AALAS Opportunities for Technicians

Laboratory animal technicians are an essential part of the research team and provide compassionate attention to the animals in their care.

AALAS is committed to technicians and offers them a variety of products and services to help them excel in their jobs.

Committee on Technician Awareness and Development

The Committee on Technician Awareness Development (CTAD) was designed to provide technicians with an active voice in AALAS.

The CTAD’’s goals are to:

· Establish initiatives at AALAS specifically geared to enhance technicians’’ roles.

· Recognize technicians as one of the most important assets of the national organization.

· Develop technician programs and encourage participation at the AALAS National Meeting.

· Encourage technicians to take an active role in all AALAS activities, meetings, and publications at the national, district, and branch levels.

· Provide information and support to laboratory animal technicians through the Technician Branch Representative (TBR) Network. Serving as a vital support network, the CTAD is a professional and personal resource for laboratory animal technicians.

The TBR Network
As an essential part of the CTAD, the Technician Branch Representative (TBR) network fosters an indispensable connection between national AALAS and laboratory animal technicians who work in the field. Responsible for delivering information about AALAS national programs and activities, TBRs remain in close contact with district committee members.

Included in TBRs’’ responsibilities are:

· Sharing technicians’’ activities, ideas, and suggestions.

· Assisting technicians in promoting biomedical research on a local basis.

· Providing technicians with professional opportunities and strategies.

· Encouraging technician participation in AALAS at a local and national level.

· Requesting technicians’’ articles for AALAS publications.

Technician Branch Representatives must be AALAS national members and dedicated branch members who are able to attend meetings and conduct CTAD business. TBRs are appointed to three-year, renewable terms.

Through the hard work and effort of the CTAD and its TBR network, AALAS offers laboratory animal technicians a variety of opportunities.

Opportunities to Network

TechLink
TechLink is an electronic mailing list (listserve) created especially for animal care technicians in the field of laboratory animal science. Open to any AALAS national member, TechLink serves as a method for laboratory animal technicians to exchange information and conduct discussions of common interest via e-mail messages with technicians in the U.S. and other countries around the world. To subscribe to this free AALAS member benefit, send an e-mail message to listserv@listserv.aalas.org, including in the body of the e-mail: SUBSCRIBE TECHLINK Yourfirstname Yourlastname. Example: SUBSCRIBE TECHLINK John Doe.

For an archive of previous messages on Techlink go to www.aalas.org.

Opportunities to Learn

Tech Talk
Tech Talk is a quarterly publication focusing on current information and technology of interest to technicians and other members of the research team, including those responsible for animal husbandry, facility support and management, veterinary care, scientific research, education, and products - everyone in the laboratory animal science field. The guiding philosophy of Tech Talk is to enable and assist those who wish to share their ideas and information with others in the field of laboratory animal science. Technicians are encouraged to submit articles on topics that pertain to their daily responsibilities. To aid in this dissemination of knowledge, Tech Talk is also available in both English and Spanish on the AALAS web site.

Technician Fun Fair
The Technician Fun Fair is an educational, yet fun event for technicians held each year during the AALAS National Meeting. This timed event focuses on a set of questions about AALAS, the AALAS National Meeting, and technical questions from numerous exhibiting companies located in the Exhibit Hall. The Fun Fair is an exciting way for technicians to expand their animal care knowledge and meet techs from other facilities across the country.

Fun Fair participants may register individually or as a team of up to four members. In addition to the placement prizes awarded in both the team and individual categories, all those completing their exam receive special commemorative gifts.

Charles Hunter Lecture
This special topic lecture held each year at the AALAS National Meeting has laboratory animal technicians as its focus. Dr. Charles Hunter, a past president of AALAS, was a strong supporter of technician education and training. A fund was developed for technician-oriented educational opportunities, and this lecture was created. The topics and speakers vary each year and may be linked to another round table discussion or seminar. Technicians of all levels are encouraged to attend.

Technician Lunch & Learn
The newest event for technicians at the AALAS National Meeting, the Technician Lunch & Learn provides a relaxed and casual environment for technicians to learn a variety of new things while enjoying lunch with technicians from other facilities. The "learn" portion of the two-hour session will vary from year to year, but technicians can always be assured of useful and worthwhile topics relating directly to the needs of technicians. This event is another product of the Charles Hunter Fund.

AALAS Learning Library

AALAS Technician Certification Registry
A visible distinction of personal achievement and professional dedication, the AALAS Certification Registry recognizes technicians who maintain high educational standards and choose to maintain a current, credible level of knowledge. Only AALAS national members who are certified at the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT), Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT), and Laboratory Animal Technologist (LATG) levels are eligible to become part of the elite AALAS Technician Certification Registry. Registry members are distinguished by an "R" preceding their certification level acronym.

AALAS members are entered into the Registry upon becoming certified. To maintain Registry status, participants must earn a minimum number of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) every two years, depending on the certification level. Participation in the Registry demonstrates caring, initiative, and responsibility - all characteristics of a great laboratory animal technician. For additional information go to www.aalas.org.