The SOT Endowment Fund includes 43 Named Funds that primarily support awards for trainees, and the funds are mostly administered by SOT component groups. In addition, there are three Society Mission Funds administered by the SOT Council that are aligned with the long-term strategic objectives of the Society. These have often been referred to as “General Purpose Funds” or “Society Funds,” but were renamed the “SOT Mission Funds” to emphasize that they support various elements of the SOT mission that are critical to the future wellbeing of the SOT and to accomplishing important initiatives outlined in the Society’s strategic plan.
In the next few articles, I will describe the purpose of each of the SOT Mission Funds. Today’s topic is the Education Fund. The overall goal of this Mission Fund is to enhance focused targets of opportunity for SOT’s educational initiatives. In the past, much of the proceeds of this fund have been used to support graduate student travel to our Annual Meeting, which continues to be an important activity. More recently, monies from this fund also supported the Society’s Summer Internship Program. By furnishing matching funds, this Program provides outstanding undergraduate students the opportunity to work in a laboratory to obtain hands-on experience doing research related to toxicology. New this year, proceeds from the Education Fund will also support the expansion of internships and establishing joint sessions with other scientific societies.
“…the Society of Toxicology (SOT) has helped me tremendously to achieve my goals… participation in awards programs has helped me gain valuable experience and [will] lead to future research opportunities.”
Agnes Karmaus, PhD, Integrated Laboratory Systems Inc (previous recipient of Graduate Student Travel award, among others)
One goal of the Endowment Fund Board and of Council is to grow the Education Fund so that these activities can be expanded. Providing students with toxicology-related experiences is critical to a healthy future for our discipline.
If you have any questions about the Education Fund, please contact me or Martha Malone in the SOT Office. In my next articles, I’ll keep you abreast of changes in the Endowment Fund and provide brief descriptions of the Strategic Priorities Fund and the Global Activities Mission Fund.
Best wishes,
Bob Roth, Chair, Endowment Fund Board