President

President’s Report - January 2024

Dear Biosafety and Biosecurity Community,

I am honored and humbled to serve as President of ABSA International. I look forward to bringing my passion for biosafety and biosecurity, in the same way that you all do, making our profession one of the most important professions in recent years. I share and admire your deep commitment to transform life sciences through the power of guidance, expertise, and lessons learned. I look forward to continuing my work with the Council, Team Leads, our volunteers, and all our ABSA Office staff.

As the new year approaches, we need to continue to advance our efforts towards our strategic planning goals and objectives. This can and will be achieved thanks to your continuous support and commitment to ABSA International. I know that past years have challenged ABSA International; I see a great association with a strong historical foundation that can reach new levels of excellence.

We are preparing for an exciting and educational year with the 3rd International Biosecurity Virtual Symposium and 67th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference. We want these events to be memorable and informative for you to remain engaged, grow your talent, spread your passion and inspiration to promoting these amazing words called “biosafety and biosecurity.”

The 2024 landscape will be challenging, but not impossible, because together we will strengthen ABSA International and foster a culture that values and hears the voices from every member of our community. As we work together to shape the future of ABSA International, we need to answer the following questions… “What will it take for ABSA International to maintain its position among the top important biosafety associations in the world?” “How will ABSA contribute to the safe and secure professional development of science without stopping the human progress?” “How are we preparing to maintain all these biosafety professionals, including the new members that are now part of this big family called ABSA International?”

The new year will bring us more challenges, difficulties, and interesting opportunities to continue working with all our peers regionally and worldwide to generate clear, achievable, understandable, and measurable ways to engage in biosafety and biosecurity practices. We need to be prepared for challenges that do not yet exist.

I invite each of you to stay engaged and continue sharing your expertise and talent, your passion and knowledge, and make your voices heard through the various ABSA committees, ABSA blog, and the listserv. Once again, thanks to all our leaders and volunteers for your continued support, trust, and hard work in the biosafety and biosecurity profession.

Kind regards,

Luis Ochoa Carrera, MSc
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - September 2023

Dear Biosafety Professionals,

I hope you had a wonderful summer. It is hard to believe my time as President is coming to an end. It has gone by in the blink of an eye. As I reflect on this past year, I hope that my contributions have resulted in a better and stronger foundation for the future of ABSA International. In reality, that is what we all hope to accomplish as members of ABSA. We care, and we graciously volunteer what little time we have, to a profession that helps keep people safe, day after day. Thank you for volunteering your time, energy, and your efforts for the benefit of the biosafety profession.

In May, during the spring Council meeting, we conducted a systematic review of the ABSA Strategic Plan. As a result, we updated the plan to include "proactive and effective communication” and “disseminate timely and trustworthy knowledge and resources” as our core values. We also reimagined ABSA International as the world’s largest multidisciplinary professional association and premier resource for biosafety and biosecurity. This fall, the ABSA Executive Committee and Council will determine how best to achieve these goals.

ABSA International has also been working with a public relations firm to help us to be nimbler and to better respond to media requests that are sent to the ABSA office. When these requests come in, there is often a very short response time, based on the reporters’ deadlines, which makes it difficult, as a volunteer organization, to respond. This relationship has proven to be a good investment already. ABSA Council has approved responses in record time, allowing us to get ABSA’s name out there more and become a reliable and credible resource for members of the media.

ABSA’s in-person courses have been very popular over the last couple of years. Both the Principles & Practices of Biosafety® and Biosafety and Biosecurity Training Course (BBTC®) have sold out again this year. If you are interested in attending PPB, make sure you contact the ABSA Office to get on the waiting list. I hear the list is already long for the San Diego PPB in March 2024.

Our annual conference is just around the corner. I hope to see you at the 66th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference October 13-18 in Omaha, Nebraska. The Scientific Program Committee has published a diverse scientific program, including sessions on applied biosafety, public health, regulations, emerging zoonotic issues, material transport, field biosafety, and much more. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones while listening to talks and reading poster presentations of amazing colleagues!

Lastly, I would like to take a moment to honor our late friend and colleague Angie Birnbaum. She was an ABSA Councilor and an incredibly active member of our community. There are never the right words to say when someone passes away, and all I can say is that it was a tragic loss and a life taken too soon. Angie was an amazing person, and we will miss her dearly.

Wishing you a safe, happy, and healthy fall!

Best,

Rebecca

Rebecca Moritz, MS, CBSP(ABSA), SM(NRCM)
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - June 2023

Dear Biosafety Professionals,

I hope you all are having a good spring. There has been a lot taking place over the past six months and I am sure you have noticed that there has been a lot happening in the biosafety profession. In this newsletter, I share some of the recent happenings at ABSA International.

In February, ABSA collaborated with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service to hold the 7th International Biosafety and Biocontainment Symposium. This year’s symposium was focused on Biorisk Management in Modern Agriculture. Some highlights included applied biosafety research, biorisks involved in farming, African Swine Fever virus outbreaks and prevention, and import policies not mirroring biosecurity policies. After this symposium, ABSA supported a two-day workshop for the Research Alliance for Veterinary Science and Biodefense BSL-3 Network (RAV3N) to conduct a gap assessment for applied biorisk and biosafety research. The goal of this assessment was to identify gaps where there is insufficient data to develop practice. Participants discussed the gaps, what data is needed, and what research could provide data.

ABSA is also partnering with the Federal Select Agent Program (FSAP) to reimagine parts of the documentation that is required for a registered entity. The goal is to streamline the process and make it easier for registered entities and FSAP to focus more on work processes and the research. The ABSA BSAT Community Advocate Committee (CAC) is leading this effort and is directly working with FSAP. This is an opportunity for positive change that will decrease the administrative burden on all biosafety professional managing of a registered select agent program.

There are many on-going conversations about a variety of potential new and/or revised regulatory oversight, frameworks, and policies that will affect biosafety. In March, the National Scientific Biosecurity Board (NSABB) released a report with twelve recommendations and twelve findings about the current United States dual use research of concern and pathogens of pandemic potential policies. These recommendations have the potential to increase the scope of research being reviewed depending on how the policies are revised. ABSA has been and will continue to work hard to proactively contribute to these types of regulatory conversations.

We are looking forward to the 66th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Hybrid Conference October 13th -18th in Omaha, Nebraska. The Local Arrangements, Pre-Conference Course, Exhibitors Advisory and Scientific Program Committees are diligently working to put together an outstanding meeting and program. I hope to see you all there!

I want to thank the leaders and volunteers for your continued hard work and dedication to ABSA International. Thank you for volunteering your time, energy, and perspective for the benefit of the biosafety profession. We are grateful to you.

Lastly, if there is anything I can do to make your experiences better with ABSA International, I would like to hear from you. Please feel free to send me an email at rebecca.moritz@colostate.edu. Wishing you a happy, healthy, and relaxing summer!

Best,
Rebecca

Rebecca Moritz, MS, CBSP(ABSA)
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - January 2023

Dear Biosafety Professionals,

I am honored and humbled to serve ABSA International as President for the coming year. I am looking forward to collaborating with the Council, our leaders, and volunteers. There is always a lot of work to be done and it is important we recognize the amount of effort and time our volunteers give on behalf of the association and biosafety profession. I also want to acknowledge the efforts of the ABSA Office Staff who continually support the association and assist with ABSA’s ever growing needs and efforts. Lastly, I would like to thank LouAnn Burnett for her leadership as President over the past year.

Thank you.

The 65th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Hybrid Conference and associated professional development courses were a tremendous success. Attendance, both in-person and virtually, was strong. The Local Arrangements and Scientific Program Committees put together a wonderful meeting and program. This year, we saw a more engaged audience with the virtual platform making it easier to ask questions during our live sessions. It was inspiring seeing people interacting again and catching up and networking with colleagues.

For a variety of reasons, including the pandemic, the political landscape for biosafety is coming to the forefront of discussion and the coming years are going to be interesting, to say the least. We should all be ready for potentially major changes in the biosafety profession. For the first time, biosafety has been specifically mentioned in the White House’s National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan. There are also advisory groups looking at potential changes to existing research policies. In addition, there is talk about a variety of potential new and/or revised regulatory oversight, frameworks, and policies that will affect biosafety. ABSA will work hard to proactively contribute to these regulatory conversations. My hope is that ABSA can help congress and regulators address true risks and perceived risks appropriately, providing our expertise to shape the future regulatory landscape. I invite each and every one of you to stay engaged, volunteer, and make your voices heard through the various ABSA committees.

Again, thank you leaders and volunteers for your continued hard work and dedication to ABSA International and the biosafety profession.

I hope you had a happy, healthy, and relaxing holiday season!

Best,

Rebecca

Rebecca Moritz, MS, SM(NRCM), CBSP(ABSA)
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - September 2022

LouAnn Burnett, CBSP(ABSA)

Happy September! The ABSA International team (our office and many, many, many members) are busy preparing for the 65th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Hybrid Conference to be held in-person AND virtually from Milwaukee, WI on October 14-19! Early registration closes September 13, so submit your registration in. Four Virtual Professional Development Courses will begin September 12 and continue through October 7, then one additional Professional Development Course will be offered in February 2023. An additional 15 courses will be held in-person in Milwaukee. The Scientific Program, as always, promises to inspire and inform. The Local Arrangements Committee has a great Milwaukee experience planned for us. I hope to see you there either in-person or online. Thank you so much to all the committees involved!

While the conference plays an important role for our organization, there are so many other efforts that also contribute to the success of our membership. Please take a few minutes to read the rest of this newsletter to see what our committees and task forces have been doing. Several are looking for extra help or input.

Speaking of input, the ABSA International Council is collecting stories from our members and friends if you feel that being part of the ABSA International community has impacted or influenced you or others and you are willing to share that story, please send a paragraph or two to info@absa.org. With your permission, we will use stories received during the conference to highlight some of ABSA International’s activities.

We are only a few weeks from closing out another ABSA year. As I turn over the presidency to Rebecca Moritz’s capable hands, I want to say thank you for the honor of serving, once more, as ABSA International President. I am fortunate to have had many “hometowns” in my life and ABSA is one of them because of each of you.

See you in Milwaukee!

LouAnn

LouAnn C. Burnett, MS, CBSP(ABSA)
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - June 2022

LouAnn Burnett, CBSP(ABSA)

The ongoing pandemic has brought unprecedented attention to biosafety, biosecurity, public health, research with pathogens of pandemic potential, and high biocontainment laboratories. The issues that our profession has grappled with for years have, arguably, never been so visible to the public and under so much scrutiny by elected officials and policymakers. However, the biosafety and biosecurity profession is still an unknown discipline to most. This year’s Council is working on several initiatives to better equip and empower both the ABSA International organization and our members to tell our stories and document our significant impacts more effectively. These include metrics and benchmarking, a competency framework, and a proactive, outward-facing communication strategy.

In March 2022, the Council hosted a virtual discussion forum for members on The State of the Biosafety & Biosecurity Profession. For this forum, discussion centered on three issues facing the profession: 1) improving the pipeline into the profession(s); 2) maximizing staff in the face of workforce shortages; and 3) assuring succession planning as many professionals shift roles or organizations, or retire. Nearly 200 members joined the conversation. A recording is available for members on my.ABSA.org, as is the ongoing ability, via a link on that site, to submit questions or comments. Another forum will be held in July or August. Watch for a Save the Date announcement soon.

Associations are unique—members are, simultaneously, owners, the workforce, and customers. While I have used this limited space to highlight some of the Council’s activities, I also wish to applaud loudly the large and diverse ABSA International workforce comprised of dedicated and committed volunteers. Please read about their many activities and contributions in this newsletter and on the absa.org website and watch your email for important announcements.

ABSA International invites and needs your participation and feedback as members: co-owners, customers, and workforce. Feel free to reach out by emailing your ideas, comments, or concerns to info@absa.org.

For those of you in the northern hemisphere—have a great summer. For our friends south of the equator—enjoy your cooler weather!

LouAnn

LouAnn C. Burnett, MS, CBSP(ABSA)
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - January 2022

LouAnn Burnett, CBSP(ABSA)

Dear ABSA Colleagues,

I have been a member of ABSA International for 28 years. Despite my long tenure, I am continually humbled by the collegiality and collaboration of our community and by how much I learn from every interaction. This holds truer in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The inspirational stories of innovation and persistence highlighted at the recent 64th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Virtual Conference made me so proud to be a fellow biosafety and biosecurity professional.

Biosafety and biosecurity expertise is more needed and more visible than ever. At a recent ABSA International Council meeting, we highlighted several priority areas that will help us to focus ABSA’s resources towards:

• Developing a stronger and more strategic capacity for proactive actions and communication so that we are not just waiting for queries to come to us to be able to tell our story and provide our expertise.
• Identifying key metrics by which biosafety and biosecurity professionals can measure and benchmark their program’s progress towards biorisk reduction. This includes the ever-important mechanism for non-punitive incident and near miss reporting, building on our experience housing and maintaining our Laboratory-Acquired Database.
• Packaging credentialing options to further the profession while meeting our members’ diverse needs.
• Highlighting our members’ new realities, post-COVID, and revising or designing programs to meet their needs.

These activities will rely on ABSA’s impressive volunteers. To plan for our committees’, teams’, boards’, and task forces’ successes, we are clarifying and documenting the organizational decision-making process as well as expectations for roles, responsibilities, and succession planning. We are holding ourselves accountable to clear communication about decisions as well as assuring that we are inclusive of our diverse population and that we offer opportunities for future leaders of the organization to grow and contribute.

We sincerely hope to be able to greet each other in person at two events in 2022 – the 2nd Biosecurity Symposium in Minneapolis, Minnesota in May and the 65th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in October. We will be using virtual technology to create a hybrid experience to increase the numbers of our colleagues who can participate.

Watch the ABSA International website for more information on the many, many opportunities to learn, connect, and grow!

Thank you,

LouAnn Burnett
ABSA President

President’s Report - October 2021

Melissa Mørland, MS, MBA, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)

Dear ABSA Colleagues,

Since my last message, the increases in COVID cases have caused us to make the difficult decision to move the 64th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference to fully virtual. I know so many of us were looking forward to networking with our peers again in person; however, we felt this was the best decision at this time. The success ABSA has had with the LabRoots virtual platform for our 63rd Annual Conference, the USDA ARS 6th International Biosafety and Biocontainment Symposium, and our 1st Biosecurity Symposium has encouraged us to use them again for the 64th Annual Conference. ABSA will continue to work with LabRoots to make this as interactive and engaging of an event as possible. Please plan to join us! The Scientific Program Committee has been working hard on an informative program and the Preconference Course Committee has identified over 15 professional development courses all of which will be offered on-demand after its live session. Registration is open at www.absaconference.org.

We did safely hold an in-person Principles & Practices of Biosafety® (PPB) course in July as well as our first offering of the ABSA Biosafety and Biosecurity Training course (BBTC) in August. Our next PPB course is scheduled for March 6-11, 2022. Registration is open at Principles & Practices of Biosafety®| ABSA International.
At this time, we are beginning the planning stages for our 2nd Biosecurity Symposium to be held May 3-6, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Cris Lawson, Ryan Burnette, and Angie Birnbaum have graciously offered to Co-Chair the 2022 Biosecurity Symposium. Volunteer opportunities will be available for subcommittees to help with the scientific program, professional development courses, and poster sessions. Please reach out to me, ABSA Office, or a Co-Chair if you are interested in volunteering.

As part of our ongoing commitment to providing you with the highest level of member value and engagement, we are proud to introduce you to ABSA International’s new commerce website, connect.ABSA.org (a Member Clicks website). We hope you find this new format intuitive and user-friendly. Over the next couple of months, we will complete the transition of member information to the connect.ABSA.org site. In addition to our new website, ABSA International will begin working with American Eagle in October to manage our social media and email marketing. American Eagle’s experience and expertise will be helpful in expanding ABSA International’s message and awareness.

I’m excited to welcome our new Council members who will take office this October—President-Elect: Rebecca Moritz, Treasurer: Anne-Sophie Brocard, and Councilors: Jessica McCormick-Ell and Antony Schwartz. Thank you to all the candidates for your willingness to serve. I also want to take this time to thank those Council members who will be stepping down after this year’s conference: David Gillum, Lolly Gardiner, Luis Ochoa Carrera, and Betsy Matos. It’s been an extremely trying 2 years with limited to no in-person interaction. Thank you for your support and all your hard work through it all.

As always, I want to thank all our ABSA volunteers. ABSA International would not be successful without all our volunteers’ contributions to ABSA and the field of biosafety and biosecurity. I am always grateful to be a part of this community of thought leaders in the field.

I will miss seeing you all in-person in October but hope to see you virtually!

Thank you,

Melissa

President’s Report - July 2021

Melissa Mørland, MS, MBA, RBP(ABSA), CBSP(ABSA)

Dear ABSA Colleagues,

There finally seems to be light at the end of the tunnel, and with lower COVID-19 positivity rates and increased vaccinations, we are able to resume more in-person activities. Networking with colleagues and attending a conference in real-life without logging onto a computer are some of the things I’m ready for. However, this pandemic is not over, and neither is our work as biosafety professionals. This pandemic has highlighted the importance of biosafety and biosecurity professionals in responding to emerging biological risks. Thank you all for your extraordinary efforts during these times.

While this has been a challenging year for ABSA International, we have proven that we are strong, resilient, and committed to our mission. We successfully held our first virtual ABSA International Conference with 834 attendees; converted the ARS Symposium from live to virtual with 237 attendees; and held our 1st Biosecurity Symposium virtually with 154 attendees. Our Distance Learning Committee and ABSA Office Team have increased our webinar offerings and attendance with 14 webinars in 2020 and 11 webinars already offered in 2021. We also finalized our journal transition to Mary Ann Liebert, Publishers, and are now working to increase visibility.

We are in the planning stage to offer our 64th Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference at the Raleigh Convention Center October 23-27, 2021. We understand some may not feel comfortable traveling or there may be workplace restrictions or budgetary limitations. This will be our first hybrid conference—you may attend live or virtually. The Emerging Infectious Disease Consortium (EIDC) is working to develop the ABSA International COVID-19 toolkit and guidelines for our in-person courses and conferences. The EIDC continues to develop and share best practices on the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Toolbox.

We recognized the toll that the pandemic has taken on our mental health. We offered a free webinar to our ABSA International members on mindfulness to show our appreciation and support during these challenging times. This presentation is available to members in the Members Only area of the ABSA website in case you missed it or would like to watch it again. We hope that you are all taking some time to relax during these stressful times.

Registration is still open for the Biosafety and Biosecurity Training Course (BBTC) in Fort Collins, Colorado, August 2-6, 2021 (absa.org/event/absa-bbtc-fort-collins). We will be holding an in-person Principles and Practices of Biosafety (PPB) July 18. Registration is closed for this offering, but is open for the March 6-11, 2022 PPB in San Antonio, Texas.

I’m grateful to be part of this community of leaders in the field. I thank you for all you have done to help us get to where we are today. I know the critical roles you all play and appreciate all you do as volunteers to continue to support our mission. I look forward to seeing you all again soon. Until then, please keep safe.

Thank you,

Melissa
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - January 2021

Melissa Mørland, MS, MBA, RBP, CBSP

Dear ABSA Colleagues,

I hope this message finds you safe and healthy. While we had hoped to be together in Arizona for our 2020 annual conference, we had a very successful virtual conference and the largest attendance ever with 822 attendees. We also had 651 professional development course attendees. We have received some great feedback, but if you have not already done so please fill-out the survey so we can continue to make our conference the premier learning and networking event of the year. Thank you to all who participated and made the annual conference such a dynamic learning experience. A special thanks to the Scientific Program Committee, Distance Learning Committee, Preconference Course Committee, and the ABSA International Office for their contributions to the 63rd Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Virtual Conference.

While this year has been extremely challenging, it has highlighted the importance of our profession. Biosafety and biosecurity professionals play a critical role in responding to emerging biological risks. With the ongoing pandemic, we hope that you are all being utilized to provide expertise and guidance. The ABSA Emerging Infectious Disease Consortium continues to bring together professionals to share and develop best practices. The online SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Toolbox was developed to ensure the community has access to the best and latest information/recommendations during this ongoing pandemic.

ABSA International continues to influence biosafety and biosecurity policy and standards. This past year, I was honored to present at the Biodefense Summit on Goal 2 of the National Biodefense Strategy. David Gillum recently presented at the NExTRAC on gene drive research and several ABSA members were involved in the development of the new BMBL 6.

ABSA International continues to increase our international engagement with our affiliates, partners, and members around the world. This year, we had 154 international attendees at our annual conference. The International Engagement Committee debuted a pilot program, BioRisk Management Connect (BRM Connect), at the conference. We are excited to see how the pilot projects progress over the next 6 months. ABSA International issued several support letters to affiliates and partners to increase biosafety visibility throughout the globe. ABSA International was an observer at the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) meeting and joined the GHSA Action Package Prevent-3 on Biosafety and Biosecurity. We continue to participate on the steering committee for the Global Health Security Agenda Consortium.

In 2021, as the Managing Partner, ABSA International will host the upcoming USDA ARS 6th International Biosafety and Biosecurity Symposium that will be held virtually February 2-4, 2021. Registration is open: (arssymposium.absa.org). We also made the tough decision to hold our Biosecurity Symposium virtually from April 21-22, 2021. Registration is open (biosecuritysymposium.org).

As always, thank you for all you do for both the association and the profession. This association depends on our volunteers who have always been willing to work and share for the good of all. I do not foresee our jobs becoming any less demanding this year, but I look forward to the challenges and a productive new year!

Stay safe and healthy!

Melissa
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - September 2020

David Gillum, MS, RBP(ABSA)

Dear Biosafety Professionals,

2020 has certainly presented us with numerous surprises and challenges, but also some unique opportunities as biosafety professionals. With the discovery of the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and the disease it causes, we have been compelled to adapt our working and living environments. The use of face coverings in our daily lives is just one example of how far we have come in society in such a short time. While biosafety principles have become a quintessential component in the fight against this pandemic, it is vital for the profession to remain vigilant and active in helping our communities. We must continue to educate ourselves and others, encourage best practices, and remain sources of relevant information.

Like many of you, I have been very involved with COVID, both in my personal and professional lives. On January 24, 2020, the Arizona State University Emerging Infectious Diseases Committee held a tabletop exercise to determine how the campus would respond to a suspected case. The scenario from the exercise involved a 20-year-old student who self-reported to Health Services with flu-like symptoms and fever, known travel within the Wuhan boundary within past 14 days, and reported possible exposure. Two days later the Arizona Department of Health Services confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the state.

Since then, our team at ASU has been working with our campus partners to stay ahead of whatever comes our way. We have been tasked with managing inventories of personal protective equipment, disinfectant, and supplies; reviewing all research with SARS-CoV-2 to ensure safe work practices; navigating quickly changing travel restrictions; providing guidance for how to safely reopen; and since June 2020, overseeing all qPCR testing of students and employees at the university. These are just a few of the things that have changed for us since COVID. For us, "pivot" has become the word du jour and "building the airplane as we fly it" has become the favorite catchphrase. I'm sure that all of you have similar stories.

With this year's ABSA conference moving to a virtual platform, I am really looking forward to learning from an amazing lineup of speakers and presentations, but I also look forward to hearing your stories in our online networking rooms. My hope is that more individuals, both nationally and internationally, will be able to attend the conference because it is virtual.

This year has been very trying, and although we have had a lot more stress on us this year (and I have a lot less hair, and what is left is even more gray) because of this pandemic, I feel that as biosafety professionals, we are making the world a better place. Thank you for all that you do and continue to do.

Please stay healthy and safe.

Sincerely,

David Gillum, MS, RBP(ABSA)
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - June 2020

David Gillum, MS, RBP(ABSA)

Dear Biosafety Professionals,

Several months ago, the world changed. The COVID-19 pandemic entered our daily lives causing countless disruptions. The pandemic hit pretty early in Arizona with the first case recorded in the state on January 26, 2020, which was the fifth case in the United States. Since then, my team and I have been busy developing and implementing plans for the university and reviewing COVID-19 research projects (including testing and foundational research as well as modeling for disease progression). As biosafety professionals, we have never been busier.

Arizona's Governor, Doug Ducey, recently allowed the stay-at-home order to expire and has allowed restaurants, gyms, pools, hair salons, parks, and recreational facilities to reopen. Sports leagues are restarting, which is good news for the many fans who flock here for events like spring training. Many dining and retail establishments are reopening with instructions for increased social distancing, additional hand sanitizing stations, and more signage to encourage frequent handwashing and good hygiene practices (such as covering your cough, wearing cloth face coverings in public settings, and staying home when sick). Biosafety has touched the everyday world in ways unimaginable pre-COVID.

Arizona State University President, Michael Crow, has stated that the university will be fully open by August 20, 2020. This means that our excellent safety team will be even busier in the upcoming weeks developing ramp-up guidance documents to prepare for summer and fall classes. Personally, I will be happy when things start to settle down and we can all take a vacation!

I share all this information because I want you to know that Arizona is open and welcomes you to the 63rd Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference beginning on November 1. For those of you who will be unable to travel, for personal health reasons or due to travel/budget restrictions, we will record the sessions and offer them as a subscription-based service. However, I am secretly hoping those of you who pay your own way, and those of you who have your institution pay, will see the value in attending this year, especially since there has been so much happening in our field. We will have a wealth of information, expertise, and experiences to share at the conference. I will be working with the ABSA International office to develop a template letter you can provide to your employer illustrating some of the unique opportunities that will be available at this year's conference and why it is essential for you to attend.

I am very happy to report that ABSA International continues to provide free, world-class resources to the biosafety profession. These resources include things like the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Toolbox, Laboratory Acquired Infection (LAI) database, and articles in Applied Biosafety over one year old (newer articles are free to members). ABSA International has also been actively involved in having exceptional webinars for those who would like to learn but cannot travel. All of us are genuinely indebted to those wonderful souls who keep these resources available and accessible to our community-thank you volunteers!

ABSA International continues to be a leader on the global stage as well. I am happy to report that Melissa Mørland and Luis Ochoa Carrera were observers at the recent Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) meeting. ABSA International recently issued letters of support to members of Canadian Biosafety Association (CABS), Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), as well as Asociación Mexicana de Bioseguridad A.C. (AMEXBIO) in support of biosafety in South and Central America.

Lastly, I am happy to announce a timely, relevant, and actionable theme for the 2020 Biosafety Month. With our recent experiences with COVID-19 and the future challenges we will be facing, this year's theme is "The Role of Biosafety and Biosecurity in Mitigating Emerging Risk." We hope to highlight and publicize the critical roles that biosafety and biosecurity professionals play in responding to emerging biological risks.

Thank you for your continued dedication to the field of biosafety.

Sincerely,
David Gillum, MS, RBP(ABSA)
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - February 2020

David Gillum, MS, RBP(ABSA)

Dear ABSA International Colleagues,

It is with great pleasure that I write to you as President of ABSA International. The work we do as a profession is critical for the safety and security of our coworkers, families, communities, and the ecosystems in which we live. This is especially important as we face new and ongoing outbreaks, such as the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), Ebolavirus and others. The nature of the work we do is not always recognized or appreciated, but during my term as President, I will strive to promote the visibility of the dedicated individuals working in this field all around the world.

As members, it is important to be aware of the role Council plays in the decision-making process. Before I was elected, I did not fully appreciate the role of the Council and the depth and scope of what the association accomplishes. However, having been a Council member and now your President, I understand and truly believe that the elected representatives deeply care about the profession and are working diligently to advance an agenda that meets the needs of the membership, not just now, but into the future. The ABSA Council is here to help you grow as professionals and to answer any questions or concerns that you may have regarding the association.

In order to continue to move the association in a positive direction, the Executive Council met in January 2020 to discuss high-level strategy, future direction for the association, and to discuss how the Council can best serve the membership. Topics discussed included: creating a career path for biosafety professionals, developing opportunities for international members, expanding mentorship opportunities, the Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) credential to be practical outside the United States, and ensuring the financial security of the association into the future.

I am pleased to announce a few recent highlights from the end of 2019:

ABSA membership continues to be strong with 1611 members and 24 affiliates

• 246 members earned the Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) credential
• 96 members earned the Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) credential
• Applied Biosafety had 58,345 full-text downloads and interest in the journal continues to grow with increased manuscript submissions, citations, and overall circulation. Please consider submitting relevant biosafety and biosecurity manuscripts to the journal.
• The annual conference in Birmingham, Alabama had 664 attendees with 901 people enrolled in professional development courses. I would like to extend a big "thank you" to the Exhibitors Committee, Local Arrangements Committee, Preconference Course Committee, and Scientific Program Committee for all their hard work in making the conference a resounding success!

In addition, I would like to remind you about these upcoming professional development opportunities:

• The 16th CDC International Symposium on Biosafety will be held from February 29 through March 4, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia.
• ABSA International’s 1st Biosecurity Symposium will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota from May 12-15, 2020. I hope you can join us in sharing experiences and learning from other biosecurity professionals and policy researchers from around the world.
• ABSA’s Principles and Practices of Biosafety (PPB) course continues to be a benchmark for incoming biosafety professionals and remains in high demand. The February 2020 course in San Antonio, Texas is sold out and the ABSA International office will be opening the July 2020 registration for the Portland, Oregon course soon.

If you have any ideas on how to enhance and grow our profession, please let me know.

2020 is going to be an amazing year for biosafety and biosecurity professionals!

Sincerely,
David Gillum, MS, RBP(ABSA)
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - September 2019

Dear ABSA International Colleagues,

Registration is open for the ABSA Conference in Birmingham, Alabama, November 14-20, 2019. The Preconference Course Committee and Scientific Program Committee have finalized both the Professional Development Courses and the Scientific Program; speakers and course presenters are in place. The International Engagement Committee co-chairs have worked with the Scientific Program Committee co-chairs to integrate the international presentations into the overall conference program to better share biosafety and biosecurity topics within the ABSA International community.

The European Biological Safety Association (EBSA) met April 9-12 in Bucharest, Romania this year. ABSA was asked to present on the importance of the global biosafety interaction, sharing the session with several international associations that provided the role of their country's biosafety agenda. The breakout session was very well attended and opened the door to active discussion on the need to support biosafety and biosecurity worldwide.

In mid-May, the ABSA Council met in Omaha, Nebraska for the spring meeting and ABSA Conference site evaluation. Council was very impressed with the friendly and walkable atmosphere of the city. After seeing the accommodations and what the city had to offer, Council voted for approval for Omaha to be the 2024 ABSA Conference location. It is a lovely city and will provide a great backdrop for the conference.

The Midterm Spring Council meeting is a solid 2-days that allows the Council time to review upcoming agenda items such as; the ABSA Conference's Professional Development Courses and the Scientific Program; the 2020 Biosecurity Symposium Agenda and the Call for Papers to which received a very positive response from the national and international membership. Dr. Julie Fischer, Elizabeth R. Griffin Program, updated Council on the focus of Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic the Congo, the impact of African Swine Fever virus in China that emphasizes the need for agricultural biosecurity, lack of resources for veterinarians, which are just a few of the significant impacts facing these outbreak regions. Please take a moment to read the Council Minutes, which is available online, as to what was shared during the 2-day meeting. 

The First International Biosecurity Symposium will be in Minneapolis, Minnesota from May 12-15, 2020. The Biosecurity Symposium Executive Steering Committee is led by co-chairs Rebecca Moritz and Antony Schwartz. This symposium will bring together national and international partners in the forefront of biosecurity and will be an incredible benefit to the biosafety and biosecurity community. As the symposium information develops, there will be updates sent to the ABSA community. 

The ABSA Council established the Biosecurity Task Force to create a credential for biosecurity with LouAnn Burnett and Patricia Delarosa as co-chairs. Council's decision to have a biosecurity credential is based on ABSA's success with the RBP and CBSP and the new biosecurity credential will be complementary to both of ABSA's existing credentials. Biosecurity touches all aspects of research, animal work, agriculture, clinical and public health laboratories, pharma, field work, and the biosecurity credential will enhance ABSA International as the leading organization in both biosafety and biosecurity. The task force will focus on the development of a registered biosecurity credential for individuals that function within the biosecurity arena, nationally and internationally. The credential will be designed to assist individuals to better understand the critical intersection of biosafety and biosecurity. LouAnn and Patricia have been charged with bringing together a 10-member task force to begin the process. They will submit the list, which will include voting members as well as ad hoc consultants, for Council approval. Council recognizes that a 2- to 5-year development commitment will likely be needed to establish the biosecurity credential.

From June 9-11 was the Eagleson Institute-sponsored Occupational Health Colloquium "Preventing and Treating Biological Exposures" held in Alexandria, Virginia. The colloquium is limited to 100 seats and each seat was taken. Several preconference courses helped to set the interactive tone of this unique program which brings together occupational health and biosafety in an atmosphere of positive interaction and support for the biological working community. The colloquium was immediately followed by "Facilitating Safe and Secure Science: Practical Approaches for IBCs" with preconference courses beginning on June 11 and the conference starting Wednesday with an outstanding list of presenters as well as roundtable discussions to engage all attendees.

From July 7-12, 2019, the Principles and Practices in Biosafety (PPB) in Pittsburgh had all 48 seats filled with a very successful program. PPB had agreed to increase the number of attendees per course in response to the continued demand for the course. PPB will continue to offer 48 seats for the course. Registration for the San Antonio course is already underway!

The meetings of the Global Health Security Agenda Consortium (GHSAC) (a voluntary and open collective of nongovernmental entities who are dedicated to promote values of collaboration, excellence, innovation, and commitment in implementing the Global Health Security Agenda and promoting the adherence of the International Health Regulations) are held in the Washington, DC area. Sherry Bohn and Melissa Mørland have been very active as the ABSA members-at-large to attend these numerous meetings and teleconferences. If you are in the Washington, DC area and are interested in GHSAC, please feel free to contact me or the ABSA Office to let us know.

ABSA Affiliates ChABSA in the Chesapeake area (MD,DC,VA), BIONET in San Diego, California, and the Southern Biosafety Association in Waco, Texas met for their annual meetings in April and May. All three affiliates were able to provide webinar programs to allow members that were unable to attend the meeting to share in the program agendas. Council member Meghan Seltzer provided the ABSA update at the ChABSA affiliate meeting. ABSA updates were provided with encouragement to the associations to reach out to the DIY communities in each of their regions as a critical resource for biosafety.

If you are interested in a committee or task force and you do not know the contact person, please reach out to me or the ABSA Office and we will direct you to the team leads and committee chairs.

Respectfully,
Dee Zimmerman
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - April 2019

Domenica (Dee) Zimmerman

Dear ABSA International Colleagues,

The ABSA calendar has been busy one for ABSA Council, committees, and task forces.

Mark your calendars for Birmingham, Alabama from November 15 to 20, 2019 for ABSA International’s 62^nd Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference. The Scientific Program Committee has already issued the call for papers and is beginning the review process. This is a lovely city that is very walkable and inviting.

The USDA ARS 5^th International Biosafety and Biocontainment Symposium: Biorisk and Facility Challenges in Agriculture held February 11-14 in Baltimore, Maryland was successful even taking into consideration the government shutdown. Presenters and attendees were exceptional in stepping up to fill-in when a presenter was unable to make the symposium due to travel complications. The meeting included well attended professional development courses on the February 11 with the meeting beginning on February 12.

From March 3-8, 2019, the Principles and Practices of Biosafety (PPB) was held in San Diego, California for the spring session with all 40 seats filled and with a backlog of more than 40 on the waiting list. Members of the DYI community attended and are interested in the strengthening of ties between ABSA and the DYI research community. The next PPB will be held July 7-12, 2019 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. The PPB is designed for the incoming biosafety professional with 0-3 years of experience. This is a highly interactive course that covers the fundamental of biosafety and biosecurity. The PPB has agreed to increase the number of attendees per course in response to the continued demand for PPB.

The dates for ABSA International’s 1^st International Biosecurity Symposium will be in the spring of 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota from May 12-15, 2020. The symposium committee is led by Co-chairs Rebecca Moritz and Antony Schwartz. This symposium will bring together national and international partners in the forefront of biosecurity and will be of incredible benefit to the biosafety and biosecurity community. As the symposium information develops, there will be postings sent to the ABSA membership and/or posted at https://biosecuritysymposium.org/.

As noted in the previous Update e-Newsletter, ABSA sent a letter to the National Biodefense Strategy in support of the strategy and offering the expertise and experience of ABSA International in the both biosafety and biosecurity. “The National Biodefense Strategy addresses biothreats and bioincidents that have the potential to cause significant harm (as measured by injury or death, or damage to property, the environment, or the economy) to the United States or to U.S. interests; or that otherwise affect U.S. national security.” ABSA received a response inviting two ABSA members to discussions and meeting. Working in close proximity to the Washington, DC area, Melissa Morland has agreed to be the ABSA representative-at-large. Melissa will present a short overview of the role of biosafety and biosecurity in the first meeting in April 2019.

The meetings of the Global Health Security Agenda Consortium (GHSAC) (a voluntary and open collective of nongovernmental entities who are dedicated to promote values of collaboration, excellence, innovation, and commitment in implementing the Global Health Security Agenda and promoting the adherence of the International Health Regulations) are held in the Washington, DC area. Sherry Bohn and Melissa Morland volunteered to be the ABSA members-at-large to attend these numerous meetings and teleconferences.

The International Low-Income membership category was brought to the membership for vote and was accepted. Development of the member application is underway with the Membership Committee and the ABSA International office—they’re working jointly to develop the application so it is ready and posted for our international partners. As soon as the application is ready, an announcement will be posted on the ABSA website.

The Biosecurity Committee has submitted a working document for the development of a biosecurity certification. The proposal outlined (1) how the credential would be defined, (2) criteria needed to evaluate and award the credential, (3) resources needed to support the credentialing process, and (4) the proposed marketing strategy required to launch the credential. This proposal is the culmination of Biosecurity Taskforce 1.0’s and 2.0’s work and represents approximately 3 years of volunteer work involving over 45 individuals. The proposed plan will be reviewed during the Council’s spring meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. The certification will enhance both the RBP and CBSP certifications and allow members and nonmembers who may be heavily involved in biosecurity to be able to pursue certification in their area of expertise. This is a culmination of 3 years of work with Barbara Owen and David Gillum as Co-chairs of a multi-professional Task Force.

The Career Development and Leadership Task Force has meet to identify and create resources to promote biosafety as a career; have a clear roadmap of ways to enter the profession and earn a credential; maintain credentials in a cost-effective manner and develop key leadership and management skills needed as individual’s progress in their career. As the biosafety profession expands, the pathway and guidance to biosafety and biosafety leadership must also be in the forefront of the profession.

Last, but by no means least; as the media, organizations, and individuals put forth articles on biosafety and biosecurity issues in scientific research, it is important to remember the role and mission of ABSA International:

ABSA International is a professional organization of biosafety and biosecurity professionals worldwide. We promote biosafety as a scientific discipline by offering extensive training programs, a professional peer-reviewed journal and recognized credentialing for professionals involved in management of biological risks at all levels of research in multiple environments. ABSA International members enable safe and responsible scientific research by utilizing the thorough design and application of risk assessments that seek to address potential exposure risks. Our training programs are current to modern research situations and are provided on multiple platforms to address behavioral, technical, and engineering aspects related to biological research. ABSA International is globally recognized as a professional resource for information related to the establishment of appropriate and responsible guidelines for safe and secure research. We are committed to fostering open discussion and interaction regarding biosafety and biosecurity issues, as this strengthens our role as professionals and affirms our mission to be a premier resource for biosafety and biosecurity expertise.

If you are interested in a committee or task force and you do not know the contact person, please reach out to me or the ABSA International office and we will direct you to the team leads and committee chairs.

Respectfully,
Dee Zimmerman
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - December 2018

Domenica (Dee) Zimmerman

Dear ABSA International Colleagues,

The first quarter of the ABSA International calendar has been a busy one for Council. The annual conference in Charleston was a resounding success even as we watched high wind and rain weather impact areas surrounding Charleston. At the same time, the ABSA International office received notification that our 2019 venue in Memphis, Tennessee was no longer available. This created fast and furious movement from the office staff to locate a new venue, which they were able to do in a record two weeks. ABSA Council reviewed and approved the venue so that an announcement could be made at the annual conference in Charleston. So please mark your calendars for November 15-20, 2019 in Birmingham, Alabama—this is a lovely city that is very walkable and inviting.

The USDA ARS 5th International Biosafety and Biocontainment Symposium: Biorisk and Facility Challenges in Agriculture will be February 11-14 in Baltimore, Maryland. The meeting includes professional development preconference courses on February 11 with the meeting beginning on the February 12. Registration is now open and the meeting is fast approaching. Go to the website at https://arssymposium.absa.org/, which is also located on the ABSA home page.

The spring session of the Principles and Practices of Biosafety (PPB) will be in San Diego, California from March 3-8, 2019. Check with the ABSA International office for available seats as they fly out the door. The office can place you on the waiting list if the program is full or make sure you are on the list for the next offering during the summer session in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. The PPB is designed for the incoming biosafety professional with 0-3 years of experience. This is a highly-interactive course that covers the fundamental of biosafety and biosecurity.

New and very exciting is the first International Biosecurity Symposium now in the planning stages and that will be held in 2020. The Executive Board is feverishly outlining the agenda and working with the ABSA International office to identify a suitable location to accommodate the meeting in the late spring of 2020. This symposium will bring together national and international partners in the forefront of biosecurity.

ABSA International Council has sent a letter to the National Biodefense Strategy in support of the strategy and offering the expertise and experience of ABSA International in the both biosafety and biosecurity. “The National Biodefense Strategy addresses biothreats and bioincidents that have the potential to cause significant harm (as measured by injury or death, or damage to property, the environment, or the economy) to the United States or to U.S. interests; or that otherwise affect U.S. national security.” The ABSA TRR Committee has been instrumental in the development of the letter in support of the strategy.

Of critical importance to our membership, ABSA International has completed the process for the establishment of the CBSP certification exams to be administered through ABSA. The surprise withdrawal of ASM from the certification exam shifted the responsibility to ABSA. Please check the ABSA website https://absa.org/credentials/#_tab-55c183ff79ebe9f766d for information and you can always contact the ABSA International office if you need help.

The “International Low Income” membership category is underway and was discussed and well received by the membership during the business meeting in Charleston. Creating the new category will be a change in the ABSA Bylaws and has been reviewed by the ABSA legal team. This must be voted on by the ABSA membership. Please make sure to respond when the email vote is sent out in the next few weeks.

The newly designated Biosecurity Committee is working toward the development of a biosecurity certification. This certification will enhance both the RBP and CBSP certifications and allow those members that may be heavily involved in biosecurity to be able to pursue certification in their area of expertise.

ABSA International Members:
The ABSA International office was contacted by the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). ATCC has been awarded a new contract from CDC’s Division of Select Agents and Toxins (DSAT). The award is for research to improve the ability of the CDC and its partners, especially state and local health departments, to effectively prepare for and respond to public health emergencies and disasters, the award is specifically issued for topic 1 entitled “Determining Requirements to Ensure Entities Have Effectively Inactivated Biological Select Agents and Regulated Nucleic Acids.” The link to this opportunity, if you like to know more of the background, is https://www.cdc.gov/phpr/research/fundingopportunity.htm. DSAT recommended the addition of an ABSA representative to participate in the Stake Holders working group. Two ABSA International members have kindly agreed to participate, David Harbourt, USAMRIID, and John Laurence, Alaska Public Health.

Eric Cook will be the new ABSA representative to the UN working group for international shipping regulations. Eric has extensive experience in the shipping regulations and has presented shipping classes during the annual ABSA preconference professional development offerings. Thank you, Eric, for your time dedicated to ABSA International.

Kalpana Rengarajan and Barbara Owen represented ABSA at the ISO Biorisk Management Systems Meeting in Edinburgh, United Kingdom on December 5-6. This was the last phase in finishing the ISO standards. Thank you both for volunteering!

The Ambassador’s Committee has been extremely active. Committee Chair Marian Downing is the contact if you are interested in becoming an ambassador for both biosafety and biosecurity. Outreach is not just to ABSA International Affiliates, but the broader universities, colleges, high schools, junior high, and elementary schools. This creates awareness of the impact of biosafety and biosecurity at each level of education. The committee has presentations available for use; if you have presented to a group please let Marian know so we can document the outreach. Council member Jim Welch presented to NEBSA this month adding on to his travels over Thanksgiving. Thank you, Jim!

The first quarter of this year was filled with lots of work by our committees and task forces. If you are interested in a committee or task force and you do not know the contact person, please reach out to me or the ABSA International office and we will direct you to the team leads and committee chairs.

Respectfully,
Dee Zimmerman
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - September 2018

Patrick Condreay, PhD, RBP

Dear ABSA International Colleagues,

#getyourcultureon is the hashtag for the October 2018 Biosafety Month theme of "Promoting a Culture of Biosafety and Responsibility." You can find promotional materials at the ABSA International website at . Thank you to the Public Relations/Marketing Committee for all their work on biosafety month. We hope that all ABSA International members will take the opportunity to highlight the steps that everyone can take to foster an effective biosafety culture at their institutions during October.

What other big event happens in October? Specifically, from October 12-17? Conference! It is time to register for the 61st Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. The Preconference Course and Scientific Program Committees have assembled an excellent slate of professional development courses, plus interesting speakers and posters so we can all learn some new things. Our exhibitors will be there to show us their products and services that are essential to biosafety. Of course, there will also be multiple opportunities to connect with old friends and make new ones, so we can build on that network of colleagues that is such an essential tool in our profession. I have been working with the International Engagement Task Force to plan the International Session that will be held on Sunday afternoon before the opening reception. We have put together a group of speakers to address sustainability issues in international outreach efforts that will culminate in a roundtable discussion among all the session participants. We have also invited several of our international participants to present posters at the session. All this and more! I hope to see everyone in Charleston.

While we are on the subject of upcoming meetings, planning is underway for the USDA ARS 5th International Biosafety & Biocontainment Symposium. Come join your colleagues for a program of professional development courses and scientific presentations from February 11-14, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. The focus this year will be on Biorisk and Facility Challenges in Agriculture.

Over the summer, I had the privilege of visiting two of our local affiliates to talk about ABSA International. In May, I went to the University of Tennessee for the Southeastern Biological Safety Association (SEBSA) Symposium, and I just returned from the Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State University which hosted the Midwest Area Biosafety Network (MABioN) Symposium. One of the more enjoyable experiences while I have been President is getting the opportunity to visit our affiliates and meet new colleagues. Check out my hat at the conference where you'll see my new SEBSA and MABioN pins! Earlier this year, we welcomed the American Bio Recovery Association (ABRA) as our newest partner association. President-Elect Dee Zimmerman represented ABSA and spoke on Biological Emergency Response at ABRA's 21st Annual Conference and Trade Show in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

We just completed the summer offering of Principles and Practices of Biosafety (PPB) course in Portland, Oregon. Registration is now open for the spring 2019 offering in San Diego, California. If you know someone getting started in the profession, please encourage them to consider this valuable training. The Distance Learning Committee (DLC) provides opportunities for continuing education through webinars. As of the beginning of August, ABSA has offered 10 webinars for 434 attendees with 6 more webinars planned for 2018.

Finally, the ballot for the 2018 election was sent out at the beginning of August and we have a strong slate of candidates for President, Secretary, Council, and Nominating Committee thanks to the hard work of Past-President Maureen O'Leary and the current Nominating Committee members. I hope that everyone took the opportunity to vote for the people who will lead our Association.

Respectfully,
Patrick Condreay, PhD, RBP
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - May 2018

Patrick Condreay, PhD, RBP

Dear ABSA International Colleagues,

Did you know that ABSA International has a YouTube channel? Just go the YouTube homepage, browse channels and search for ABSA International. This is where you can find all of the promotional videos that were developed by the Public Relations Committee and were put together from interviews of attendees at the conference in Albuquerque.

It is hard to believe that a quarter of 2018 has gone by already. In February, I had the opportunity to represent ABSA International at the CDC Symposium on Biosafety in the Era of One Health. The meeting kicked-off with explorations of recent outbreaks of hantavirus and influenza, then moved into sessions on emerging technologies, safety culture, and communication. It is going to be a busy few months in terms of maintaining contacts with several of our partners and affiliates. I attended the European Biosafety Association Conference in mid-April to explore areas of collaboration between our associations. President-Elect Dee Zimmerman will attend and take part in a roundtable at the 10th AMEXBIO Symposium in June. Past-President, Maureen O’Leary, was our representative at the Eagleson Occupational Health Colloquium. Marian Downing has represented ABSA International with the Association of Public Health Laboratories for a number of years and she will attend their annual meeting and moderate a breakout session on our behalf. I also plan to attend the Southeastern Biological Safety Association Symposium in May.

We are progressing in our efforts to transfer the CBSP exam over to ABSA International. The Credentialing Evaluation Board assessed the applications this year and 16 applicants were approved to take the exam, which is still administered by NRCM. In 2019, ABSA International will completely take over the exam.

The Distance Learning Committee continues to respond to the needs of members for training and credential maintenance opportunities. In 2017, the committee organized 20 webinars that reached 844 people; so far in 2018, after only 4 webinars, there have been 250 participants. Additionally, they are developing 3 new on-demand modules to complement the Basic Biosafety module available at ABSA.org.

The Principles & Practices of Biosafety course continues to be in demand; the first offering of the year was held in Tampa in February. Not only was that class full, but over 3 months before the summer offering, the class in Portland sold-out.

Finally, preparations for our 61st Annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference in Charleston, South Carolina are well underway. The Preconference Course Committee is evaluating proposals to provide a slate of learning opportunities before the meeting; and the Scientific Program Committee is evaluating a record number of abstracts to ensure an interesting and informative agenda of presentations, posters, and panel discussions during the meeting. I hope that everyone is making plans to join us in this charming Southern city to reconnect with one another.

Respectfully,
Patrick Condreay, PhD, RBP
President, ABSA International

President’s Report - December 2017

Patrick Condreay, PhD, RBP

Dear ABSA International Colleagues,

There were 642 of us that had the opportunity to enjoy our 60^th Annual Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico last month. We had 28 preconference courses with 936 seats filled that preceded an exciting scientific program covering a spectrum of topics and current issues of concern to our profession. The success of the conference is due to the hard work of the office staff and members of the Scientific Program Committee, Local Arrangements Committee, Preconference Course Committee, and Exhibitors Advisory Committee; thank you for your contributions. I would also like to thank the Historical Committee for starting off two days of the conference with presentations on the history and development of our association.

The International Engagement Task Force organized an International Forum on Sunday afternoon before the start of the conference. There were a number of talks and posters that gave our 126 international attendees from 35 different countries the opportunity to learn from each other and network. This Task Force will continue its work into the coming year to identify further ways that ABSA International can encourage more participation from our international members, and better serve their needs.

Council had the opportunity to participate in strategic planning with the team and committee leaders on Sunday morning before the conference. It was an energetic session that resulted in a number of exciting ideas to move ABSA International forward. I am hoping we can use some of the ideas to help develop scopes for two new task forces that I have proposed for the coming year. I am assembling one group to map out strategies to broadly implement education in biosafety and responsible science, and a second group to explore ways that ABSA International can expand its influence into new areas. If you are interested in these efforts please contact me.

Two new interest groups had their kick-off meetings at the conference. The Public Health Shared Interest Group provides a forum for our members from various public health laboratories to discuss issues unique to their institutions. The NextGen Shared Interest Group was organized to address the needs of members who are new to the profession; they have started a listserve to exchange information. Please contact the office if you are interested in finding out more about these groups.

As part of a contract between ABSA International and the CDC, the Select Agent Task Force has organized and hosted a number of forums to serve the needs of members who manage Select Agent and Toxin programs at their institutions. One of these forums is the Workshop held on the Thursday after the conference. With the extension of this contract for five years, this Task Force will now become the BSAT Community Advocate Committee to continue managing these important interactions.

Recognizing the importance of the credential program to the professional development of our membership ABSA International has initiated plans to transition the administration of the CBSP exam from NRCM to ABSA International without interruption. We will partner with NRCM to offer the exam in 2018, and will fully take over the exam in 2019. Council has approved the funds necessary for these changes, and the office staff and relevant committees are working hard to implement the plans.

Respectfully, Pat

President’s Report - September 2017

Dear ABSA International Colleagues,

The ABSA International Conference, which will be held October 13-18 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is rapidly approaching. We have an excellent line-up of speakers, courses, and posters as well as many additional exciting sessions to attend while at the meeting. On Sunday, October 15 from 1:00-4:00 pm there will be an International Forum to celebrate our international outreach and collaborations with biosafety professionals from all over the globe. Immediately following the forum, Gryphon Scientific will host a stakeholder discussion on biosecurity policies. On October 16 after the ABSA Member Business Meeting, there will be an NIH Town Hall Meeting. This Town Hall Meeting is meant to be a continuation of the NIH Workshop discussion held in mid-July to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the NIH Guidelines. It also seeks to gather thoughts and opinions about what the guidelines look like if we were going to write them today. The workshop was the kickoff to these discussions and resulted in an editorial on the topic in the journal Science http://science.sciencemag.org/content/357/6352/627. On October 17 at 12:00 pm there will be the inaugural meeting of the NextGen Young Professional Shared Interest Group and immediately following the end of the conference, ABSA will host the second Select Agent Workshop for those who are involved with Select Agent programs to share best practices.

The Biosecurity Credentialing Task Force has successfully wrapped-up and, based on the Member Survey, recommends moving forward on establishing this credential—a new task force is being formed to investigate the path forward.

As you know, we are collaborating with NIH on the Biosafety Stewardship Month. There will be an opportunity at the conference to share ideas and promotional materials.

A lot has been accomplished this year and it is all because of the hard work and commitment of the dedicated ABSA volunteers! Again, I would like to sincerely thank all of you for your exceptional work on committees, task forces, Council, etc. We would not be making such great progress or have such a great association without you.

Looking forward to seeing you in Albuquerque!

Sincerely,
Maureen O’Leary

President’s Report - February 2017

President’s Report - October 2016

Maureen O'Leary, PhD, MBA, CBSP
Dear ABSA Colleagues,

We had a great conference this year in Grapevine, Texas with 633 attendees with 911 spots filled in the preconference courses. Thank you for your participation and making the annual meeting such a dynamic learning experience and a place where a lot of new ideas and sharing of best practices came to light. Thank you to the Scientific Program Committee, Local Arrangements Committee, Preconference Course Committee, and Exhibitors Advisory Committee for their contributions to the ABSA International Conference.

During the conference we had the ABSA International Council meeting and the opportunity to work on strategic planning with team and committee leadership. I presented a few overarching focus areas for the coming year:

We will continue to work with federal agencies on influencing biosafety and biosecurity policy. There is important knowledge from practitioners that needs to be conveyed to the different agencies. We are in a great position to educate and influence the direction of regulations that we will need to comply with and implement at our own institutions.
We will also work on developing a process to have resources available in a timely fashion for new and emerging technologies and infectious agents. Availability of these resources will ensure that all of our members will have access to the best and latest information/recommendations related to best practices.
Enhancing our international engagement will ensure that we are living up to our new name as ABSA International and that we are a global source for biosafety and biosecurity resources. By interacting with our affiliates, partners, and members throughout the world, we will work towards contributing to international biosafety and biosecurity norms, will be beneficial to all of us while creating a broad set of expertise and resources.
We are also reigniting the development our ABSA Ambassador Program and having an international focused session on the Sunday before the next ABSA conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Work is in progress to establish working groups and task forces. If you are interested in one of these areas or have ideas you would like to share please let me know.

Lastly, the USDA ARS 4th International Biosafety and Biosecurity Symposium will be held February 6-9, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland and the Principles & Practices of Biosafety will be held March 5-10, 2017 in San Antonio, Texas.

I am looking forward to a very busy and productive year!