SER President’s Message
In the weeks since my last President’s Message, much has changed in the world. Just a month ago, we had only an inkling of the challenges before us compared to what we now know and are experiencing. Many in the SER community have already been impacted, and each day we learn of others who have received funding termination notices, face hiring freezes, and have otherwise had their career paths unsettled. While there are few words that will bring the desired comfort to those experiencing the most pain, please know that the SER community stands with you.
In response to these challenges, SER is exploring resource sharing opportunities with other scientific societies which share our values and vision. In the coming weeks and months, we will host webinars and other activities where we can gather to exchange ideas and information, and comfort one another. On April 30th at 12pm (EST) we will host a Town Hall style webinar for members. Announcement to follow. Please save the date. We are also planning similar in-person spaces during the annual meeting in June. Details to follow.
The American poet Toi Derricotte wrote “Joy is an act of resistance”. I have said previously that we must lean into that which brings us joy, fulfillment, and peace. We are actively planning the Boston meeting to be a joyous celebration of our scientific community. Meeting registration is open, and abstract notifications have been sent. Boston is on track to be one of the largest meetings in SER’s history. Nevertheless, we understand that travel to the meeting – for a variety of reasons – may not be possible for some. In these instances, individuals can purchase the session recordings registration package which will provide access to recordings of all plenary and select concurrent sessions throughout the meeting.
For those planning to join us in person, the fun begins on June 9th when the Boston Red Sox take down the Tampa Bay Rays at historic Fenway Park (I just love New England “trash talk”!). Click here to purchase discounted tickets (the deadline for this offer is Thursday, May 8th at Midnight). For those who are able, consider purchasing an extra ticket (or two) so that all who wish to attend, may be able to attend.
There are also pre-meeting events planned for April and May including the following:
- On April 16th SER will host the second annual dissertation webinar “Ask me anything: the dissertation edition” for predoctoral students.
- On May 7th, the SPC and D&I committees will cohost a webinar for first-time meeting attendees and presenters.
In closing, I recently heard someone say that in challenging times we learn to do things differently. It reminded me that science has been challenged many times before, and as scientists we are continually evolving and reinventing ourselves. I am confident we will meet this moment together, reinvent ourselves as needed, and that our science will not only survive – but thrive. I hope that the June meeting will be part of the process.
All my best,
Yvette