Biophysical Society Bulletin | October 2024

Communities

Bioengineering of Catalonia; Shova Maharana , Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; Alex Holehouse , Washington University in St. Louis; Carlos Castaneda , Syracuse University; and Sheena Radford , University of Leeds. We will also have oral presenta tions from selected students and postdoctoral fellows. Post doctoral fellows working in the IDP field who are interested in the opportunity to share their research accomplishments with us (and win a cash prize) can find instructions at www.bio physics.org/Awards-Funding/Subgroup-Awards. We encour age women and members of underrepresented groups at the postdoctoral stage to apply. The details of the IDP Subgroup dinner will be announced in a later BPS Bulletin. The commit tee is looking forward to an exciting IDP Subgroup meeting and hopes lots of you can join us in Los Angeles! Please do sign up or renew your IDP membership when you register for the BPS Annual Meeting. — Samrat Mukhopadhyay , Chair

Lastly, we will call for nominations for the officer positions of the Subgroup, treasurer and chair-elect for 2027, in early Octo ber, and nominations will be due in mid-November. In addition, don’t forget to renew your CRT Subgroup membership when you register for the meeting! A healthy membership is import ant for the continuation of the CRT Subgroup and offsets our symposium costs. We look forward to an exciting symposium and dinner and hope to see all CRT members there! — Renae Ryan , Chair — Jerome Lacroix , Treasurer — Juan Du , Chair-Elect Intrinsically Disordered Proteins We are excited to announce the confirmed speakers for the 2025 Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDP) Symposium: Polly Fordyce , Stanford University; Benedetta Bolognesi , Institute for

Trushar Patel Early Careers and Member Services Committees

Trushar Patel

Is this your first volunteer position for BPS? If not, what other positions have you held? I began volunteering with the Biophysical Society as a mem ber of the Early Careers Committee in 2018, serving a three year term. I continued for a second term and, as of summer 2023, I now serve as the Chair of the Early Careers Commit tee. Throughout my time as a volunteer, I’ve co-hosted events like the Postdoc to Faculty Transition and Postdoc Break fast discussions. Beyond BPS and outside of the University of Lethbridge, I also volunteer for the Biophysical Society of Canada, where I served on the Awards Committee and became chair in 2023. Additionally, for the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences, I chaired the Communications and Publications Committee and now co-chair the Advocacy and Government Relations Committee. I’ve also contributed to the Canadian Science Policy Centre, assisting with organizing the Science Meets Parliament programs and annual Canadian Science Policy Conferences. Why do you volunteer? I’ve greatly benefited from various scientific societies, funding agencies, and publishing groups, all thanks to the dedication of others who volunteered their valuable time. I feel it’s my turn to give back to the community, support the next gen

eration of researchers, and serve as an example to others. Volunteering has also been incredibly rewarding in terms of networking, learning from different cultures, and fostering connections with researchers, policymakers, and community members. It’s an opportunity I truly enjoy. What has been a highlight from your volunteer experience? Some highlights include learning about a diverse range of research activities from Society members, as well as network ing with non-scientific community members and government officials. These experiences have been both enlightening and enriching. Do you have advice for others who might be thinking about volunteering? Find volunteer activities that align with your interests so you’re enthusiastic about the work or committee you’re involved with. Be clear about the time commitment required, and make sure to manage your time effectively. When not volunteering for BPS, what do you work on? In my free time, I enjoy watching movies, hiking, traveling, and spending quality time with my family.

October 2024

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