SER President’s Message
We have some really, really BIG news to share with you!
Drum roll . . . So, what rhymes with Epidemiology? Okay, nothing, but it got you thinking. We are very pleased to announce that members of SER have a new benefit. The journal Epidemiology is now a partner of our society! Members now have the benefits of the American Journal of Epidemiology AND Epidemiology. Two premier epidemiology journals in one organization! What could possibly be better? Don’t answer that. So, what does that mean for you? This power packed partnership gives our members significant savings and benefits. For example, members will have access to both journals, and abstracts accepted to the mid-year and annual meetings will be published in a supplement of Epidemiology. Members will also have a discount for open access publication fees for manuscripts published in Epidemiology. Check out the member benefits section on the website for more information.
Drum roll again . . . The SER website redesign is finished, completed, done, finito! Hurray! The new SER website is sleek, hip and happening. If you have not seen it yet – click on over and take a look. You will be glad that you did. If you have any problems, concerns, suggestions or praises about the new website let us know.
Thanksgiving is less than 30 days away and 2026 is just around the corner – can you believe it? So, grab a pen, stylus, smartphone, tablet, or your computer and mark your calendars! You won’t want to miss these upcoming events.
SERpresents has some upcoming webinars that are a real crowd pleaser. The October webinar was rescheduled for December and you don’t want to miss the one in November, “Communication for Public Health Researchers”. The Mentoring Committee also started a virtual writing group that you should consider joining.
Don’t miss your opportunity to participate in the Mid-Year SER Meeting, which is entirely virtual and only 4 months away! February 9-13, 2026 we will have exciting plenaries, symposia, breakout and poster sessions. The call for abstract submissions for the Mid-Year meeting will close on November 15th at 10:00am EST with notifications sent out by January 8, 2026.
We are heading south and west to the southwest this summer! The annual SER meeting will be in Phoenix, AZ, June 23-26, 2026. This is a great time to enjoy what the southwest has to offer. Abstract submissions for the Annual Meeting will open on November 18, 2025 and are due by January 13, 2026 at 10:00am EST.
We need you! Have you considered volunteering to review abstracts for the mid-year or annual meeting? You can indicate your interest and area(s) of expertise on the Abstract Submission page on the new SER website.
Do you know an epidemiologist that should be recognized for their work? Maybe it’s you! Nominations for SER Awards are now open. We are currently accepting nominations for our 10 annual prestigious epidemiology awards. These awards recognize achievements at all career stages, from student and postdoc paper prizes to awards for mid-career and lifetime achievement. We encourage you to nominate an outstanding colleague whose work deserves recognition. For a list of specific awards and criteria, please visit the SER website. We also have travel scholarships available for students, postdocs and faculty. The deadline for nominations and applications is January 10th
Applications are open for both the Course Development and Revision Workshop and the Student Dissertation Workshop which will be held at the annual meeting in June. These opportunities are available to faculty and students in both traditional and non-traditional epidemiology programs. I encourage you to share this information with anyone who might find these workshops beneficial. The application deadline is February 5, 2026.
It’s that time of year again. Time to renew your SER membership! So, what are the perks of SER membership? Glad you asked! How about this free newsletter, free access to SER webinars (i.e., SERpresents), digital resources (e.g., SERlibrary,) and the mentoring program? But wait there’s more. You also get free registration to the Mid-Year meeting, and reduced registration to the Annual meeting! Not only do you get all that but you also get access to the SER website and the society journals: the American Journal of Epidemiology and Epidemiology.
There’s a lot happening in SER, and it can be challenging to keep up. However, I encourage you to get involved as we’re expanding opportunities to engage our members and enhance membership benefits. Invite friends and colleagues who haven’t participated in a while to check us out and attend the mid-year and annual meetings. We’re working on more initiatives, so stay tuned for exciting news in the coming months.
Unfortunately, the exciting developments in our society are overshadowed by very challenging times. Due to a stalemate in Washington, DC, some members haven’t received paychecks for several weeks. The new multi-year funding requirement for NIH institutes is significantly affecting grant funding and career paths. Companies are announcing layoffs affecting thousands of workers. These events impact us all, directly or indirectly, and the upcoming holiday season may not feel joyful for many families. It’s easy to feel like the sky is falling, but I encourage you to seek out glimmers of hope. If you can’t find one, strive to be one. Courage is not required when times are good; it’s essential when times are difficult or seemingly impossible.
Despite all the challenges, I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. If you do not celebrate any of those holidays, I wish you much joy and love during the rest of the year. See you in 2026! Better days are ahead.
Wendy