Dear IBRO colleagues,
2022 has been an exciting year for IBRO, marking significant improvements towards a return to a full international program, after significant improvements related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite ongoing global challenges and uncertainties over the past twelve months, IBRO has strengthened its commitment to providing equitable, diverse, and inclusive opportunities for the global neuroscience community.
International cooperation, advocacy, and support has become increasingly important over the past few years. With this in mind, in 2022 IBRO supported collaborative research projects around the world. Early-career neuroscientists benefited from IBRO opportunities, including early career and rising star awards that fund dedicated projects and establishment of labs, as well as parenthood grants that assisted scientists approaching parental leave.
As we welcomed the opportunity to meet in person again this year, IBRO was proud to offer support for conferences and meetings, including events dedicated to increasing diversity in neuroscience. Eighteen IBRO schools were funded around the world, offering excellent training to more than 740 participants from all parts of the globe. IBRO also supported travel grants and exchange fellowships for PhD students and early-career researchers. Recognizing the importance of science education beyond academia, IBRO has also awarded outreach and engagement projects to be funded in 2023.
All this work could not have been accomplished without the impressive work of our team, including our five Regional Committees composed of respected neuroscientists who work voluntarily to develop and establish resources and training opportunities for all career stages in their Regions, as well as internationally. These Committees work very hard all year long, and are dedicated toward ensuring equity and inclusion as well as the largest impact of IBRO funds possible.
In August, I was honored to be elected for a second term as IBRO President, together with Jerome Sanes, our Treasurer. I am pleased to welcome Giuseppe Di Giovanni, who will serve as Secretary General-elect in 2023, and will start his term as Secretary General in 2024. I also look forward to working with all of our newly and re-elected members of our Regional Committees in the coming years, and to all of our members who will be ending their terms, I send a huge thank you for their service and dedication to IBRO.
In 2023, we look forward to continuing our efforts to ensure impactful outcomes for IBRO initiatives that ultimately aim at elevating neuroscience research and education around the world. Importantly, next year is our IBRO 2023 World Congress, which will bring together outstanding neuroscientists from all over the world to the scenic town of Granada, Spain – an event not to be missed!
My fellow IBRO officers, Jerome Sanes (Treasurer) and Sung-Jin Jeong (Secretary General), and I wish you a healthy and happy New Year, and we hope to see you in Granada and at other exciting neuroscience events throughout 2023!
Kind regards,
Tracy L. Bale, PhD – IBRO President