December 2021
Issue 1
Letter From the President
I had the opportunity to attend my first in-person meeting of a national professional organization since the pandemic started. I had many doubts before making the decision to attend in-person. I had the option to attend virtually but had a recent experience with a big national meeting where virtual was just not as effective for me. Virtual meetings, conferences, classes, evaluations, and assessments have kept the clinical and translational science workforce producing great work through a pandemic. But it has also highlighted the importance of personal connection in our communication as social beings.
I am now dealing with the organizational hassles of our now hybrid model of working. I find myself scheduling too little time from one meeting to another as I was used to just clicking end meeting and then start meeting. I now have to run down to the hospital or several floors down for an in-person meeting after a virtual meeting and my schedule is not set up for that. But it is not only a schedule issue that has made virtual professional organizations conferences not work as well for me. I find I am more distracted and that I do not fully engage in the conferences in this virtual manner.
With this experience of attending an in-person conference again, I admit I was also distracted and not fully engaged with the presentations of the science. But, it was for a very different reason. I was so enthralled by seeing colleagues. I was completely immersed in connecting with other scientists, known collaborators and new acquaintances. I was so happy to be talking to a real person about my work and the difficulties of being a clinical and translational researcher during the pandemic. It was uplifting to be in an environment of critical thinking and problem solving. It was also great to walk around and have time to think about the science and future projects.
We want to make sure that Translational Science 2022 is a safe and viable in-person experience. We are looking at what other professional associations are doing to keep everyone safe in large in-person gatherings. We are also making sure that we make responsible decisions on how we spend our association’s resources given the still unpredictable environment. For some of the ACTS community, an in-person meeting will still not be an option in April 2022 and we also want to make sure that we can have a virtual program. But, for those of us who will be able to be in Chicago, I know we will be energized by being able to connect physically. I am certain that through this connection and engagement, we will leave Translational Science 2022 with the motivation to continue to address the difficult questions of our fields and to continue to move the science forward for the benefit of our communities.
Karen G. Martinez-Gonzalez, MD, MSc
ACTS President
Translational Science 2022: Award Nominations Are Open
Translational Science: Transformational Translational Science: Opportunities for Success is accepting award nominations. Acknowledge the outstanding contributions of the investigators and educators you work with by submitting a nomination for one of our Translational Science 2022 Awards today!
ACTS provides its members a platform for advancing the discipline of clinical and translational science with which it relates to improving human health. Submit your award nominations by Monday, January 3, 2022.
Journal of Clinical and Translational Science: The Official Journal of ACTS and CR Forum
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Upcoming Webinar
Join the ACTS Evaluation Special Interest Group on Wednesday, December 15th at 12:00 pm ET for a live webinar entitled “Collaborating to Grow Learning Health Systems: Developing a Framework for Return on Investment .”
There is no registration required for this event, simply click the meeting link at the specified date/time and enter the passcode 342290 to join and participate.
This session is part of a series co-sponsored by the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) Evaluation Special Interest Group and the American Evaluation Association (AEA) Translational Research Evaluation Topical Interest Group (TIG). This webinar is also co-sponsored by the AEA Internal Evaluation TIG.
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August M. Watanabe Prize in Translational Research
Indiana University School of Medicine is pleased to award the August M. Watanabe Prize in Translational Research. The prize is one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious awards, recognizing individuals focused on shepherding scientific discoveries into new therapies for patients. The prize is awarded to a senior investigator who has made a significant contribution to the field of translational science. The winner will receive $100,000 and will spend September 14-16, 2022 in Indianapolis, as a vising dignitary, sharing insights and knowledge with audiences at IU School of Medicine and its partner institutions.
Nominees for the August M. Watanabe Prize in Translational Research should be members of the scientific or medical community who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in translational research.
The deadline for all nomination materials for the award is January 21, 2022. Any questions about the nomination process may be directed to amwprize@iu.edu or 317-278-2874.
Member Highlights
Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized for outstanding or groundbreaking work? Is your institution embarking on an exciting project? Send ACTS your story to be highlighted in future versions of ACTS Connection.
Submit stories here.
Career Center
The ACTS Career Center is the premier resource for connecting those in the field of translational science with career opportunities. Visit today to find a wealth of resources to help achieve your career goals.
ACTS members receive a 50% discount on the site—use code ACTSMEMBER to save!
Translational Science Today
Nurturing Lab Discoveries
Before the COVID-19 pandemic was officially declared in 2020, Mike Springer had an idea to use a food safety diagnostic tool to detect infectious diseases. As he was pondering the direction he wanted to take, he spoke with Ifat Rubin-Bejerano,...
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