I am delighted to share the progress made by over 40 ASB members who have dedicated themselves to forming five subcommittees focused on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). I extend my heartfelt thanks to Drs. Henry Wang, Alexa Johnson, Bill Johnson, Herman van Werkhoven, and Jenna Yentes for their unwavering commitment as subcommittee chairs. Additionally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all members* of the committee for spearheading several impactful initiatives.

Since our previous newsletter, we are pleased to announce the approval of one Affinity Group and two Nonprofit Partners.

Affinity Group

The LGBTQIA+ Biomechanics Group aims to unite and build an inclusive community dedicated to empowering and celebrating individuals of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions. Their mission is to foster an environment of acceptance, respect, and equality for LGBTQIA+ members and allies within our organization and the broader society. For additional information, please contact lgbtqbiomechanics@gmail.com or follow their social media account @lgbtqiabiomech.

Nonprofit Partners

The American Baseball Biomechanics Society (ABBS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the understanding and application of biomechanics in baseball. For more information, please visit baseballbiomechanics.org.

The Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on promoting and expanding orthopaedic and musculoskeletal research. For more information, please visit ors.org.

This year, we were able to financially support five undergraduate students for the ASB Biomechanics Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (B-SURE). During this eight-week program, the students are paired with mentors throughout the United States to conduct research and educational experiences that will enhance biomechanical skills. To learn more about the students’ experiences, please contact me for information on the B-SURE research showcase in August.

Lastly, the Diversity Committee is committed to supporting each of you. We have developed a climate study survey to gather your opinions on areas to sustain or advance within the Society. This survey will be released in the weeks following the Annual Meeting.

As we continue our mission to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in biomechanics, we welcome your involvement and ideas. If you are interested in joining the Diversity Committee, have suggestions for new initiatives, or have any questions, please reach out to me. Our goal is to continuously improve in serving all members of the ASB community.

I look forward to connecting with more of you in a few weeks!

* Committee volunteers included: Jessica Allen, Adrien Arisa, Tamara Bush, Jacqueline Cole Rob Creath, Evan Dooley, Zachary Domire, Ana Ebrahimi, Peter Fino, Diego Ferreira, Alena Grabowski, Halime Gulle, Hannah Houde, Tarang Kumar Jain, “Virginia” Huaqing Liang, Supriya Nair, Brooke Odle, Anjum Padyal, Maria Pasquale, Robin Queen, Maria Ramos Gonzalez, Nicole Rendos, Megan Reissman, Symon Reza, Stacie Ringleb, Mary Rodgers, Nathan Schilarty, Kayla Seymore, Deanna Schmidt, Yu Song Herman van Werkhoven, and Mathew Varre.