Species Development Interview

Today we are with Commander Tal Tel-ar.
Leader of the Species Development Committee.
This group deals with creating new alien races to enter our little corner of the Star Trek Universe. The team works hard to research all of the correct information that can be used to create and implement their creation.
Could you give us a little bit of your background and your Starfleet career ?
Yes. I have been a member of Starbase 118 for 5 years this month. In that time I have served on a number of different crews including the USS Triumphant, USS Constitution-B, USS Eagle, USS Challenger, USS Challenger-A, Duronis II and the USS Apollo. I have also held a number of different positions starting as a security officer and progressing through tactical, helmsman, mission specialist and being the Chief of Security, Tactical and Operations as well as a Diplomat, Intelligence Officer, 2nd Officer, 1st Officer, Acting Captain and temporary Captain.
I volunteered for the SDC and worked for them for a while before I became the Director almost 2 years ago. Since then we have managed to formulate a system that has allowed us to create not only brand new species but converted over some of the old entries in our files to a new more useful layout. One that we hope will make every species not only more useful but easier to use both as characters but also as bit players in any mission or shore leave adventure.
How does one join the team and what are the duties that it entails?
There are a couple different ways you can join. First you can contact your Captain and he or she can forward the request to me or you can go to the 118wiki and follow the links under taskforces/teams.
Once you become a member of the SDC there are 2 main duties. First for those who have the time, there are the species rewrites. This is where you select a species that still needs to be rewritten and do the research. Once you have found all the data available you transfer it onto the layout and when finished then submit it to the SDC for review, discussion, and eventually the vote. The 2nd, even more important task, for each and every member of the SDC is to review, discuss and then vote on each and every species that has been rewritten and submitted to the team for review.
Where do you gather your information?
We use a number of difference sources from books, internet, articles, magazines and any other Star Trek publications, episodes or resources.
Once you have found and started to create, where do you send the information?
Once a species has been created it is submitted to me for the initial review. After that if I think it is ready I will submit it to the entire membership of the SDC to review, discuss and point out any flaws, problems or tweaks that need to be done.
Does this have to be voted on by a council, and what is the process?
Yes it does. Once any changes that are needed have been made the species is put to the vote. All the members of the SDC get to vote.
Once everything is completed and the new species has passed the council, what is the final process?  
If it passes the vote then it is added to our completed list that periodically is submitted to the Captains Council.
Once that is completed how is it presented to the fleet?
That is the reason why we periodically submit a list of completed species to the Captains Council. Since the Captain for every ship in the fleet is a member this way we can inform the entire fleet in one move. We also have species write ups placed on the newsletter every once in a while.
The SDC is always accepting new members.  To join, you can head to the SDC Yahoo! Group and request membership.  If you would like to know more about the SDC and what they do, head over to their wiki page and give it a read!