender information, and target public audiences.

Lead media outreach and support the annual meeting program, and promote sex and gender articles to science, health, and social sciences reporters.

Collaborate with the sex and gender and education communities to develop core concepts aimed at primary and secondary educators.

Collaborate with other organizations to reach science educators and encourage health, science, and social sciences education, leveraging both formal and informal strategies.

Identify the educational needs of the COGS community.

Mount 3 online workshops or talks a year to continue to engage the COGS community

Support the Program Committee in designing the featured program summarizing the conference’s academic activities.

Monitor

Observe trends and changes in the field of Sex & Gender Science, and diffuse recent findings and developments to the COGS membership, other targeted audiences, and the larger public.

Observe and gather feedback from colleagues and from attendance at other scientific and community-oriented meetings.

Identify the broad educational needs of the Sex and Gender community, at the research and translational level.

Maintain a media resource directory of sex and gender scientists who are knowledgeable and at ease with speaking to science, health, and social science journalists.

Conduct media training for COGS’ leadership and the appropriate committee leaders who may be communicating with members of the press on behalf of the organization.

Advise

Evaluate annual educational activities and make recommendations to the Executive committee to reshape the program as necessary, considering logistical as well as member needs and constraints.

Serve as a source of information on education issues pertaining to Sex and Gender Science education, informal science learning, and public outreach. Advise the Executive committee on potential strategic partnerships with other professions/associations to accomplish the goals of COGS’ strategic plans.

Provide guidance in the management of complex issues related to programming, logistics and EDI practices.

Identify new findings and developments in the field of Sex and Gender research that are potentially newsworthy, to be considered by the Press Planning Committee to develop press conferences for the annual meeting.

Advise the Executive committee on the messages the organization should communicate through the membership to a variety of public audiences.

Represent

Facilitate communication between the organization and media, including the transfer of new scientific knowledge developed by COGS members to the media, teachers, education leaders, advocacy groups, elected officials, and the public.

Represent COGS in its partnerships with other associations and educational organizations.

Manage Activities

Build the capacity for educators to integrate sex and gender content in science teaching activities through collaborative activities.

Execute initiatives aimed at increasing the involvement of COGS members and roles in public education and outreach.

Catalyze a shift in the professional culture of COGS members to more consistently include and embrace public communication, outreach, and education about sex and gender.

Foster the integration of sex and gender content in formal and informal science learning by providing online educational resources and webinars for members.

Publicize to the media new sex and gender research findings presented each year at the COGS annual meeting through a program of structured press briefings.

Publicize new sex and gender research findings published throughout the year in scientific journals through media relations outreach strategies with science reports and public information officers.

Promote sex and gender research on topics of interest to the public through newsletters, brochures, and other print and digital products.

Respond to media inquiries on sex and gender topics.

Empower COGS members to engage in public dialogue and provide them with tools to do so.

Facilitate the lines of communications between Executive committee, COGS members, sex and gender researchers, students, educators, media, and general public.

All the committee’s responsibilities will operate within principles assuring equity and diversity.

If feasible, COGS will set aside funds annually to support the Education Program. Members interested in hosting an event such as a meet and greet, guest lecture, symposium, or other, must apply for funds by completing a Funding Request Form. Funds will be a maximum of $000 per event, which can be spent on catering, room rentals, A/V costs, supplies, or other expenses deemed reasonable by COGS and allowable under COGS’ financial policies.

The Education Program will have access to a $000 budget annually to organize educational events, manage media relations, encourage research activities and knowledge translation, and other activities led by the Program.

All committee members are expected to attend X of (total) yearly Education Committee meetings. During those meetings, committee members will brainstorm on future strategies for knowledge dissemination and education, update members on new findings and developments in the field of sex and gender research to be presented to targeted audiences, and develop an action plan for networking and collaborating with students, scientists, educators, organizations, and media for knowledge translation.

Additional correspondence is conducted by e-mail and conference call, as needed, throughout the calendar year to address program-related issues.

A standing agenda for each meeting will consist of: COGS updates, roundtable updates, upcoming events and opportunities, and business arising.

The Committee will keep minutes that reflect all significant decisions at all regular meetings. A digital copy will be shared will all Education Program Committee members and the Executive.