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 references to the strategic planning exercise we kicked off last February in San Francisco or the two-day planning meeting in Madison, Wisconsin over the summer? Or perhaps you responded 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 condition, 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 community building. Our priorities over the next three years are reflected in four strategic goals:
Foster a Diverse & Inclusive Global Community
Invest in the Future of Biophysics
Enhance the Sharing of Knowledge
Advocate for Biophysics
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 community, 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 Christopher Yip. BPS Director of Meetings Dorothy Chaconas provided an update on Thematic Meetings and BPS Conferences. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, we had successful Thematic Meetings this year in Hamburg, Germany and Stockholm, Sweden. Plans are in place for a 2023 Thematic Meeting in Canterbury, United Kingdom, and are in the works for another in Miri, Malaysia. We held a BPS Conference in Tahoe, California, and look forward to a second BPS Conference in Tahoe and a new BPS Conference in Estes Park, Colorado in 2023.
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-October-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 Meeting, 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 refugee 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 administering 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 nominations 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-diversity-open-calls-for-nominations-in-elections-and-awards. Council approved the presented slate. A lively discussion ensued regarding Council’s need to be more intentional in maintaining industry representation on Council. Stay tuned for more on this topic after the next Council meeting.
As mentioned in our column from Council in San Francisco (https://biophysics.cld.bz/Biophysical-Society-Bulletin-April-2022/2/), we created a Task Force on Awards Nominations to look into reducing barriers to nominations. Task force discussions and recommendations were reported to Council, who approved the recommendation to implement a self-nomination process for BPS Society awards beginning with the 2024 awards cycle. This new process is intended to increase the diversity of nominations and the accessibility of awards to the broader BPS membership. Whether these benchmarks are achieved will be determined after a three-year trial period. Another effort aimed at reducing barriers for nominations includes a workshop hosted by Council and Task Force member Susan Marqusee at BPS 2023 on writing effective award nomination and support letters.
Secretary Erin Sheets provided an update on Subgroups and presented the “Subgroup Report Card,” which was implemented just over a year ago primarily as an objective assessment aid for Subgroup leadership. Director of Publications John Long presented Biophysical Journal’s editorial board appointments for 2023 from Editor-in-Chief Vasanthi Jayaraman. President-Elect Taekjip Ha led a discussion about Spring Council 2023, which will be held at the BPS offices in Rockville, Maryland in June. Council agreed that an in-person meeting is beneficial not only to the incoming Council members but also for building and maintaining the relationships that allow us to effectively engage and respectfully discuss all issues, challenging or otherwise, in pursuit of our mission.
Efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive global community were apparent throughout the Council meeting. Co-chairs expressed challenges in supporting speakers with family care responsibilities, especially those with young children, and others facing ongoing travel restrictions or financial limitations. Council reviewed feedback from a speaker demographic and inclusion survey, a starting point in our efforts to ensure a welcoming environment. These themes continued with the presentation of new proposals for a refugee support fund and low-income country travel awards, the discussion of trainee or early career members in leadership, awards nominations, and more. Integrity and transparency figured prominently in discussions of process. Overall, the meeting was a success owing to the commitment of Council members to respectful discussions and meaningful change.
As always, we welcome your questions and feedback at any time ([email protected] and [email protected]) and thank you for being a part of this vibrant organization!
—Gail Robertson, President
—Jennifer Pesanelli, Executive Officer