What are ways I can get involved in the Air & Waste Management – Upper Midwest Section?

  1. Join a Committee. Committees are a great first step into involvement in the Air & Waste Management Association – Upper Midwest Section (A&WMA-UMS). Committees allow for members to get to interact in a smaller group, take ownership of specific events or tasks, and give their opinion on the direction of the organization. Committees typically meet once a month for an hour, with additional time needed for events or committee task completion. For more information on Committee involvement, see below.
  2. Run for an Officer position. There are four Officers of the A&WMA-UMS – Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Each position is a one-year term. Descriptions of these positions can be found in the A&WMA-UMS bylaws, here. Nominations for Officer positions will be posted to members in October of each year. Officers are expected to attend monthly board meetings (one hour/month), as well as complete required tasks for their position.
  3. Run for a Director position. There are three Directors of the A&WMA-UMS. Directors are voting members who participate in each Board meeting. They also are the sole members of the Nominating Committee, who are in charge of annual Board elections. Each director position is a three-year term. Nominations for one Director position will be posted to members in October of each year. Directors are expected to attend monthly board meetings (one hour/month), and lead the election process in the fall.

 

Why Join an Air & Waste Management – Upper Midwest Section Committee?

The Air & Waste Management Association – Upper Midwest Section (A&WMA-UMS) includes several committees which focus on specific areas of the organization. Joining a committee is a great way to get to know members of the A&WMA-UMS and expand your network, gain leadership experience, and learn more about the organization while using your specific interests or skills to help move the organization forward. Whether you enjoy planning events, creating content for newsletters, or conducting outreach to students or new members, we offer a broad range of committees to get involved in.

 

Communications Committee

The Communications Committee assists in compiling and sending out the quarterly Air & Waste Management Association – Upper Midwest Section newsletter, sending all-member emails when needed, and assisting with updates to the Section website. If you are interested in creating content for the Section newsletter or assisting with web design or expanding social media presence for the Section, this Committee may be a good fit for you.

If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Communications Committee, please contact the Committee Chair, Jess Keller, at jess.keller@awma-ums.org.

 

Education Committee

 

The Education Committee teaches and promotes the concepts and practices of the Air & Waste Management Association – Upper Midwest Section in educational booths, webinars, seminars, and publications. This Committee leads outreach efforts to students at local universities (e.g., University of Minnesota), helps lead the Student Challenge at the Conference on the Environment, and assists in creating educational content for Section membership. If you are interested in outreach with local university students and creating content aimed towards students, this Committee may be a good fit for you.

 

If you are interested in serving as the Education Committee Chair or joining the committee, please reach out to the A&WMA-UMS Chair, Miranda Mair, at miranda.mair@awma-ums.org.  

 

 

Membership Committee

 

The Membership Committee promotes the growth of the Air & Waste Management Association – Upper Midwest Section by soliciting membership in the Section and Association. This Committee also assists in distributing membership surveys and compiling membership materials. If you are interested in outreach to current members or have ideas on how to reach new members through activities such as member drives, this Committee may be a good fit for you.

 

If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Membership Committee, please contact the Membership Chair, Shelley Koehn, at shelley.koehn@awma-ums.org.

 

Young Professionals Committee

The Young Professionals (YP) Committee leads programming efforts directed towards Young Professionals (members aged 35 or younger) for the Air & Waste Management Association – Upper Midwest Section. This programming includes events such as webinars, seminars, happy hours, and volunteer events. Programming focuses on professional development and networking, as well as providing introductory industry content to members who have recently entered the workforce. Members do not need to be considered Young Professionals to be a member of the Committee. If you are interested in planning content for the Young Professionals of the Section, this Committee may be a good fit for you.

If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Young Professionals Committee, please contact the Young Professionals Chair, Sam Helal, at sam.helal@awma-ums.org.

 

Conference Committees

The Air & Waste Management Association – Upper Midwest Section co-hosts several conferences throughout the year. Each conference has its own Committee which leads the planning and logistics for one of our conferences, including securing venues and catering, assisting with soliciting and reviewing abstracts, planning the conference agenda and creating content “tracks”, and day of assistance. If you are interested in assisting with the planning for one of our conferences, please reach out to the conference chairs, below:

 

Program Planning Committee

 

The Program Planning Committee proposes and collects proposals for programs for the Air & Waste Management Association – Upper Midwest Section, including webinars, seminars, and other events. This Committee also creates and manages the schedule of programs for the Section and identifies the leadership for programs. If you are interested in planning webinar or seminar content or presenting at webinars or seminars, or are interested in planning the logistics of the programs for the Section, this Committee may be a good fit for you.

 

If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Program Planning Committee, please contact the Program Planning Chair, Joe Carlson, at joseph.carlson@awma-ums.org.