Biophysical Society Bulletin | March 2021

President’s Message

President’s Message

“I am honoured and excited,” University of Melbourne chemistry professor, Frances Separovic, says. “I look forward to working to make the BPS experience even better for our members.” Throughout my career, I’ve gained a lot from being involved in BPS, and I

and inclusion, and promoting career paths in biophysics. I am planning a “virtual tour” as President to listen and receive feedback from Student Chapters, Subgroups, and members from around the world. I intend to participate in more inter- national meetings, virtual and face-to-face, and continue the virtual interactions with our members. I look forward to engaging with BPS members and getting to know more about what you need and want for our Society. Over the years I have seen the Society leading the way, es- pecially in matters of diversity and inclusion. Other Societies have followed our lead, but we can also learn much from ob- serving their initiatives and by listening to feedback from our membership. For BPS to succeed, we must continue to take actions that realize our fundamental values and enhance our efforts to recruit and retain diverse members and volunteers. BPS is an international Society and diversity promotes cultur- al understanding and cooperation. International collaboration can help innovation by access to a bigger talent pool, increas- ing the speed of research and development, decreasing costs, and sharing risks. Together, diversity and inclusion enhance collaboration, improve problem solving and lead to greater innovation. I also want to continue to strengthen BPS’s connections around the world. I’m very much in favour of global collab- oration as it benefits our members and ultimately benefits science and the world. Over a third of our members are, like me, based outside the United States. BPS is a uniting force for biophysicists around the globe and I will continue to support and strengthen our relationship with IUPAB (International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics), regional, and national biophysical societies. I welcome opportunities to work with our international sister societies and believe that collabo- ration is essential in a complex and rapidly changing world. According to Charles Darwin, “In the long history of human- kind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” As President, I intend to advocate, collaborate, and grow our Society. The major areas of focus include sustainability of BPS, innovation in publications and services, international collaboration, and advocacy. The overall aim is to continue to grow the discipline of biophysics. Although some areas have

Frances Separovic

want to give back to the Society. I would not have envisioned when I attended my first BPS meeting in 1986, the 30th An- nual Meeting of the Biophysical Society, held in San Francisco, that I would be President at the 66th Annual Meeting sched- uled for February 2022 in the very same city. I was attracted to BPS because of the wide range of biophys- ical topics presented and the spirit of inclusion that was evi- dent at the Annual Meeting. I enjoyed reading the Biophysical Journal and the BPS Bulletin and admired the Society’s efforts in outreach and publicizing biophysics to government and the general public. I learned a lot through my involvement with BPS; not only about scientific matters but also about leader- ship, the importance of communicating and interacting with others, and making a difference. I volunteered and joined BPS committees as a way to give back and was elected to Council (2007–2010) and then Secretary (2015–2019). It’s invigorat- ing to see the passion of BPS staff and volunteers and I thank all, especially Past President Cathy Royer , for the leadership and hard work in getting us through an unforgettable year. As President-Elect, I initially thought I would be talking to members in person, discussing and formulating plans with colleagues at Council and meetings, and representing BPS at conferences. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic the year turned out to be much different and our 2021 meeting became a virtual event, which required a remarkable effort for all involved. Despite the pandemic, the BPS has endeavoured to do the best, irrespective of the circumstances, and worked to deliver a range of exciting events throughout the year. These new initiatives will continue to benefit members, not only those who are unable to attend the Annual Meeting but also will give added value to members in the coming year. During my presidential year, I plan to focus on biophysics advocacy, communicating with the public, increasing diversity

March 2021

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