May marks the official time of the transition of our Society’s leadership. This past year was both an honor and pleasure to work with Lois D. Lehman-McKeeman, our outgoing President, as well as with Council and SOT Membership. Going forward into 2014–2015, I am both enthused by how active our membership is within the Society as well as humbled by the honor to serve as this coming year’s president. In this first of four Communiqué messages during the next twelve months, I would like to recap several highlights from this past Annual Meeting as well as briefly discuss initiatives for the coming year in the areas of strategic planning and continuing education.
The 53rd Society of Toxicology (SOT) Annual Meeting, held in Phoenix, Arizona, was a remarkable success, both with respect to the science presented and total attendance. The Annual Meeting featured over 162 scientific sessions, 13 continuing education courses, 2,524 posters with a total of 2,890 abstract submissions. Total attendance for the 2014 Annual Meeting was 6,509, the third highest attendance in the history of the SOT.
This also was the second year, in which attendees had the opportunity to view the Annual Meeting Program, as well as organize their meeting schedule, on a smart phone, iPad, or tablet using an electronic app. A new feature of this year’s Annual Meeting Mobile Event App was the ability to upload as well as view electronic copies of posters. Approximately a quarter of the posters presented in Phoenix also were uploaded for electronic viewing. Attendees had the ability to preview posters prior to viewing them at the Convention Center or, if faced with a scheduling conflict, could still view the science that was being presented. To further enhance electronic viewing of posters, a viewing station with large screen displays was provided within the ToxExpo Exhibition Hall. As with all new technologies, continued improvements will be made to the app for the coming year in response to comments and suggestions by meeting attendees. Certainly not having to carry the large and heavy print copy of the Annual Meeting Program for four consecutive days was a pleasure.
A major focus for Council in the coming year will be to conduct a comprehensive review of the SOT Strategic Plan. The SOT annually updates and also periodically reviews its strategic plan. In essence, the strategic plan is “evergreen, continuously evolving and changing. Since the last periodic review, our discipline and Society has experienced many changes, some of which necessitate consideration by SOT since they impact us as a society. Arguably, some of the most profound changes have been the technological innovations that in turn continue to drive advancements in the sciences at an ever-increasing pace. These advancements continue to impact and expand the boundaries of how we approach toxicology as a discipline.
Likewise, SOT has experienced changes in membership demographics, including an increase in international members. There also has been a heightened awareness worldwide of toxicological issues, which often also are coupled to environmental impacts. In addition, economic pressures have decreased resources for basic and applied research including toxicology-related research. The aforementioned are only a few of the ongoing changes that continue to influence SOT and the discipline of toxicology. To best position SOT for the next four years, Council will be seeking member input in the summer of 2014 and conducting a facilitated Council strategic planning retreat in September. The details of the 2015–2018 plan will be shared with the SOT membership in March 2015.
A second focus for Council in the coming year will be to continue to enhance SOT’s Continuing Education (CE) programs. Continuing education is an important member service and consonant with the basic core values of the SOT. Under Dr. Lehman-McKeeman’s leadership this past year, many enhancements in CE were implemented, including offering seven CE courses by remote access and two as live webcasts. In addition, five CE courses presented at this year’s Annual Meeting are being made available online. To be explored in this coming year will be the feasibility as well as the interest of our membership in new CE learning opportunities outside of the Annual Meeting. Historically, SOT CE courses have been offered in conjunction with the Annual Meeting. In the coming year, Council will consider ways in which CE courses could be offered including through live webcasts and/or at designated locations as one day or day and a half courses periodically during the year. These new offerings would be in addition to the traditional courses provided at the Annual Meeting.
In closing, I look forward to a productive year and the opportunity to work with you to continue to enhance the SOT and the services it provides.
Norbert E. Kaminski, PhD
2014–2015 SOT President