|
|
|
Print this article 
SOT Communications Committee Sets Strategy in Motion
Members of SOT’s newly formed Communications Committee met in late June to talk about the implementation of a communications strategy for SOT, which advocates for the value of toxicology for key external audiences in an effort to help SOT and its members achieve one of the Society’s five strategic priorities. As SOT President Kenneth S. Ramos explained in a recent Communiqué article, “The plan is being used to chart our path toward and to guide our efforts in the areas of scientific achievement, advocacy for the value of toxicology, the future of the professional services to our members, and stability of the organization.” Dr. Ramos went on to say, “As the major Society in the world organized to advance the science of toxicology, we face multiple challenges. Of particular concern to me are the reduced financial resources now available to carry out our mandate, the shrinking pool of students attracted to science careers, the increased emphasis on what pulls the scientific community apart rather than what brings us together. Our ability to overcome these and other challenges demand that we continue to build on our reputation for value and to create nimble structures poised to tackle the challenges of an every changing landscape.”
Given the broad mandate of the newly formed committee, which folds in activities undertaken by the former World Wide Web, K–12 Education, Regulatory Affairs and Legislative Assistance, and Animals in Research Committees, the communications strategy will take some time to fully implement in a comprehensive manner, according to Communications Committee Chair Joan Tarloff. “Our intent is to be strategic and meet our objectives in a measured way for the first year. We have a lot of ground to cover and our planning and implementation needs to be targeted and measurable. Our goal, after all, is to be viewed as the reliable source of information on the science of toxicology. We want to play a more proactive role in defining issues for policymakers and the public to communicate the benefit of toxicology to the general public. To meet these goals requires that we plan carefully, implement strategically, and measure our successes all along the way,” she said.
Preliminary plans for the first year include:
- Focus group session with representatives from a key target audience;
- Design and development of a public Web site;
- Special K–12 event during the 2009 SOT Annual Meeting in Baltimore;
- SOT participation in two Congressional briefings; and
- Branding and revision of printed and electronic promotional material.
As part of the strategy, SOT’s Communications Committee is actively seeking articles and fact sheets from the Specialty Sections, Special Interest Groups, and Regional Chapters to populate an SOT public section on the SOT Web site, which the Committee hopes to launch in time for the 2009 Annual Meeting in Baltimore. The Committee is seeking concisely written fact sheets and articles that address issues that are of concern to the public. All materials are due to SOT headquarters by the end of October. For additional information, please contact Martha Linduaer at SOT Headquarters (703) 438-3115 ext. 1640.
|
