NEWSVIEW

Article Outline

• ■ Mission Statement
• MEMBER INFORMATION ■ Place your bids at the Annual Meeting
• ■ Meeting registration deadline is January 24
• ■ Send in Position Sought forms by January 17
• ■ Does the AAAAI have your e-mail address?
• AWARDS AND GRANTS ■ FITs: Apply for JACI research award

Back to Article Outline

■ Mission Statement 

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) works to advance the knowledge and practice of allergy, asthma and immunology through discussion at meetings; by fostering the education of students and the public; by encouraging union and cooperation among those engaged in the field; and by promoting and stimulating research and study in allergy, asthma and immunology. The AAAAI mission is at the forefront of all Academy endeavors and served as the focal point in creating the 2001-2003 Strategic Plan. The plan is built around four distinct areas: Specialty Development and Relations, Membership, Education and Research and Training. The following list of AAAAI programs and services represents only a few of the initiatives that the Academy is currently undertaking to further the goals of the Strategic Plan.

For more information on any of the programs and services listed below, contact the AAAAI executive office, 611 E. Wells St., Milwaukee, WI 53202; phone (414) 272-6071; fax (414) 272-6070; e-mail info@aaaai.org ; or visit the Web site, www.aaaai.org .

Back to Article Outline

MEMBER INFORMATION ■ Place your bids at the Annual Meeting 

AAAAI members have the opportunity to directly support continuing research and growth in the specialty and asthmatic students' higher education efforts through the 2003 Silent Auction at the 60th Anniversary Meeting in Denver. Members planning to attend the meeting are encouraged to visit the ERT Silent Auction booth daily to place bids on a wide variety of valuable items throughout the meeting.

Photos of all items up for bid will be displayed on an auction board March 7-11 in the ERT Booth in the Colorado Convention Center. Proceeds from the auction will support both the Academy's Education and Research Trust (ERT) and the Associates to the AAAAI (Spouses & Friends) scholarship program and ongoing patient education efforts.

Some previous ERT auction items have included:

All funds raised from the auction will support the ERT's endowment fund which funds allergy/immunology research, training and faculty development. The proceeds will also support the Associates' to the AAAAI Award of Excellence Scholarship Program, which provides college scholarships to asthmatic high school seniors, and the annual Associates' Patient Education for Allergy and Asthma Knowledge (PEAAK) program.

Be sure to visit the ERT Auction Booth daily during your stay in Denver to stay on top of the bidding process. All high bids submitted by the end of the day on Tuesday, March 11 will be final. Auction winners will be notified by ERT staff after the Annual Meeting.

Back to Article Outline

■ Meeting registration deadline is January 24 

AAAAI members planning to attend the Academy's 60th Anniversary Meeting in Denver are reminded to submit their advance meeting registrations today. All advance meeting registrations must be received by January 24, 2003. All registration after that date will be handled onsite in Denver.

To simplify the registration process, online registration, funded by Schering , is available on the AAAAI Web site, www.aaaai.org , in the Annual Meeting section. Online housing registration is also available here. All hotel reservations must be made by January 29, 2003.

The 2003 Preliminary Program is provided on the Web site in electronic form to allow delegates to easily and quickly plan their Annual Meeting schedule. Preliminary Programs were also mailed to all members in October. For more information on the 2003 Annual Meeting, visit the AAAAI Web site, www.aaaai.org ; call (414) 272-6071, or e-mail am2003@aaaai.org .

Back to Article Outline

■ Send in Position Sought forms by January 17 

Each year during the Annual Meeting, the AAAAI connects job seekers with allergy/immunology employers. The Academy's Job Placement Center provides a place for interviews and networking during the Annual Meeting. The center will once again be available onsite during the 2003 Annual Meeting in Denver.

The Academy will develop two booklets to help facilitate this process, a listing of available positions (“Positions Available in Allergy/Immunology”) and a listing of people seeking positions (“Positions Sought in Allergy/Immunology”).

Delegates seeking employment are encouraged to submit an electronic Position Sought Form, along with a one-page condensed CV, by January 17. All submissions will be included in the Positions Sought booklet and distributed to employers around the country this spring prior to the Annual Meeting. People who submit a Position Sought Form by January 17 will receive a copy of a “Positions Available in Allergy/Immunology” before the 2003 meeting. This booklet will list recent job openings in A/I throughout the country.

Submit your Position Sought form and CV information via the AAAAI Web site, www.aaaai.org . The online submitter can be found in the Professionals Centers in the “Careers in A/I” area.

For more information on job placement, contact Carrie Hoppe at the AAAAI executive office, phone (414) 272-6071 or e-mail choppe@aaaai.org .

Back to Article Outline

■ Does the AAAAI have your e-mail address? 

According to the most recent Membership Survey, over 80% of Academy members have e-mail access, but the Academy only has 60% of its members e-mail addresses on record. Providing the AAAAI with your e-mail address means you will receive important membership benefits such as reminders of important dates and events, links to online resources, Academy e-News (the Academy's monthly electronic newsletter) and much more.

Please send your current e-mail address to membership@aaaai.org . Updates are frequently made to the Online Membership Directory, located in the Members Only Area, where colleagues may wish to locate your e-mail address for a quick message.

Back to Article Outline

AWARDS AND GRANTS ■ FITs: Apply for JACI research award 

Fellows-in-Training are encouraged to apply for the AAAAI Award for Outstanding Research Published in the JACI by a Developing Researcher. This award was created to recognize ground-breaking research and excellent writing by the new generation of allergy researchers and clinicians. Candidates must have been a fellow-in-training or post-doctoral fellow in the field of allergy/immunology when the research was carried out. A written nomination of the candidate and paper must be submitted by the Training Program Director, preceptor, research mentor or current Editor of the JACI. Winners will receive $1,500 and a commemorative plaque. Up to four awards will be given per calendar year.

For more information, please visit the Academy's Web site, www.aaaai.org .