Contributors to the SOT Endowment Fund are instrumental in building for the future of toxicology by providing long-term financial support to enable the Society to fulfill its mission, now and in the years to come. In the SOT 2012–2013 fiscal year, the Education, Global Activities, and SOT Strategic Priorities Funds, as well as both the Harry W. Hays and Sheldon D. Murphy Memorial Funds, are financially contributing to SOT initiatives that address one or more of the Society's Strategic Priorities. Significant attributes of the Endowment Funds include the following:
- One hundred percent of each contribution goes toward supporting endowment activities. All of the Endowment administrative costs are defrayed by the SOT operating budget.
- Donations to each named fund are accounted separately.
- The goal of the Endowment is to support long-range activities, many of which are in perpetuity.
- Typically SOT operating funds are used to support activities for the entire membership; whereas, the Endowment Funds often are targeted toward specific subgroups within SOT.
Undergraduate Educator Award
During the SOT 2012 Annual Meeting, the second Undergraduate Educator Award was conferred to Susan M. Ford. This award was established to recognize the efforts to increase the pipeline of future toxicologist and is funded via the Endowment Education Fund.
SOT/Endowment Fund/IUTOX Travel Fellowships
As part of strengthening our global participation, the Global Activities and the SOT Strategic Priorities Fund provide financial assistance for two scientists from a country where toxicology is underrepresented to travel to the SOT Annual Meeting.
The recipients of the 2012 IUTOX Travel Fellowships were Sunisa Chaiklieng, Department of Environmental Health Science, Muang Khon Kaen, Thailand, and Jianlin Lou, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
The principal goal is to increase capacity in the developing country through strengthening toxicology within the university and the country. The International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX) administers the award review process.
Student Travel to SOT Annual Meeting
Hundreds of students, many of them now leaders in SOT, attended their first SOT Annual Meeting by winning a student travel award funded by the Society. From the early days of SOT to the present, it has been recognized that such participation is essential to “building for the future of toxicology.” There is no substitute for the excitement of being among the first to hear presentations of cutting-edge science delivered to a gathering of the best in the field. Likewise, the importance of engaging in face-to-face discussions with experts and peers in one’s area of interest cannot be underestimated. As it did in 2012, the Education Fund will provide funding for an additional 10 students, who might not otherwise have found funding, to participate in the San Antonio 2013 Annual Meeting.
PPTOX II Student Travel Awards
The Endowment Global Fund provided support for two student travel awards for the PPTOX III: Environmental Stressors in the Developmental Origins of Disease: Evidence and Mechanisms meeting held in Paris in May 2012.
Founders Award
John A. Moore received the 2012 SOT Founders Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership in fostering the role of toxicological sciences in safety decision making through the development and application of state-of-the-art approaches that elucidate, with a high degree of confidence, the distinctions between safe and unsafe exposures to chemical and physical agents. For his contirubtions to toxicology and to the safety assessment and regulation of chemicals, the Society recognized Dr. Moore by conferring this award.
To become an Endowment Fund contributor and enjoy the fulfillment of knowing that you are helping to build for the future of toxicology, please visit the Endowment Fund Section of the SOT website. You can make a difference in the lives of toxicologists by your generous support. Add your name to the Honor Roll of Contributors.