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A Heartfelt Thank You from Outgoing President Laurie C. Haws

By Laurie Haws posted 05-01-2025 11:45 AM

  
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As my term as President of the Society comes to a close, I want to express my deepest gratitude for the honor of serving this extraordinary community. Over the past year, it has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated professionals, brilliant scientists, and passionate advocates for scientific advancement. I am especially grateful to the members of SOT Council, our many volunteers, and all the staff at AIM, whose tireless efforts and unwavering support made everything possible. Your commitment has inspired me and gives me great confidence in the future of our Society.

I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished as a community. Together, we have navigated formidable challenges, celebrated meaningful achievements, and continued to uphold and strengthen the mission of our Society. Of note, over this past year, we maintained our essential programs while navigating budgetary challenges, championed support for our members, and preserved our shared commitment to public and environmental health, despite the many challenges that we faced, particularly in the wake of actions taken by the US Federal Government during the first part of 2025. Through collective effort, we have supported our members, ensured the success of our Annual Meeting under difficult circumstances, and opened doors for the next generation of scientists. These achievements are a testament to our resilience, unity, and unwavering dedication to the values we share.

In this final message, I want to share some highlights related to our Annual Meeting in March. With more than 5,000 registrants, the SOT 64th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo continued the Society’s tradition of being a preeminent gathering of toxicologists from around the world. Staging a multi-day meeting that features 70+ Featured and Scientific Sessions, 2,000 poster presentations, 300+ exhibitors, 100+ social events, and 14 Continuing Education courses is always a herculean effort—and even more so this year because of restrictions placed on participation of many of our colleagues and friends who work for the US Federal Government. I want to extend my thanks and gratitude to our session and course Chairs and Co-Chairs who worked diligently to arrange for alternate speakers and recorded presentations. Additionally, some poster presenters impacted by the actions of the US Federal Government found colleagues to share their research on their behalf. We are so grateful to all the members who stepped up to help in this unprecedented situation.

For those who were unable to attend the meeting in person or those wanting to experience even more of the meeting’s science, all Featured and Scientific Sessions were recorded and are now available for viewing through the SOT Event App and SOT Online Planner, where you also can find ePosters. If you are especially interested in presentations by government colleagues unable to attend the meeting, the US EPA and NIEHS have produced listings with links of their SOT presentations.

We’re excited about the Society’s 65th Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, which will be held in San Diego, California in March of next year. I look forward to seeing many of you there.

As I pass the torch to our incoming President, Dr. Cynthia Rider, I look forward to supporting the continued growth and success of our Society. Thank you for your trust, your partnership, and your passion for science.

With warmest regards and sincere appreciation,


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