Jennifer Pesanelli is the Executive Officer of the Biophysical Society (BPS), a 7,500 member organization with robust meetings, publications, and professional development programs for scientists working at the interface of physical and life sciences. Jennifer is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with over 25 years of experience working with scientific, non-profit organizations. Prior to joining BPS, Jennifer was the Deputy Executive Director for the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) where she worked with multiple member and client societies in addition to overseeing FASEB programs and operations. She is a member of the American Society for Association Executives, the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives, and the Society for Scholarly Publishing for which she served on the Board of Directors from 2015-2017 before serving as President in 2018.
Talk Title: Balancing Culture, Accessibility, and Sustainability: A Case Study from the Biophysical Society
Abstract: Like many professional organizations, the Biophysical Society had to reimagine their meeting format in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditionally, their in-person Annual Meeting exemplified the connected and cooperative culture of biophysics with attendees in pairs or small groups scattered about the venue discussing their research or engaging in new collaborations at all hours of the day and night throughout the event. A virtual meeting in 2021 meant experimenting with new ways of connecting and sharing their science, and ongoing pandemic concerns in 2022 resulted in a mixed format event. This presentation will give a case study in the multiple pivots taken by one society over the last few years, the lessons that will be carried into the future from that experience, and the questions still to be answered.