Biophysical Society Bulletin | January 2025

Council Update

Update from Fall Council May your New Year be healthy and happy! With 2024 fading in the rearview mirror, and with 2025 upon us, let’s invite grati tude, optimism, and hope as we continue our mission “to lead an innovative global community working at the interface of the physical and life sciences, across all levels of complexity.”

Next, the 2025 Annual Meeting Program Co-Chairs, Sudha Chakrapani and Chris Yip , shared that abstract programming had been finalized the day before, and they expressed enthu siasm about the excellence of the scientific content and the diversity of topics and presenters. Ariane Briegel , on behalf of herself and her 2026 Annual Meeting Program Co-Chair Ilya Levental , reported that they were successful in integrating about two-thirds of the mem ber-suggested symposia and workshops into their program. They planned to share the first draft of their program with Council in December. As in the past, Council will review the proposed program to ensure it showcases the innovation, excellence, and diversity that characterize our global commu nity. Lastly, President-Elect Lynmarie Thompson shared her selection of a 2026 BPS Lecturer, which will be announced in the coming months. A good portion of the meeting was dedicated to reviewing and updating the abstract categories that participants will be able to select for the 2026 Annual Meeting. This review happens every couple of years to ensure that our abstract categories evolve with the field and continue to reflect the diversity of research topics investigated by our members. Moving on to the 2027 Annual Meeting, President-Elect-Elect Karen Fleming named Henry Colecraft and Linda Columbus as Program Co Chairs. Lastly, the Council considered five proposals for BPS Thematic Meetings, presented by Lukas Tamm , the Chair of the Themat ic Meetings Committee. After some discussion, the Council approved all five meetings, which will be scheduled in 2026 and 2027. The second day of the meeting focused on awards, oper ations, and finance. I proposed that Council charge a small Task Force to review and, if necessary, recommend updates to the language that describes our current awards to ensure clarity, ease of preparing nominations, and alignment with the BPS mission and values. The Council discussed and approved this proposal. Next, we discussed the BPS Grants Program, which is a mechanism to support our members’ engagement with non BPS events and programs that align with our mission. Council approved the program details for the application and review process. In the last part of the day’s meeting, BPS staff offered up dates about our branding and IT initiatives, which are pro gressing on schedule. Samantha Harris , BPS Treasurer, and Harris Povich , Director of Finance and Operations, presented

Gabriela K. Popescu

A short while ago, I wrote to you directly reaffirming our com mitment to this mission and to our shared values: scientific excellence, integrity and transparency, community building, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Let me assure you that these values guide every decision that the BPS Council takes, and all the work the BPS staff does on our behalf. In keep ing with these values, I regard it as my duty to provide you here with a transparent update from our annual Fall Council Meeting. As a quick reminder, BPS is governed by a Council consist ing of 17 elected members. Elections are held in June and July, results are announced in August, and the New Council convenes in February, on the last day of the Annual Meeting. In addition, Council meets in Spring at a location selected by the President, in Fall by Zoom, and one final time, prior to the Annual Meeting, as outlined in our bylaws (www.biophysics. org/about-bps/governance/bylaws). In this column, previous presidents have shared summaries of Council sessions. I, too, have honored this tradition because it is one small way in which, as elected leaders, we can repay the trust you placed in us. It is one small way in which we can be transparent about our work, without overwhelming you with minutiae. In my column in the April BPS Bulletin (www. biophysics.org/bps-bulletin/acat/1/archive/4-2004), you can read about actions taken by Joint Council and New Council at the 2024 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Also, in the July- August issue (www.biophysics.org/bps-bulletin/acat/1/ar chive/7-2004), you can read updates from the Spring Council meeting, which I hosted in Buffalo. Here is an update from Fall Council, which was held virtually, during three days in early November. The first day of the meeting focused on the upcoming Annu al Meetings. I informed Council about the final programming for the “President’s Symposium: Biophysics for a Sustain able Future” and entertained a short discussion about other actions that the newly formed Committee on Sustainability (COS), chaired by Emmanuel Margeat , is planning in conjunction with the symposium and going forward in the new year.

January 2025

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