Biophysical Society Bulletin | December 2018

Communities

Communities

Committee for Inclusion and Diversity The BPS Bulletin is running a series highlighting the Soci- ety’s committees to help members learn more about them and the kinds of things committee members do on behalf of BPS. The Committee for Inclusion and Diversity (CID) is dedicated to broadening participation, enhancing visibility, and promot- ing career opportunities for historically underrepresented groups in biophysics. The committee aims to foster a community inclusive to all biophysicists at the BPS Annual Meeting and performs out- reach to a diversity of student populations who may someday be inspired to pursue biophysics careers. The committee’s activities play an integral role in recruiting and retaining a diverse biophysics community. At the BPS Annual Meeting, the committee is involved with the Travel Awards Reception, the Speed Networking Recep- tion, and rotating event topics relevant to inclusive STEM educational and professional cultures. Starting this year, the committee will be reviewing Travel Award demographics to assess whether awards are equitably given to various groups of biophysicists, including those whose country of residence is not the United States. At the Speed Networking Reception committee members engage biophysicists in an opportunity to form new relationships that may result in future collabora- tions. As for rotating topics, the committee this year is leading an annual meeting session on implicit bias — our uncon- scious stereotypes and attribution of traits to individuals from certain groups that can affect our ability to equitably hire and collaborate with others. This session will help scientists recognize and reflect on their unrealized biases and become better allies. In outreach to future biophysicists, the committee represents BPS at major student conferences focused on convening historically underrepresented groups in science. These events include the Society Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics & Native American in Science (SACNAS) annual meeting, the Annu- al Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), and the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) annual meeting. CID puts on a biophysics sym- posium at the SACNAS annual meeting, and participates in and sponsors the undergraduate research poster sessions at several conferences.

breaks. You might be surprised to hear that these costs are each several thousands of dollars! Your support is indispens- able. If you become a subgroup member, you’ll be eligible for a $15 discount on the Cole Award dinner. This year, we have implemented a new, affordable rate of $40 for the Cole Award dinner for student members of the subgroup. This year’s event promises to be an unforgettable night. Following a dinner of classic Maryland cuisine provided by Rouge Cater- ing and a lecture from the Cole awardee, we will have a tour of the Westminster Grounds, including the Edgar Allen Poe Burial Site and Catacombs. Unmissable! You can renew or start your subgroup membership when you register for the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, or at any other time. Simply visit our website and follow the instruc- tions https:/www.biophysics.org/subgroups/membrane-bio- physics-1 This year’s program is based around control and sculpting of excitability and neuronal computation by ion channels. Ion channel biophysics will serve as a jumping off point from where we will journey to the core of molecular and cellular physiology of the nervous system. Our speakers will describe 4-week course to introduce physical and computational scientists to modern neuroscience • Didactic lecture in the morning with neurophysiology laboratory in the afternoon • Instruction in classic experiments, rotations in faculty labs, and independent projects Detailed information & application form: http://C3N.princeton.edu Accepted students will be fully supported by funds from NIMH and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund N E U R O S C I E N C E C E L L U L A R C O M P U T A T I O N A L A N D C O G N I T I V E Princeton Neuroscience Institute Intensive Summer School 2019

their cutting-edge research exploiting electrophysiology, imaging, modelling, and more. Topics will include principles of signaling in the retina and the brain, classical voltage-gated channels, HCN channels, and synaptic receptors. Our diverse group of speakers are listed on page 14 of the November issue of the BPS Bulletin . We look forward to seeing you in Baltimore. — Andrew Plested , Chair Membrane Transport In case you missed the last newsletter, members voted for the new subgroup name, Membrane Transport, to replace the former name, Permeation and Transport. Our subgroup symposium will start at 1:25 PM on March 2, followed by dinner at 6:30 PM. Every member of the Biophysical Society is welcome to attend our symposium. Don’t forget to show your support by registering for the subgroup. To pique your interest, here are highlights from two of our upcoming symposium speakers: Chris Miller of Brandeis Uni- versity (Fig. 1) and Cristina Paulino of the Groeningen Institute in The Netherlands (Fig. 2). Watch for the next newsletter for highlights from our other speakers: Tom Miller of Caltech, Michael Grabe of University of California, San Francisco, and Crina Nimigean of Weill Cornell Medical College.

The committee also seeks to enhance the visibility of our diverse BPS community through the “Biophysicist in Profile” series, which intentionally highlights biophysicists of varied backgrounds. This year, the committee is making a recognized effort to include biophysicists from countries other than the United States and LGBTQ+ biophysicists in a series of pro- files for Biophysics Week. This provides important context for members on the diversity of our community, and may offer role models for early career scientists from historically marginalized groups. The committee is made up of volunteer members who serve staggered three-year terms, renewable once. The current chair is Marina Ramirez-Alvarado of the Mayo Clinic. The com- mittee meets in person at the BPS Annual Meeting and via conference call in late summer each year to plan activities and evaluate their success.

The Biophysical Society is grateful to its 2018 Industry Partners.

Fig. 1 Electrodiffusive permeation of F- through hyperselective Fluc channels is like arboreal apes moving through the forest canopy.

Fig. 2 Unique transport mechanism revealed by the KdpFABC complex: when a P-type ATPase hijacks a potassium channel.

GOLD SILVER

Hope to see you on Saturday afternoon in Baltimore! — Susan Rempe , Chair

Connect with BPS

For Industry Partner Membership information, contact alevine@biophysics.org.

December 2018

December 2018

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