Biophysical Society Bulletin | December 2022

President’s Message

We Have a Plan! Updates fromFall Council One of the most exciting actions at the BPS Fall Council was the unanimous approval of the motion to accept the new strategic plan. Perhaps you recall previous refer ences to the strategic planning exercise we kicked off last February in San Francisco or the an update on Thematic Meetings and BPS Conferences. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, we had suc cessful Thematic Meetings this year in Hamburg, Germany and Stockholm, Sweden. Plans are in place for a 2023 The matic Meeting in Canterbury, United Kingdom, and are in the works for another in Miri, Malaysia. We held a BPS Confer ence in Tahoe, California, and look forward to a second BPS Conference in Tahoe and a new BPS Conference in Estes Park, Colorado in 2023.

two-day planning meeting in Madison, Wisconsin over the summer? Or perhaps you respond ed to the all-member survey last spring or participated in one of several focus groups that informed the strategic plan development? Creating our new strategic plan was an immense effort involving members, staff, and volunteers, and its approval signals the exciting next phase—implementation! But let’s back up a little first. Part of our strategic planning efforts included strengthening our mission and vision to reflect BPS’s intended purpose more accurately. Our mission: to lead an innovative, global community working at the interface of the physical and life sciences, across all levels of complexity. Our vision: to harness the full potential of biophysics to seek knowledge, improve the human con dition, and preserve the planet for future generations. Our mission and vision are bolstered by our core values: scientific excellence; integrity and transparency; diversity, equity, and inclusion (which are threaded throughout the plan); and com munity building. Our priorities over the next three years are reflected in four strategic goals: • Foster a Diverse & Inclusive Global Community Gail Robertson More details are available at https:/www.biophysics.org/ about-bps/strategy-finance, and we welcome feedback at any time. Our strategic plan is a living document and will be modified over time as needs of members, the scientific com munity, and, indeed, the world change. BPS committees and staff will use the plan to guide their activities, and Council will review progress and priorities on a continual basis. Beyond approving the strategic plan, Fall Council, which occurred virtually from November 2–4, included many updates, a few proposals, and numerous robust discussions. Annual Meeting 2023 co-chairs Baron Chanda and Janice Robertson and 2024 co-chair Ibrahim Cissé joined the first day and provided overviews of their programs. Co-chairs for the 2025 meeting were announced: Sudha Chakrapani and Christo pher Yip . BPS Director of Meetings Dorothy Chaconas provided • Invest in the Future of Biophysics • Enhance the Sharing of Knowledge • Advocate for Biophysics

BPS finances were the main topic on the second day of the Council meeting. Treasurer Samantha Harris and Director of Finance Harris Povich presented the 2022 projections as well as the 2023 budget. As shared in our October column (https:/ biophysics.cld.bz/Biophysical-Society-Bulletin-Octo ber-2022/2/), we project that the 2023 Annual Meeting will nearly break even, instead of providing net positive revenue as it did prior to the pandemic. Treasurer Harris conveyed concerns from the Finance Committee that BPS must be mindful in the short term of sources of revenue and expenses, yet take a long-term view to ensure that programs receiving resources align with our values and strategic priorities. One short-term decision taken by Council was to cancel the (very expensive) dance and reception at the 2023 Annual Meet ing, an act also viewed as a safety measure in the face of an ongoing COVID threat. Several celebratory and networking events are planned throughout the meeting with ample opportunities for smaller group activities, such as the dinner meetups. Council considered proposals for two new programs: a ref ugee support fund and a low-income country travel awards program, both of which align with several strategic goals. Council was generally favorable about the idea of the refugee support fund but asked that a clear process for adminis tering the program be developed before a motion would be made. The low-income country travel awards program was approved and will provide meeting registration and $3,000 in travel support for four attendees from low-income countries beginning with the 2024 Annual Meeting. Kandice Tanner , Council member and Chair of the Nominating Committee, reported on the open call for Council nomina tions and presented the slate for 2023. The open call was a new mechanism for casting a wider net and generating more diversity among individuals considered for the 2023 slate. More details about the call are available in this recent blog post: https:/www.biophysics.org/blog/in-pursuit-of-diver sity-open-calls-for-nominations-in-elections-and-awards. Council approved the presented slate. A lively discussion

December 2022

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