Affinity Groups

Confirmed Affinity Groups at ASB 2024

LGBTQIA+ Biomechanics Affinity Group

Coffee Hour Meet-Up
Tuesday, Aug 6th at 8am – look for us in the common area!

LGBTQIA+ social
Tuesday, Aug 6th at 7:30pm at Shamrocks (Off-Site)

ASB Christian Biomechanics

Tuesday, Aug 6th at Lunch Time

The Christian Biomechanics Fellowship is a group of ASB members who have decided to become Jesus followers. We meet over lunch at the ASB annual meeting to get to know one another, to encourage one another, and to hear how God is working in and through the lives of other ASB Jesus followers. At this year’s conference luncheon, we will consider why God has placed each of us on our respective college campuses and discuss creative ways that we can demonstrate the love of Jesus in a winsome manner to those God has placed around us.

Black Biomechanists Association (BBA) and Latinx in Biomechanix (LiB)

Monday, Aug 5th at Lunch Time: Mentoring

How do you best engage with mentors in your field? Mentees at all levels can most benefit from stacking their team with several mentors who act as an advisor, a sponsor, and a coach. In a partnership between Latinx in Biomechanix and The Black Biomechanists Association, we are hosting a Coaches Corner at ASB 2024 to help Black and Latinx Biomechanists match with Coaches to add to their mentor roster. Open to everyone at all career levels, join our pre-conference affinity event to draft a Coach that can mentor you through pivotal aspects of your professional journey.

To accelerate mentorship at ASB 2024 and beyond, we will coach attendees through our mentorship framework and have thematic tables for mentees to meet with a ‘Coach’ to help attendees with their career goals. From getting an academic or industry job, to managing a lab, to promotion, to going through qualifying exams and getting a grant- attendees can meet a Coach who can help with short-term objectives to win your career game plan. Attendees will be able to use our framework to network throughout the rest of the conference. Kick-off ASB 2024 with us; get free lunch, craft your ultimate professional playbook, connect with a line-up of coaches, and get the most out of your ASB experience!

Tuesday, Aug 6th at Lunch Time: Mental Health Break 

Conferences are enriching and fun, but can get overwhelming. The Black Biomechanists Association (BBA) & Latinx in Biomechanix (LiB) would like to encourage everyone, and particularly underrepresented scholars, to take a mental break from science to recharge and continue to present your best self. Join us for a relaxing lunch with socializing and coloring activities. Attendees will also have the chance to win prizes in a free raffle!

Tuesday, Aug 6th at 8:30pm – 9:30pm: Social Event (Off-Site) 

Orthopaedic Biomechanics Interest Group Social (Off-site)  

Tuesday, Aug 6th, 8:00pm – 10:00pm at The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company Downtown (123 E Doty St)

Are you passionate about biomechanics AND orthopaedic research? Come join us for a happy hour meet-up with your fellow scientists and friends on Tuesday, August 6th! This year, we are launching a new ASB sub-community called the Orthopaedic Biomechanics Interest Group in partnership with the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS). The ORS is an international society of engineers, biologists, clinicians, and students who work on basic, translational, and clinical sciences for musculoskeletal discovery to improve health. ASB and ORS are now teaming up to enhance networking among orthopaedic biomechanics researchers; empower early-career scientists and trainees with knowledge and resources; cultivate a diverse, inclusive, and engaged community; and advocate for the impact of musculoskeletal biomechanics research. The Orthopaedic Biomechanics Interest Group will be a hub at the intersection of ASB and ORS where we exchange study ideas, learn the cool work of our peers, dream about the future of science in orthopaedic biomechanics, and of course – enjoy good time with friends and make new ones! This happy hour meet-up is sponsored by the ORS Ambassador program. We will provide free beverages to attendees; non-alcoholic options are also available. Hope to see you there!

Early Career Faculty Affinity Group (Biomechnewbies)

Thursday, Aug 8th at Lunch Time

Grab your lunch and join Early Career members (pre-tenured faculty, future-faculty) in a workshop-style event to learn from ASB fellows and other senior members on topics relevant to setting up successful research and teaching programs and to facilitate discussion on how to address the unique challenges facing early career faculty. The goal of the session is to provide actionable steps for early career biomechanists to take to earn tenure or promotion in their unique career paths.

Teaching Biomechanics Interest Group

Thursday, Aug 8th at Lunch Time
“Inclusive Teaching in Biomechanics – Can we really reach them all?” hosted by the Teaching Biomechanics Interest Group (T-BIG). Grab your lunch and join us for a teaching focused discussion on inclusive pedagogies specifically applied to the field of biomechanics. This event will be a continuation of last year’s “Teaching Biomechanics in the New Normal” Affinity Group event. We will be discussing the inequities in academic and social preparation in this new generation of undergraduate students being observed at various programs across the country and discussing ways of reaching all of the students without alienating or boring the top students (and not “dumbing down” the content). In addition to this in-person discussion at the conference, we will be soliciting ideas for 4 virtual discussions to be held throughout the 2024-2025 academic year (and also getting volunteers to host those events).