The SOT Endowment Fund has a mission of assisting in advancing the science of toxicology by providing financial support for the Society’s programs. The vision for this Fund is to establish and increase in net worth a set of Endowment Funds that will provide significant, stable, long-term financial support that complements the Society’s revenue from dues and other sources, to aid in achieving the Society’s strategic objectives.
Contributors to the SOT Endowment Fund are instrumental in building for the future of toxicology by providing 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 the Harry W. Hays Memorial Fund, financially contributed to SOT initiatives that address one or more of the Society's Strategic Priorities. Below are major Endowment-related activities that occurred this year.
Undergraduate Educator Award
During the SOT 2013 Annual Meeting, the third Undergraduate Educator Award was presented to Sidhartha D. Ray. In his 28 years of academic experience in pharmacy teaching and research, he has trained numerous undergraduate and graduate students in toxicology. He is both a dedicated teacher and a formidable scientist who passionately teaches his students to be “lifelong learners.”
He currently teaches several undergraduate core courses in biomedical sciences, toxicology, and integrated pharmacotherapeutics. Over the last decade, Dr. Ray contributed greatly to our knowledge on the apoptosis in the toxicity of acetaminophen as well as a stunning variety of drugs and chemicals. This award was established to recognize the efforts to increase the pipeline of future toxicologists and is funded via the Endowment Education Fund.
Minority and Undergraduate 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.
The Strategic Priorities Fund provided travel support for additional undergraduate students to participate in the Annual Meeting and the Undergraduate Program, which is hosted by the Committee on Diversity Initiatives (CDI). Focus on undergraduate participation in the SOT 53rd Annual Meeting to be held March 23–27, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona will continue.
Perry J. Gehring Diversity Student Travel Award
The 2013 recipient of the Perry J. Gehring Diversity Student Travel Award is Alexandra Colón–Rodriquez, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. This award recognizes a student, previously selected to participate in the SOT Undergraduate Program from an ethnic group underrepresented in toxicology (African American, Hispanic, Native American, or Pacific Islander), who is presenting a paper at the upcoming SOT Annual Meeting.
The award recipient is selected by the CDI. This Endowment Fund award recognizes Dr. Gehring who served as SOT President in 1980-1981 and made important scientific contributions, especially in biological modeling and evidence-based assessment. Moreover, he had a strong interest in encouraging individuals from ethnic groups underrepresented in the sciences to enter biomedical sciences and toxicology.
SOT/AstraZeneca/IUTOX Travel Fellowships
SOT/AstraZeneca/IUTOX Travel Fellowships are conferred to either junior or senior scientists from a country where toxicology is underrepresented and who have an active research program or are currently in the practice of toxicology to attend the SOT Annual Meeting. In 2013, these fellowship awards, administered by IUTOX, provided support for 10 awardees, two of whom were supported by the Endowment Fund. A list of the 2013 recipients is available on the SOT website.
SOT Founders Award
William Alfred Suk received the 2013 SOT Founders Award. He has served as director of the Superfund Hazardous Substances Basic Research and Training Program (Superfund Research Program) since its inception. He also is director of the Center for Risk & Integrated Sciences (CRIS) at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The SOT Founders Award is presented to a Full, Emeritus, or Retired Full member of the Society of Toxicology who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in fostering the role of toxicological sciences in safety decision-making through the development and/or application of state-of-the-art approaches that elucidate, with a high degree of confidence, the distinctions for humans between safe and unsafe levels of exposures to chemical and physical agents.
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.
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.