Join US
There has never been a more important time to be a member of the Schizophrenia International Research Society (SIRS). SIRS is a recognized leader in promoting schizophrenia research aimed at identification, prevention, and treatment of those people with schizophrenia and other related disorders. SIRS membership provides the opportunity to join and network with fellow scientists from around the world to exchange the latest advances in biological and psychosocial research in schizophrenia. Your SIRS membership benefits your career as well as your profession — an invaluable investment in your future.
SIRS Members Benefits allow you to:
Be Lifelong Learners and Stay Current
- Reduced registration rates for Society-sponsored meetings
- Attending the SIRS Congress as a member provides an unparalleled opportunity to network with members of the schizophrenia research community.
- Electronic subscription for Schizophrenia Research and Schizophrenia Bulletin
- Weekly emails with advanced online publications from Schizophrenia, Schizophrenia Research and Schizophrenia Bulletin
- Access to SIRS webinars and other educational presentations
Be Connected to Leaders and Colleagues
- Committee membership opportunities
- Quarterly newsletters
- Visibility, mentorship, and networking opportunities
Be Recognized and Awarded
- Research Award opportunities
- Research Harmonisation Group Award
- Research Fund Award
- Honorific Awards
- Early Career Awards (formerly Travel Awards)
Eligibility and Application
Full membership in SIRS is limited to those who have a professional interest in research relevant to schizophrenia. This would include professionals in areas pertinent to the discovery of the causes and treatment of psychiatric disorders All new full member applicants must submit a curriculum vitae which includes citations for a minimum of two published articles in the field of schizophrenia research.
Associate membership shall be open to all persons with a professional interest in schizophrenia research or related disorders. Associate members must submit a statement of interest indicating why they want to become a member of SIRS and why they think associate membership is what they qualify for along with your curriculum vitae. If an applicant applying for Associate Membership qualifies for Full Membership, the Executive Office will notify the applicant that they need to apply full membership.
Student applicants must submit a letter from the student’s immediate supervisor verifying his/her student status in a relevant field. To qualify as a student, one must be a full-time undergraduate, graduate student, medical student, or student in the first two years of a post-doctoral fellowship program at a university, in a field relevant to schizophrenia research.
Dues and Payment
Annual Membership Fees (January 1 – December 31, Annual)
- Full Member, $145.00 USD
- Associate Member, $70.00 USD
- Student Member, $50.00 USD
Developing Countries Membership Rate
The Developing Countries special membership rate is available to those scientists in countries defined as low and lower middle income by the World Bank. This enables these scientists, for whom the cost of membership is outside of their means, to access scientific research and colleagues around the world. Please note that to receive the Developing Countries Membership rate, you must have residency in, must be currently living in, and be a citizen of the qualifying country. All three requirements must be met in order to receive the discounted rate.
- Full Member, $29.00 USD
- Associate Member, $24.00 USD
- Student Member, $19.00 USD
SIRS Member Testimonials
Sibylle Schwab, Ph.D.
Australia
Over more than 30 years, I have been involved in studying the genetic background of schizophrenia. My undergraduate training background is in pharmaceutical chemistry. In 1989, I was offered a PhD scholarship in a lab in Munich, Germany, with a focus to build up genetic analyses in families with schizophrenia. The idea, which actually hasn’t changed that much since then, was to identify altered genes which then can be used for developing novel treatments, targeting the real causes of schizophrenia.
The decision, to join this lab challenged my previous discipline focussed understanding of academic research. Early on, I realized that discussion with psychiatrists, psychologists, statisticians, geneticists, counsellors, social workers, and many other disciplines, which I have not even thought of, can only happen in a meaningful way, when one actively engages with their views on the research. Since the field was only starting to building up momentum, there were not many societies around which would help with this cross-disciplinary development. Some winter workshops were available, which I would count as precursor to what then finally developed into the Schizophrenia International Research Society in 2005. I joined the Society in 2008, presenting in a debate forum at the first Schizophrenia International Research Society Conference. I believe that the Society has provided a home for my desire to engage more broadly with related disciplines. In contrast to other, genetically focussed meetings, I enjoy the breadth and depth of knowledge, which is disseminated during their meetings. I enjoy the discussions, which happened not only during poster sessions, but also during panel discussions and workshops. Retrospectively, I have to say that the breadth and interdisciplinary nature of these conferences, the opportunity to being inspired by achievements out of my initial focus, more recently the educational resources and online resources available, embraces the value of being a member of this society. This is also the reason, why I happily decided to support the Society’s endeavours in joining the International Advisory Board Committee, being involved with the travel awards selection committees (even these generally happen to be around Christmas) and more recently, being a member of the Membership Committee, which I am now chairing since 2020. Having had the opportunity to see this Society grow since its inception, I feel honoured to be connected and involved with such a varied, diverse and vibrant community. The only thing which I miss was that the Society was not yet available, when I started my journey in schizophrenia genetics when starting my PhD.
