In this new year, I want to share with you some of the AAI achievements that have advanced the vision of our strategic framework in 2024. They are all the result of hard work and dedication on the part of members, Council, and staff—and they reflect a deep commitment to the association’s role in supporting immunologists and their work. Public awareness of the importance of immunology is on the rise, but most people still have questions about the science and the role the immune system plays in their health. You, the experts, are equipped to answer those questions, and AAI is developing new avenues to communicate that knowledge and expertise to broader audiences.
This has been a year of transformation as AAI leadership and staff have implemented many new operational changes to serve the goals of the association: a modernized structure, increased public awareness, greater member opportunities, and an effective and well-funded immunological enterprise.
Implementation Plan
Our strategic framework is the beginning of a long and complex process that depends on you as members. Following the direction of Council and informed by the committees, AAI staff have drafted an ambitious multi-year implementation plan to make the changes and innovations our members want and need. This plan lays the groundwork for the annual goals and strategic initiatives of the organization. As we work to put your vision into action, we will continue to rely on you to shape our activities in these areas.
Governance Assessment
We have begun a comprehensive assessment to ensure that AAI’s governance system is aligned with the needs and priorities of today to support the association in the years to come. A member task force is evaluating the mechanisms that undergird AAI: the structure and responsibilities of the committees, elections and appointment processes, and the association bylaws. Their recommendations will be presented to Council in 2025.
Communication
AAI is better equipped than ever before to manage the constantly evolving communications and marketing needs of a growing community and expanding field, with new staff leadership in communications, marketing, and membership. In cooperation with our committees, these new staff members are already developing plans for association growth and better ways to serve membership and inform the public.
Journals
The AAI journals have been a core component of our mission since 1916, and now we have lowered barriers to publication with a new submission portal, reduced author fees for both The Journal of Immunology and ImmunoHorizons, and waived fees for scientists in developing/low-income countries. Our partnership with Oxford University Press to publish the journals, announced during IMMUNOLOGY2024™, has allowed us to make the entire process more efficient and more inviting to authors. The AAI journals are the lifeblood of the field, giving members and other scientists a place to publish their most vital findings.
Advocacy
AAI has always advocated for scientific research on Capitol Hill. In 2024, we have expanded opportunities for AAI members to have their voices heard. The Committee on Public Affairs is launching a series of position statements on topics of broad relevance—to the field of immunology and to the general public. This program will not only raise awareness of these issues; it will also elevate our influence with policymakers by demonstrating consensus-based positions on salient topics.
The Public Affairs team launched a grassroots advocacy program empowering members to engage with their members of Congress on critical issues. The first campaign, supporting an increased budget for the National Institutes of Health, cited the potential for new vaccines, immunotherapies, and other interventions from the field of immunology. About 250 members from 37 states participated in the first outreach to Congress, resulting in almost 750 messages received on Capitol Hill. I encourage you to sign up to participate in future campaigns.
Opportunities to Serve at Every Career Stage
This is your association, and we rely on you to advance the priorities you have defined. The launch of the AAI Volunteer Portal has streamlined the process of connecting members with opportunities to serve, as committee members, abstract programming chairs, reviewers and editors for the AAI journals, and in many more capacities.
Additionally, many AAI committees have begun including trainee liaisons. And for the first time, the major symposia at IMMUNOLOGY2024™ featured trainee speakers. Trainees are the future of AAI and the field, so it is crucial that their voices and insight are heard.
I want to extend my gratitude to all the members who have served on the Council, on committees, as mentors, and in so many other ways. As we enter a new year, I encourage everyone to consider how you can make a difference in your association.
I wish you all a very happy holiday season and a new year full of opportunity.
Yours sincerely,
Loretta L. Doan, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
