WORDS FROM OUR PRESIDENT
These are my final “Words from our President” before handing over the steering wheel to the wonderful A/Prof Barbra Zupan. It has been an incredible honour to lead ASSBI over the past 2 years – a job that could not be done without being surrounded by such a capable committee. I am proud of what we have done together.
In the latest breaking news, I am excited to announce that we have a new membership structure. For the first time, membership is FREE for students, people with lived experience of brain conditions, and people from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). LMIC members will have free access to our ASSBI resources and recorded webinars. We also have a new low-cost membership tier for people in their early career (i.e., within 5 years of graduating from a relevant course). We hope that this will provide greater and more equitable access to ASSBI’s resources, professional development and networking opportunities, and the other benefits of being part of our fantastic community.
I am also very pleased to say that we have now finalised the terms of reference for our Lived Experience subcommittee. These were co-designed with people with brain conditions and their close others, together with ASSBI executive committee members led by Janet Wagland. This subcommittee will provide important contributions to our conferences, awards, website, and other activities. In further news, we have also refreshed our ASSBI awards. New conference awards, including for Best Student Presentation, a Travel Award open to both students and early career members, and an award for the best presentation involving people with Lived Experience in the research team, will be in place for the 7th Pacific Rim conference in July. We will announce additional (non-conference) awards soon.
The good news keeps coming… a large number of abstracts were submitted for our 2025 7th Pacific Rim conference in Brisbane from 2nd-5th July, for which ASSBI is partnering with INS and CCN. The keynote speakers and workshop presenters have now been announced by the convenor team -keep reading to find out more about them. I look forward to a vibrant, diverse and stimulating conference.
At our AGM in May, we will also welcome some new members to our executive committee, including a contingent from New Zealand. This presents great opportunities to expand our NZ presence further, kicking off with our 2026 conference which will be held there. A/Prof Barbra Zupan will take over as President at the May AGM. I have no doubt she will take ASSBI from strength to strength.
Thank you so much to Margaret and Matt Eagers, all our hard-working executive committee and Lived Experience subcommittee members – and to the brilliant students, clinicians, researchers and community members who make ASSBI such a fun ship to steer.
Dana Wong, President, ASSBI
