The many Cs of COVID-19 have left no one unaffected. We shelter in place, mentor on zoom and share the challenges of family new normals.
AAAM also has faced many challenges in recent weeks and with the skilled leadership of your committees, financial supervision and superb guidance of our management company Bostrom, we are poised to serve our membership and meet our mission. Safety and cost for the October 2020 Annual Scientific Conference in Portland have been carefully considered and the Board of Directors has determined that the best decision is to defer to a virtual venue. And for that … we are excited as it is a new opportunity!
Of course, we will miss seeing everyone in person this year, but this is where creativity emerges! Indeed, we can present our scientific papers, conduct the student symposium and do poster presentations all in the virtual format. But that is not all, we can even have networking opportunities, present association awards and have a little fun too! Most importantly, everyone can attend.
We will NOT have travel trauma or risk Coronavirus contagion and we have arranged it that we can still travel to Portland, Oregon in 2022.
Simultaneously our Special Interest Groups and the Education Subcommittee are planning educational webinars on automated vehicles, road safety in low- and middle-income countries, 2019 Best Paper Presentation, road traffic safety activities developed by the World Bank worldwide, 2019 Best Presentation of the Student Symposium and 2019 Best Poster Presentation. Check https://www.aaam.org/education-resource-center/webinars/ for details.
AIS has transitioned to online courses wherever possible, including offering hosts the opportunity to have a ‘virtual live’ AIS Course in place of hosting in-person. We are all facing the future with courage and confidence.
Stay tuned for announcements with details of all events as they are planned and know that this will be an exciting and fruitful time in the months ahead.
Warmly,
Marilyn J. Bull, MD
AAAM President