Biophysical Society Bulletin | June 2020

President’s Message

Officers President Catherine A. Royer President-Elect Frances Separovic Past-President David W. Piston Secretary Erin Sheets Treasurer Kalina Hristova Council Linda Columbus Michelle A. Digman

We do not collect (yet) gender information on submissions to the Biophysical Journal , so it is dif- ficult to ascertain whether the journal is seeing an impact. Based on “sight identification,” there appears to be a ~25 percent decrease in female corresponding authors since mid-February compared to the same period last year, although the total fraction is always quite low. In any case, I urge you to support our female colleagues who might find themselves in such circumstances. If you are experiencing something similar to this, then reach out to your friends and colleagues. At this juncture, it is also very important for PIs to be strong mentors to their own trainees and others they know from the community.

Our advice and support will help them to navi- gate this complicated period. Likewise, trainees should not hesitate to reach out to their PIs, as well as to other senior scientists they know within their scientific communities, to ask for input. Also, I recommend that trainees use the time sequestered at home wisely to keep their projects moving forward. Make a to-do list and work through it daily. Read, write, analyze. Do all the things you have been putting off. This will

Erin C. Dueber Marta Filizola Gilad Haran

serve you well in the end. And above all, stay safe. — Catherine A. Royer , President

Francesca Marassi Joseph A. Mindell Carolyn A. Moores

Anna Moroni Jennifer Ross David Stokes Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede Biophysical Journal Jane Dyson Editor-in-Chief The Biophysicist Sam Safran Editor-in-Chief

Call for BPS Ambassadors Program APPLICATION DEADLINE: JULY 15, 2020 Are you an advocate for biophysics education and knowledge sharing? If so, please consider applying for the BPS Ambassador Program. BPS works hard to continue to develop biophysics as an inclusive, interdisciplinary international field and the Ambassador Program is a global network of BPS members that will serve as local Society

Ambassador Program

Society Office Jennifer Pesanelli Executive Officer Newsletter Executive Editor Jennifer Pesanelli Managing Editor Beth Staehle

Empowering Biophysics Globally

resources in their countries or regions to promote the field and foster conversations around biophysics. Ambassadors will play a key role in providing the Society with relevant local content to share with membership and will serve as BPS’s go-to contact in their country and region. Through this program, the Society hopes to grow the biophysics network by educating and inspiring others to pursue careers in biophysics and further develop its advocacy efforts around the world. BPS currently has Ambassadors in Canada, India, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. At this time, we are only accepting applications from outside of those countries. An ideal Ambassador is a mid-career to senior scientist, actively engaged in biophysics research and committed to remain- ing in the field for the duration of the Ambassadorship, an active paid member of the Society in good standing, able to attend the Annual Meeting at the start of their term, has working proficien- cy in English, and has a demonstrated ability to contribute to organizations or scientific societies outside of their normal job duties. To learn more about the program, Ambassador eligibility and benefits, please visit www.biophysics.org/ambassadors. Numbers By the In the past 18 months, 616 people have registered for BPS career webinars.

Production Catie Curry Ray Wolfe Proofreader/Copy Editor Laura Phelan The Biophysical Society Newsletter (ISSN 0006-3495) is published eleven times per year, January-December, by the Biophysical Society, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 1110, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Distributed to USA members and other countries at no cost. Cana- dian GST No. 898477062. Postmaster: Send address changes to Biophysical Society, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 1110, Rockville, MD 20852. Copyright © 2020 by the Biophysical Society. Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

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