Outlook | A Quarterly Newsletter of the Society of Behavioral Medicine

SBM Forms New Publications Committee

At its Fall 2007 meeting, SBM's Board of Directors approved a plan to create a new Publications Committee to serve as the advisory and oversight board for Annals of Behavioral Medicine. This decision placed SBM among the ranks of a growing number of scientific organizations that have formed publications committees to oversee their peer-reviewed journals. The committee's main mission is to foster the growth and development of Annals, and to ensure that it meets the highest standards of contemporary scientific publishing. The committee will also be involved in the selection of a new Editor-in-Chief in 2010, to replace Dr. Alan Christensen when his term ends.

The Publications Committee is part of SBM's Publications and Communications Council and is chaired by Kenneth Freedland, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Susan Czajkowski, PhD, Program Officer in the Clinical Applications and Prevention Branch of the Division of Prevention and Population Sciences at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, is an ex officio member of the committee in her capacity as the Secretary/Treasurer of SBM.

In January 2008, a call for nominations for members-at-large of the committee was distributed to the entire membership of SBM. Nearly 50 members responded to the call, reflecting a high level of interest in Annals and in committee service to SBM. The applications were carefully reviewed to identify candidates who were highly qualified to serve on this committee. Relevant editorial experience, such as journal editorships, membership on other publications committees, and membership on editorial boards, was the primary criterion. Secondary criteria such as academic rank and numbers of peer-reviewed publications, were also considered. Profession and area of research were tertiary criteria, in order to promote diversity among committee members.

Five new members-at-large of the Publications Committee were confirmed by the Board of Directors at the March 2008 meeting in San Diego: Sherri Sheinfeld Gorin, PhD, Associate Professor of Health and Behavior Studies at Columbia University in New York; René Martin, PhD, RN, Associate Professor of Nursing at the University of Iowa in Iowa City; Lynn Rew, EdD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, Denton & Louise Cooley and Family Centennial Professor in Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing; Tim Smith, PhD, Professor and Director of Clinical Training, Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City; and Lydia Temoshok, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Director, Behavioral Medicine Program, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore.

The committee is currently developing its initial policies and procedures, and will start to phase in its oversight functions during Dr. Christensen's final year as Editor. Dr. Christensen is also serving as an advisor to the committee during its start-up phase.

Submitted by Kenneth Freedland, PhD, Chair of Publications Council


Spring/Summer 2008	Return to Outlook Main page >>
SBM Forms New Publications Committee At its Fall 2007 meeting, SBM's Board of Directors approved a plan to create a new Publications Committee to serve as the advisory and oversight board for Annals of Behavioral Medicine. This decision placed SBM among the ranks of a growing number of scientific organizations that have formed publications committees to oversee their peer-reviewed journals. The committee's main mission is to foster the growth and development of Annals, and to ensure that it meets the highest standards of contemporary scientific publishing. The committee will also be involved in the selection of a new Editor-in-Chief in 2010, to replace Dr. Alan Christensen when his term ends. The Publications Committee is part of SBM's Publications and Communications Council and is chaired by Kenneth Freedland, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Susan Czajkowski, PhD, Program Officer in the Clinical Applications and Prevention Branch of the Division of Prevention and Population Sciences at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, is an ex officio member of the committee in her capacity as the Secretary/Treasurer of SBM. In January 2008, a call for nominations for members-at-large of the committee was distributed to the entire membership of SBM. Nearly 50 members responded to the call, reflecting a high level of interest in Annals and in committee service to SBM. The applications were carefully reviewed to identify candidates who were highly qualified to serve on this committee. Relevant editorial experience, such as journal editorships, membership on other publications committees, and membership on editorial boards, was the primary criterion. Secondary criteria such as academic rank and numbers of peer-reviewed publications, were also considered. Profession and area of research were tertiary criteria, in order to promote diversity among committee members. Five new members-at-large of the Publications Committee were confirmed by the Board of Directors at the March 2008 meeting in San Diego: Sherri Sheinfeld Gorin, PhD, Associate Professor of Health and Behavior Studies at Columbia University in New York; René Martin, PhD, RN, Associate Professor of Nursing at the University of Iowa in Iowa City; Lynn Rew, EdD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, Denton & Louise Cooley and Family Centennial Professor in Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing; Tim Smith, PhD, Professor and Director of Clinical Training, Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City; and Lydia Temoshok, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Director, Behavioral Medicine Program, Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. The committee is currently developing its initial policies and procedures, and will start to phase in its oversight functions during Dr. Christensen's final year as Editor. Dr. Christensen is also serving as an advisor to the committee during its start-up phase. Submitted by Kenneth Freedland, PhD, Chair of Publications Council