“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy,” as Dubose Heyward’s lyrics to the George Gershwin tune go. Certainly, in East Lansing, summer is a wonderful time. The flowers outside my building are in bloom and mature trees provide shade along the banks of the Red Cedar River. The population is smaller, as many students have returned home. The pace is a bit slower, allowing time for reflection and planning for the next academic year, when students return or arrive for the first time, seeking knowledge and mentorship.
Speaking of mentorship, one can find many definitions for the word “mentor” online. Perhaps my favorite is one that can be found on Dictionary.com: “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.” I like this definition because it comprises two essential components of a successful mentoring relationship. I have been fortunate to have had excellent mentors in my life. I still seek advice from some of them. Some of these relationships were not labeled as mentorship, but what I garnered from them certainly qualifies them as just that.
Two years ago, SOT Council identified mentoring as a key element of the SOT activities related to career advancement, education, and recruitment. We agreed that the Society should have a coordinated mentoring effort. Last year, the Career Resource and Development Committee (CRAD) spent time gathering data, and earlier this summer, Council had a strategic discussion regarding the path forward. We were assisted in our deliberations by an excellent proposal put forward by CRAD. You can read more about this initial discussion and thinking in “Supporting Career Advancement for All SOT Members through Mentoring and Professional Development” by Marie Fortin and Shaun McCullough, the chair and co-chair of CRAD, respectively. A subcommittee of Council will be joining CRAD in their efforts to refine and implement their ideas, so stay tuned for more information.
Another focus for Council this year is global outreach. Several years ago, we began a relationship with the Japanese Society of Toxicology (JSOT). One component of the relationship is an exchange of symposia at our annual meetings. As I write this, I have just returned from the JSOT 2017 meeting in Yokohama. Each day featured one symposium in English, including one specifically designated as the JSOT/SOT collaborative symposium. During my time at the meeting, I had an opportunity to speak with colleagues not only from Japan, but also from Thailand regarding mutual interests. In addition to JSOT, we have a solid collaboration with the International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX) surrounding the 15th International Congress of Toxicology (ICTXV) meeting that we are hosting in Honolulu in 2019. Preparation for the ICTXV meeting is underway, with planning committees comprising members from around the world working together to construct a robust program of Continuing Education courses and Scientific Sessions. The abstract site is open for session proposals.
The SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo is one of the most important activities of the Society. The Continuing Education and Scientific Program Committees have been assiduous in developing a high-quality program for 2018. They have selected 14 Continuing Education courses and more than 60 symposia, workshop, and other sessions for presentation in San Antonio. You can register and make housing reservations now on the 2018 Annual Meeting website, and abstract submission just opened and is available through October 9. Please plan to join us in San Antonio.
Finally, in my last message I mentioned that SOT had applied for membership in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). We received word in June that our membership has been accepted. Council is in the process now of identifying SOT members to serve on committees within FASEB. There are several openings that span topics from science policy to training opportunities. If you have an interest in being considered as an SOT representative for a FASEB committee, please contact me or SOT Headquarters.
That’s all for the moment. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Warm regards,
Patricia E. Ganey
SOT President 2017–2018