Attending the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting is the richest annual networking and professional development opportunity for researchers in the field of biophysics. The breadth of research represented by the nearly 6,000 attendees and to the personal interactions that take place are enhanced by the career, education, policy, and social programs scheduled throughout the Meeting.
Networking Event 
Professional Development
The six student with the best overall presentations will be awarded $100 and will be recognized during the 2023 Biophysical Society Lecture and Awards Ceremony. These students will be selected based on the quality and scientific merit of their research, knowledge of the research problem, contribution to the project, and overall presentation of the poster.
Sunday, February 19, 11:30 AM–1:00 PM
Connect with other undergraduates at this “breakfast” for a valuable networking and social opportunity. You will also have a chance to meet and talk to Biophysical Society Committee members, and scientists at all career levels to discuss academic goals and questions and learn how to develop a career path in biophysics. Hear from invited speaker(s) who will share their stories and answer questions. Space for this session is limited to the first 100 attendees.
Workshop: Writing Award Nomination and Support Letters
Sunday, February 19, 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Helping your colleagues, mentors, and mentees be recognized via awards, promotions, or hires is an important skill for everyone. If you choose a career in research and/or education, you will likely be asked to write many such letters. In this workshop, Biophysical Society Fellows will discuss what makes an effective letter. For practice, we recommend you come with a candidate in mind for one of the BPS awards. Effective nominations can come from scientists at any career stage!
Moderator
Susan Marqusee, University of California, Berkeley
Speakers to be announced.
Education & Career Opportunities Fair
Sunday, February 19, 1:00 PM–3:00 PM
This fair will provide opportunities for candidates to meet with representatives from educational institutions as well as industry and government agencies. Students and postdoctoral candidates will be able to meet with representatives from colleges and universities with leading programs in biophysics. Attendees can connect with representatives from industry and agencies who will provide information about employment and funding opportunities at their institutions/companies.
Stop by the fair to learn about the variety of opportunities available and to talk one-on-one with representatives from participating organizations.
Representatives interested in reserving a table at this fair to display information about their institution/company’s biophysics-related opportunities must register online no later than January 12, 2023, and submit the registration fee in advance. All those attending the Annual Meeting are encouraged to attend. Please contact the Society at [email protected] with questions. The recruiter registration deadline has passed.
Teaching Science Like We Do Science
Sunday, February 19, 2:00 PM–4:00 PM
This interactive, hands-on workshop focuses on practice-applicable, easy-to-use strategies and tools that educators at any level of biophysical science education can use to assess what their students take away from their teaching, and where changes to their educational methods might be appropriate.
How Does Congress Set the Federal Budget for Biomedical Research?
Sunday, February 19, 2:30 PM–4:00 PM
The Congressional appropriations process for setting the federal budget is often fought out over many months, and rarely straightforward. The funding of agencies such as the National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) are a small part of the $1.7 trillion discretionary budget set annually by the House and Senate.
This workshop will review the overall process, including distinctions between authorization and appropriations, discretionary and non-discretionary spending, and the Presidential and Congressional budgets. Understanding where grant giving agencies fit into the broader federal budget will aid you in advocating for basic and biomedical research budgets that truly address national needs. Learn how you can lend your voice to the Biophysical Society’s advocacy for sustained, predictable funding for scientific research.
Moderator:
Luyi Cheng, BPS Congressional Fellow, Office of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Panelists:
Jonathan A. King, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Eric Sundberg, Emory University
Elmer Zapata-Mercado, BPS Congressional Fellow, Office of Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE)
PI to PI, A Wine & Cheese Mixer
Sunday, February 19, 4:00 PM–6:00 PM
You finally have a job working in biophysics, in industry or academia, with some funding and a lab, but you’ve realized that the career challenges continue. Come relax and network with your contemporaries and senior biophysicists over a beer or glass of wine. This event is a great chance to compare notes with colleagues and discuss one-on-one your unique solutions to issues that arise in the time between getting your job and getting your next promotion, including management of lab staff, getting your work published, and renewing your funding. Refreshments will be provided along with a cash bar.
Student Research Achievement Award (SRAA) Poster Competition
Sunday, February 19, 6:00 PM–9:00 PM
This session features graduate, masters and PhD students who are presenting posters at the Annual Meeting and have indicated at the time of abstract submission that they wish to participate in the competition. During the competition, students will give a five minute oral presentation of their posters to one or more judges. Winners will be recognized on Monday evening prior to the Biophysical Society Lecture. For more information click here. .
Graduate Student Breakfast
Monday, February 20, 7:30 AM–8:30 AM
This breakfast presents an opportunity for graduate student Annual Meeting attendees to meet and discuss the issues they face in their current career stage. Limited to the first 100 attendees.
Meet the Editors - The Biophysicist
Monday, February 20, 10:15 AM–11:00 AM
Take this opportunity to meet editors of The Biophysicist. Editors will be available to talk about the journal and answer questions about where you should submit your work, what will help to get your work published, and what you can expect when you submit.
Editor-in-Chief Sam Safran and other editors will attend.
New Member Welcome Coffee
Monday, February 20, 10:15 AM–11:15 AM
All new Biophysical Society members are invited to participate in an informal gathering to meet members of the Society’s Council and Committees, find out about the Society’s activities, get acquainted with other new members, and enjoy refreshments. Current members are encouraged to come meet the new members.
Annual Meeting of the Student Chapters
Monday, February 20, 11:00 AM–1:00 PM
Join BPS Student Chapters from all over the world for an interactive workshop. Attendees will meet Student Chapter officers and representatives and learn about each chapter. This session aims to establish chapter interactions, communications, and planning for future Student Chapter Annual Meeting sessions.
Envisioning the Future of Biophysical Postdoctoral Training
Monday, February 20, 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Postdoctoral researchers represent a major portion of the academic research work force. While the position was originally intended as a few years of post-graduate training prior to becoming an independent investigator, it has since evolved into an often long-term position with uncertain outcomes. Not only has this been detrimental to postdocs themselves, but this has led to the development of a host of other systemic issues throughout academic research. Join the Public Affairs Committee as we host a discussion to about the future of a keystone position in biophysics research.
Moderator: Mihael Rudokas, Yale University
Panelists:
Dorothy Beckett, NIGMS
Melanie Cocco, Univeristy of California, Irvine
Devasena Ponnalagu, The Ohio State University
Shanna Hamilton, The Ohio State University
Biophysics 101: Incorporating Bayesian and Artificial Intelligience Approaches into Biophysics
Monday, February 20, 1:30 PM–3:00 PM
Biophysics 101 is an opportunity to learn about hot topics in Biophysics from experts in the field! More information to come soon about this year's session topic.
Achieving Work-Life Balance Across Different Job Sectors
Monday, February 20, 2:30 PM–4:00 PM
Whether you are in academia thinking about how much more time you would have for family if you worked in the biotechnology sector, or you work in government wishing for more control over your calendar, most people want better work-life balance. It can be tempting to see only the advantages of careers different from yours. In this panel discussion, we will hear from biophysicists working in academia, industry, and the US government about the challenges of achieving work-life balance across different work sectors, and the benefits of each.
Authorship Best Practices in Biophysics
Monday, February 20, 2:15 PM–3:45 PM
This panel, organized by the BPS Publications Committee, will feature a panel of biophysicists to share their experiences and answer your questions about how authorship is determined for research papers in biophysics. Panelists will represent scientists from diverse backgrounds in different types of academic departments. They will discuss their approaches to determining first and corresponding author, navigating disagreements about authorship, and other related topics.
Moderator
Carlos Baiz, University of Texas at Austin, USA
Panelists
Antje Almeida, University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA
Kandice Tanner, NIH, USA
Sarah Veatch, University of Michigan, USA
JUST-B Poster Session
Monday, February 20, 3:00 PM–5:00 PM
The JUST-B (Justice for Underrepresented Scholars Training in Biophysics) Poster Session will celebrate the achievements of underrepresented and underserved students, postdocs, and early career researchers in the field of biophysics. The poster session will promote the endeavors of trainees, offer support through networking opportunities, and serve as a recruitment venue for those seeking to diversify their pool of future graduate students, postdocs, faculty, staff scientists, journal editors, or any other career within biophysics. The goal is to address and mitigate inequities in the biophysics community by providing a space for underrepresented trainees to share their scientific accomplishments and take steps toward advancing their careers.
For more information, click here.
Speed Networking
Monday, February 20, 4:30 PM–6:00 PM
Career development and networking is important in science but can be a big time commitment. Here we offer refreshments and the chance to speed network, an exciting way to connect with a large number of biophysicists (including Biophysical Society committee members) in a short amount of time. Mid-career and more experienced scientists could learn how to get more involved in the Society or network for open positions in their labs. Early career scientists could discuss career goals and challenges, get advice on tenure or grant writing, or find out how to gain recognition for their work. Graduate students and postdocs could make contacts to find their next position.
After introductions, each person will have short 3 - 5 minute meetings with consecutive new contacts. During this time, you can exchange information and ask questions. When time is up, you select the next person to talk to. By the end of the event, each participant will have had meaningful interactions with over half a dozen colleagues and the opportunity to meet many more. It's that simple! Space is limited for this event and pre-registration is recommended to ensure a spot. Click here to register.
Meet the Editors - Biophysical Reports
Tuesday, February 21, 10:15 AM–11:00 AM
Take this opportunity to meet editors of the Society's newest journal, Biophysical Reports. Editors will be available to talk about the journal and answer questions about where you should submit your work, what will help to get your work published, and what you can expect when you submit.
Editor-in-Chief Jörg Enderlein and other editors will attend.
Founding, Establishing, and Maintaining a Research Laboratory at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions
Tuesday, February 21, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Get guidance on founding, establishing, and maintaining a research laboratory at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions. Panelists are faculty members at PUI's who have been successful in their positions and will share their experiences and answer your questions.
Careers in Industry: A Q&A Panel
Tuesday, February 21, 1:00 PM–2:30 PM
Join us for a Q&A discussion about scientific careers in industry. Industry panelists will answer audience questions and share their career experiences. Hear from professionals in different roles and positions and get tangible advice for identifying and pursuing a career in industry.
Chair: Erin Dueber, Genentech, CA, USA
Panelists:
Clemens Anklin, Bruker, MA, USA
Anita Niedziela-Majka, Gilead Sciences, CA, USA
Shanti Amagasu, Latigo Biotherapeutics, CA, USA
Parag Sahasrabudhe, Pfizer Inc, CT, USA
Meet the Editors - Biophysical Journal
Tuesday, February 21, 1:45 PM–3:00 PM
Take this opportunity to meet editors of Biophysical Journal. Editors will be available to talk about the journal and answer questions about where you should submit your work, what will help to get your work published, and what you can expect when you submit. Editor-in-Chief Vasanthi Jayaraman and other editors will attend.
Overview of NIGMS/NIH Funding Programs Available to Biophysical Society Investigators
Tuesday, February 21, 2:00 PM–3:30 PM
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the NIH offers an array of funding programs to investigators at all career stages. NIGMS staff will provide an overview of these programs, highlighting opportunities of particular interest to the Biophysical Society community. The overview will be followed by an in-depth presentation of the “Maximizing Investigators Research Award (MIRA, R35)” funding program. Since 2016, the NIGMS has been funding individual laboratory research programs that are within the NIGMS scientific mission through the MIRA program. The program aims to increase the efficiency of funding for investigators; decrease the administrative burden of grant application, review, and management; allow flexibility of future research directions in an investigator’s laboratory; maintain a more stable research environment; and enhance the opportunities for breakthrough discoveries. The MIRA program includes two companion funding opportunity announcements (FOAs), one for Early-Stage Investigators (PAR-20-117) and the other for Established Investigators and New Investigators (PAR-22-180). NIGMS staff will discuss the key features of the MIRA FOAs and answer questions about MIRA funding. If you are an Established Investigator holding an eligible NIGMS award (a single-PI R01, R35, R37, DP1, DP2, SC1, NRMN U01), or if you are an Early-Stage Investigator or a New Investigator performing research within the NIGMS mission, you are encouraged to attend this session.
Presenters
Dorothy Beckett
Director, Division of Biophysics, Biomedical Technology, and Computational Biosciences
Zhongzhen Nie
Chief, Pharmacological and Physiological Sciences Branch, PPBC, NIGMS
Dinner Meet-ups
Sunday, February 19 - Tuesday, February 21, 6:00 PM
Local students will be waiting at the Society Booth to meet up with attendees who want to experience the local flavor of San Diego.
One-on-One with a Mentor
The One-on-One with a Mentor program aims to connect Early Career and Student members with mentors at the Annual Meeting. We hope this connection will be helpful to you during your time at the meeting. Each mentor will only be assigned one mentee, on a first-come, first-served basis.
We will try our best to match mentor-mentee pairs based on your answers to the questionnaire, your areas of research, Subgroup membership, etc