Dear colleagues,
It is sad that as we are seeing the end of a pandemic that has shaped our world in a completely different way than anyone could have expected, new conflicts and wars with dramatic international implications are developing in other parts of the world. It is unquestionable that these events are impacting our lives, including as members of AAAM. I want to specifically thank Marilyn Bull for her leadership, especially in these extremely difficult times for everyone, personally and professionally.
We have high hopes of seeing each other in person at the 66th Annual Scientific Conference in Portland, Oregon (USA), October 11-14. Please mark your calendars and do not miss the personal interaction that I consider one of the main benefits of being a AAAM member. The SPC is working hard to ensure that the scientific program is outstanding and that the multidisciplinary character of AAAM is present in the content of the annual program. And you still have the opportunity to submit short communications, poster abstracts, and student symposium abstracts by April 11.
As Marilyn introduced in her last INROADS message, the Board is working on the development of a new strategic plan for AAAM. During our work, it became clear to the Board that the plan needs to be shaped around three main ideas: international, interdisciplinary, and impact. AAAM is different from other injury prevention organizations because we promote interdisciplinary research addressing all the contents of the Haddon matrix. More and more, we become an international organization as we strive to respond to the injury pandemic that affects all countries, and we prioritize studies that have proved to have an effect in injury prevention. Please send us your comments on these ideas while we work on this strategic plan: What is missing that would make AAAM more interdisciplinary? So that our research and content can reach an international audience? So that the content generated within the Association has an impact on the reduction of injuries?
AAAM’s new special interest group (SIG) on motorcyclists’ safety is just one step in this direction. Motorcycle injuries are one of the main causes of death and disability, especially in low- and middle-income countries, so there will be synergies with the LMIC SIG. I invite you to sign up to collaborate with this SIG, which can have a lot of impact in many countries.
Last, I am very happy to share with you that the AIS Committee is going the extra mile to develop a digital version of the AIS. This version will be available in multiple platforms and languages and will make the use of AIS more accessible globally. More details about this tool will be disclosed in the coming weeks and during the Annual Conference, so stay tuned.
Your volunteer work is what keeps AAAM up and running, so please consider participating in the activities of one of our committees or SIGs. As you can see, in the middle of this uncertain global situation, AAAM continues providing ideas and initiatives to contribute to saving many lives and preventing injuries around the world.
Francisco José López Valdés, PhD