This Founders Day, Provide a Foundation for Students, Trainees and Other Emerging Scholars

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By CEO James Appleby, BSPharm, MPH

May 15, 2023

GSA turns 78 on May 18! We refer to this date as our annual Founders Day in honor of the pioneers who signed our Society’s certificate of incorporation in 1945. And in recognition of this milestone, GSA has set up a way for all members to support the next generation of researchers — by contributing to one or more of the section designated Emerging Scholar funds dedicated solely to student, post doc, trainee and emerging scholar travel grants to participate in the GSA Annual Scientific Meeting. We ask for your help in contributing to these funds.

Five individuals signed that certificate in New York eight decades ago — Dr. Earl T. Engle, Mr. Lawrence K. Frank, Dr. Jean Oliver, Dr. Oscar Riddle, and Dr. Henry S. Simms — and countless others have played integral roles, be it through elected office, journal service, or Annual Scientific Meeting participation. Perhaps you knew of some of our founders or worked with their proteges?

If your career has benefited from those who came before you — professors, mentors, colleagues — please consider “paying it forward” as the founders did by supporting the next generation of scholars in attending GSA meetings. The most common challenge cited by students, post-docs, trainees, and other emerging scholars today is inadequate funding to get to conferences like GSA’s to present their findings, network with other researchers, and build new collaborations.

Think back to that first GSA Annual Scientific Meeting you attended and how it changed your career. The investment of the founders’ time, energy and resources made this possible. Their vision was a gift to the field from which we have all benefited. In making a commitment to support the people who will advance our field in the years to come, you have the opportunity to take on the role of “founder” for the career of a new scholar.