Message from ASBMR President Peter Ebeling, AO, FRACP, MBBS, MD - December 9, 2021

Dear Colleagues:

The year 2021 has differed from any year we have yet experienced. Our scientific community has undergone relentless changes and navigated a continuously shifting landscape in all areas of life. Nevertheless, amidst these obstacles 2021 has presented, your scientific home, ASBMR, is seizing this moment to rebound to be a more global, connected, innovative and inclusive “One Global ASBMR Family.”

We have witnessed incredible resilience and have even experienced heightened engagement with our members throughout the year — culminating in our 2021 Annual Meeting, the first ever ASBMR Hybrid meeting.

As we look forward to a better 2022, I would like to highlight a few ways which the Society has overcome these challenges to expand member offerings in 2021:

• Diverse, Year-Round Virtual Programming: As ASBMR members, we can now enjoy robust educational programs from the comfort and safety of our own homes. In 2021, the Society implemented more than 35 virtual programs, a 200% increase compared with 2019. This included the Meet the Professors Series, Webinar Series, Member Spotlight Series and Early-Stage Investigator Clinical Case We have also launched a new podcast series “ASBMR Speaks” about bench to bedside breakthroughs in bone, mineral and musculoskeletal research and the pivotal role of ASBMR members in these discoveries. Our original podcast series highlighting expert voices, scientific advancements and hot topics impacting the global bone, mineral, and musculoskeletal field also continues. 

• Provided All Members the Ability to Safely Present Their Research at the Annual Meeting: As the pandemic continued to disrupt our lives, we ensured our Annual Meeting addressed the important needs and expectations of all of ASBMR members. Every member had the opportunity to not only attend this year’s meeting, but also to present their impactful research, either in person or virtually. The Society invested significant resources to realize this objective. We also recognize that the pandemic has impacted many of our members financially, so we lowered registration fees and negotiated a significantly reduced hotel rate for in-person attendees. 

• Expanded Funding Opportunities to Help the Future of the Bone, Mineral, and Musculoskeletal Field: The Society continued to invest heavily in the development of future generations of investigators in our field. In 2021, we provided over $600k through nearly 30 programs to early-stage investigator (ESI) awards and travel grants to both ESI and mid-career members. We launched the ASBMR First Independent Research Support & Transition (FIRST) Awards, to help members transition from trainee positions to establish their own independent research careers in the field. These awards proved extremely popular with ASBMR members. We also continued the Rising Star Awards and piloted a new Underrepresented Minority (URM) Mentorship Awards program to increase networking and mentorship opportunities to increase active participation and representation from URM individuals.

Thank you for your commitment and support of our Society in 2021. I ask that you continue to be a part of our community and commit to making ASBMR your scientific home in 2022 and beyond by renewing your membership dues prior to the end of the year. 

While you are renewing, please also consider making a year-end donation to the ASBMR Fund for Research and Education so that we can continue to provide research grant programs for the next generation of research scientists. Importantly, all donations made through the end of the year will be matched by ASBMR up to $25,000. Help us take advantage of this match opportunity and double the impact of your dollars for the Fund for Research and Education! To donate please visit the ASBMR Fund for Research and Education webpage.

Finally, over the past year and a half, our staff have worked hard to ensure that our Society continues to feel connected during these unprecedented and challenging times. They navigated our transition to a fully virtual Annual Meeting in 2020, brought us safely together by re-envisioning our 2021 Annual Meeting, and are now helping us re-enter the post-pandemic world by developing multi-access programs.

In recognition of their tireless efforts, the ASBMR Business Office will be closed from December 25, 2021 through January 2, 2022 to give them time for much-needed respite and renewal. During this period, most staff will not be checking email or voicemail. Our offices will reopen on Monday, January 3, 2022.

I would like to wish you all a very happy holiday season and a safe and healthy New Year.

Sincerely,

Peter Ebeling, AO, FRACP, MBBS, MD, FASBMR

ASBMR President