2021 ASP Resolutions Committee:
Kaylee Herzog, John Janovy Jr., and Ben Hanelt
Whereas the scientific program officers Maria Castillo and Judith Humphries, in collaboration with Tami Cook and the local organizing committee, tackled the monumental task of holding our annual meeting in a virtual environment with great skill and diligence; and
Whereas we appreciate the hard work and attentiveness of President Vasyl Tkach, and thank him for his service, and we are looking forward to incoming president Matt Bolek’s six-and-a-half-hour President’s Address next year; and
Whereas Student Representative Maggie Doolin organized a superb Students’ Symposium enjoyed by all, and offered our members valuable perspectives on the trajectory of parasitology; and
Whereas our members presented 78 excellent talks and posters spanning all major fields of biological research and the breadth of parasite diversity, proving that even a global pandemic cannot keep a good parasitologist down; and
Whereas nine moderators volunteered to keep our sessions timely and organized, deftly juggling the various chat channels and ensuring the membership’s insightful inquiries reached our speakers; and
Whereas the meeting was, hmmmmmm, different this year as ever before with the utterance of phrases we have never heard before at ASP, such as: “You need to unmute”, “We cannot see your slides”, “Can you see me?”, “Can you please stop sharing?”, and “Where do I click?”; and
Whereas despite the virtual aspect of the meeting, the time between sessions, after hours and during lunch was still spent at the Lounges; however, it was a surprise to no one that the highest membership was at the Lounge entitled “The Bar”; and
Whereas our members wholeheartedly enjoyed the venue, which included: work and home offices, laboratories, kitchens, living rooms, front porches, and cars, we were disappointed that our beds were not made and rooms were not cleaned upon retiring to them at the end of each day; and
Whereas our members gathered from many time zones, and swapped applause for emojis and hotel lounges for virtual ones, but nonetheless enjoyed the same spirit of friendship and passion for parasites that ASP always promises; and
Whereas we look forward to getting “back to school” in College Station next year, we anticipate each and every one of us will do a lot of catching up,
Let it be resolved that the 96th annual meeting of the American Society of Parasitologists was a computer screened, information gleaned, carbon footprint greened, beer unweaned, parasitological fiend, not quite quarantined-- success.