The Contemporary Methods RIG met for the first time in March at the annual NARST meeting in Pittsburgh. At the NARST meeting, over 40 members attended the RIG session where we had an interesting exploratory conversation about the mission of the RIG, potential topics of conversation, and speakers that we might engage at future meetings. Emergent ideas included establishing methodological standards for journal reviewers to apply to manuscripts and providing professional development about the intended application of those standards.

This spring we collected nominations for someone to join me as RIG co-chair and held an election for that position as well as the position of Communications Officer. I am happy to report that Stanley Lo (Northwestern University) was elected as the Communications Officer and Bina Vanmali (Arizona State University) as the RIG co-Chair. Now that the leadership team is coming together, we will get busy processing ideas about future directions. Details about the goals, processes, and preliminary activities of the RIG will be posted online for all interested members. If you would like to join the RIG, please write me at jtaylor@bscs.org.

Best,

Joe Taylor

Methods RIG Chair

Director of Research and Development, BSCS