April 2012, elected Chair for Professional Development, International Society for Technology in Education's SIGOL (Special Interest Group for Virtual Environments). From the ISTE "About" webpage: The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving learning and teaching by advancing the effective use of technology in PK–12 and teacher education.

ISTE represents more than 100,000 education leaders and emerging leaders throughout the world and informs its members regarding educational issues of national and global scope.

ISTE members include individuals, affiliate organizations, and corporations:

• 18,500 individual members from more than 80 countries worldwide
• 80 affiliate organizations
• 6 affiliate regions worldwide
• 50 corporations worldwide

March 2012, I was tapped to help judge the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award for the International Society for Technology in Education. 

June 2011--Awarded the coveted Black Jacket for "Making IT Happen" by the International Society for Technology in Education. From the ISTE website: "Making IT Happen is an internationally recognized awards program for educators and leaders in the field of educational technology integration in K–12 schools. The program identifies and rewards educational technology leaders around the world for their commitment and innovation."

Appointed "Lowly High Grand Poobah Emeritus" of SIGVE at ISTE

Awarded Certificate of Outstanding Service from the Special Interest Groups of ISTE

June 2010--Appointed "SIG volunteer officer from any SIG type or role" Representative on ISTE’s Special interest Groups Committee for a two year term from 2010-2012

April, 2010--Selected "Teacher of the Future" by the National Association of Independent Schools for the cohort serving the academic school year 2010-2011

September, 2009--Appointed Chair of the newly recognized Special Interest Group for Virtual Environments at the International Society for Technology in Education

July, 2009--Co-Facilitator, ISTE NECC09 Second Life Playground, Washington, D.C.

October, 2006--Conference proposal review committee for the International Society for Technology in Education's SIGIVC-related presentations for NECC 2007.

January, 2005--Conference development team for Keystone2005. The Keystone Conference is the nation's premier K12 Interactive Videoconferencing gathering.

December, 2004-Present--Appointed to the Pulse Committee of the Global Nomads Group, an international agency dedicated to bringing together culturally diverse youth from all over the world by means of Interactive Videoconferencing and project collaboration.

2004-2008--Board of Directors for TASC (the Tennessee Arts and Sciences Consortium)

2003-present--Progam manager and site facilitator, Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory "VIA Dyer" (Videoconferencing Interactions with Astronomers from Dyer Observatory) series, through Vanderbilt Virtual School and the Vanderbilt University Center for Science Outreach Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory

2001-2009--Teacher-in-Residence, Vanderbilt University Center for Science Outreach

2003-present--Advisory Committee, American International University Masters in Education Program

2001-2005--Board of Directors, Vanderbilt University's Friends of the Alexander and Jean Heard Library

July, 2003--Web Manager, courtesy of Vanderbilt University Office of Science Outreach, for Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory's online presence. Participated in redesign and still responsible for videoconferencing related content

2003-present--Contributing author, techlearning.com's "Educator's Outlook" (search "Merrick")

Summer 2001--Project Development Team Member and Presenter, Vanderbilt University's SCOPE 2001 Summer Science Institute. Project Development Team Member and Presenter, Vanderbilt University Virtual School and SEPA 2001 Video Conferencing Lesson Plan Development workshop, grades 5-12. See Virtual Vanderbilt Videoconferences for more information