Testimonials from 2015 John Haddad Young Investigator Awardees
What, specifically, was your favorite part of the AIMM/ASBMR Meeting?
- I really enjoyed the format of the meeting. I felt as though the talks were a good length and well organized for breaks. Never once did I feel too overwhelmed with the amount of science presented at one time. I also enjoyed the multiple opportunities, through the organized meals, to interact with the senior scientists and fellow awardees at the meeting.
- Besides the outstanding talks given by worldwide recognized experts and John Haddad awardees, along with the unique location of the conference, my favorite part of the AIMM/ASBMR meeting was the different social events. In particular I enjoyed very much the John Haddad awardee’s dinner at Dr. Suva’s place in which all John Haddad awardees had the opportunity to talk with other speakers and well-established PIs in a very friendly and relaxed environment.
- My favorite part of this meeting was the opportunity to network with more senior investigators in an intimate setting, as well as the excellence of the scientific program, which was outstanding.
- Due to both the small size of the meeting and the overall relaxed atmosphere, it was the best meeting I have ever attended for being able to meet established investigators in the bone field and speak with them one-on-one.
- The multiple opportunities to interact with senior investigators in a casual atmosphere.
- The opportunity to interact with established scientists and young investigators in a casual yet scientifically rigorous setting
- I enjoyed the discussions that followed my presentation, both formally in the question and answer session and informally in the reception. I obtained very useful feedback that has improved the quality of my research substantially.
Would you have been able to attend the AIMM/ASBMR Young Investigator’s Meeting without travel funding provided by ASBMR? If not, how important was it for you to receive funding from ASBMR to attend this meeting?
- No, even though I am currently on an F32 it does not allow for travel to more than one meeting a year without some supplementation with travel awards.
- Attendance to this meeting would have been impossible without receiving the John Haddad Award. This award allowed me to cover most of the expenses generated during the AIMM/ASBMR meeting and because of it I was able to attend to other meetings over the year (eg. ASBMR, Sun Valley Workshop).
- I would not have been able to attend the AIMM/ASBMR YI meeting without travel funding provided by ASBMR, and I am grateful for the numerous travel grants I have received from ASBMR for this meeting and the annual ASBMR conference. By providing these awards, ASBMR removes the logistical stress of traveling and allows us as Young Investigators to focus on our talk and networking.
- No, the support through the travel funds made my attending the meeting possible.
- The travel funding was a very important motivation to attend for the first time. However now I am much more likely to attend in the future even without the funding.
- I likely would not have been able to attend without the travel award. Institutions have severely limited the amount of money available for educational purposes, with the typical yearly allowance being far less than the cost to attend a single scientific meeting.
- It is unlikely that I would have been able to attend without the young investigator award.
Were you able to network and connect with new peers at this meeting? If so, please elaborate.
- Yes, I networked greatly with my fellow awardees and was able to get some advice from them on K99 submissions as well providing some advice on my work that would apply to their own projects.
- Definitively AIMM/ASBMR is one of the best meetings to increase your network because both, the schedule of the program and the unique environment facilitate interactions with the other attendants. During the AIMM/ASBMR meeting I had the opportunity to interact with other awardees and different investigators, discuss about my projects, and learn about other researcher’s lines of investigation. After the meeting I have been able to be in touch with several of the attendants and meet with them in different meetings.
- Yes, I had the opportunity to network with new peers at this meeting, which was not something I had anticipated. In fact, I was able to follow back up with several of the other AIMM Young Investigators at the ASBMR annual conference later in the year. It was wonderful catching up with these new colleagues and hearing about each other’s' progress since the AIMM meeting.
- In addition to the opportunities to meet established investigators, there were also great opportunities to meet your peers at this meeting, either over meals, during skiing or in scientific discussions.
- Yes, similar to interactions with senior investigators, it is very easy to meet and connect with peers due to the small size of the meeting.
- Yes, I exchanged ideas and contact info with a number of investigators and expect these relationships will one day lead to collaborations
- I was able to network with both young and established investigators. The networking took place during the presentations, during the receptions and dinners, as well as on the ski slopes. In fact, I have already established a preliminary collaboration with an investigator I met at AIMM and am hopeful that it will continue to prove fruitful to both of us.
Would you encourage a friend or colleague to apply for ASBMR funding to attend meetings such as the AIMM/ASBMR Young Investigator’s Meeting?
- I would HIGHLY recommend my colleagues to apply for funding to attend this meeting. Many of the topics covered are applicable to our lab and it is a wonderful opportunity to network with the senior scientists presenting this work. The venue is beautiful too!
- AIMM/ASBMR meeting is one of the best meetings I have ever been to. AIMM/ASBMR program encompasses both science and “social” science making it a perfect fit for young investigators.
- I would absolutely encourage friends and colleagues to apply for ASBMR funding to attend the AIMM/ASBMR Young Investigator Meeting.
- Yes, absolutely!
- I already have!
- Absolutely
- I would encourage all young investigators with an interest in bone research to apply for the ASBMR funding to attend the AIMM meeting. Indeed, I have already forwarded the recent call for applications around my department.