The Executive Board recently voted to accept an invitation to join the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) as a sustaining associate member. This is a new membership category recently designed to permit small, energetic societies such as the ABRF to participate in the public affairs activities that are the principal focus of the FASEB coalition. Through this association, the ABRF will have a voice in developing policies that are important to the future of biomolecular resource and research laboratories. Tom Andersen has been chosen to be the ABRF representative to the Public Affairs Executive Committee of the FASEB Board of Directors.
FASEB develops policy issues through a variety of mechanisms, including consensus conferences focused on specific issues, discussions at FASEB board meetings, the Public Affairs Executive Committee, and the Public Affairs Action Committee. These issues are then communicated to decision makers, especially to Congress, by FASEB,and usually by the FASEB President. Conveying the importance of biomedical research to the general public and to elected officials is also a major FASEB activity. Joining the FASEB coalition does not limit the ability of the ABRF to express itself on issues beyond those that FASEB has chosen to study.
ABRF members are already familiar with FASEB from their management of the ABRF Business Office, with Delores Francis as coordinator. FASEB meetings management has also helped ensure the success of our first two independent meetings in San Francisco and Baltimore, organized by Jean Lash and Kristen Mirabel, respectively. Additional information can be obtained by visiting the FASEB Web site at http://www.faseb.org, which includes a special section on the Public Affairs activities.
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