The Society is pleased to announce Christine Petersen, DVM, PhD, as the next ASTMH Scientific Program Chair. She will begin with the 2021 Annual Meeting. Dr. Petersen is the Director of the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases at the University of Iowa. She has been a Society member since 2003 and was president of the ACMCIP subgroup in 2017-18.
She will succeed Daniel G. Bausch, MD, MPH&TM, FASTMH, who is completing his sixth Annual Meeting year.
"ASTMH has been my scientific home since I was a graduate student," Dr. Petersen said. "It is a huge honor to take over the reins from Dan Bausch. Dan’s leadership has set a very high bar for wonderful interactive meetings with great speakers and impactful exhibits. I will bring my energy and interest in a wide breadth of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases to help represent the 'Big Tent' of ASTMH and as a member of the Executive Committee."
The Scientific Program Chair is responsible for all aspects of the educational and scientific program content presented at the Society’s Annual Meeting. The Chair is appointed by and reports to the ASTMH Board, serving as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board and a member of the Executive Committee. The Chair also works closely with CEO Karen A. Goraleski, Scientific Program Administrative Manager Judy DeAcetis and the rest of staff.
"It has been my honor and privilege to serve for the last six years," Dr. Bausch said. "I’m delighted to soon pass the baton into Christy's very capable hands. My very sincere thanks to my Associate Program Chair Stephanie Yanow, the Program Committee members, the incredible ASTMH leadership and support team, and to all ASTMH members and meeting attendees for making my six years so educational and downright fun, and for making ASTMH the leading voice in tropical medicine and global health."
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Society is actively exploring options and developing alternative plans should a change in this year's Annual Meeting be warranted. All updates will be shared in a timely manner via our website, directly through email messages and with posts to Twitter and Facebook.
