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Two New Endowment Funds Exemplify the Many Options For Investing in the Future of Toxicology
Gabriel L. Plaa Education Award Fund
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Gabriel L. Plaa |
The Gabriel L. Plaa Education Award Fund was created by his former student, Curt Klaassen, in December 2009 to memorialize Dr. Gabriel L. Plaa’s contributions in toxicology, his leadership, mentorship, and friendship. Proceeds from this Fund will be used to provide cash stipends to award recipients selected on the basis of the scientific merit of papers proposed for presentation at the Annual Meeting by graduate or post-graduate students of toxicology. The Plaa Award will be aligned with the Mechanisms Specialty Section and award recipients will be selected based on the scientific quality of an abstract in mechanistic toxicology accepted for presentation at an SOT Annual Meeting. This award will serve to recognize Dr. Plaa’s significant role in the education of graduate and post-graduate students in toxicology, and his outstanding contributions to applying mechanistic toxicology to the area of chemical-induced liver injury.
Dr. Plaa was the SOT President (1983–1984), editor of Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (1972–1980), and a recipient of numerous SOT Awards: Achievement (1967), Arnold J. Lehman (1981), Education (1987), and Merit (1996). He was extraordinarily charitable with his time for the advancement of science nationally and internationally and served on various scientific committees and editorial boards. Dr. Plaa was an instructor and assistant professor at Tulane University from 1958–1962, assistant and associate professor at the University of Iowa from 1962–1968, and then moved to the University of Montreal where he was Chairman of Pharmacology for 12 years and held other administrative positions including Vice-Dean of Research and Graduate Studies. All the while, he was conducting an active research program until his retirement in 1996. His influence in training toxicologists was truly extraordinary as many of his former students also achieved leadership roles and received awards from SOT.
Pacific Northwest Toxicology Development Fund
The Pacific Northwest Toxicology Development Fund was created in December 2009 by a group of donors and the Pacific Northwest Chapter Executive Committee (PNCEC) to support Regional Chapter activities. Proceeds from this fund can be used to support three discrete objectives that are designed to provide development opportunities and professional recognition of toxicologists within the Pacific Northwest Regional Chapter of the SOT. The three objectives are listed and described below in more detail.
- To Foster Student Engagement: Proceeds from the Fund may be used to support activities that enhance development of the Pacific Northwest Chapter’s emerging toxicologists. These activities may include providing travel stipends for the graduate student and postdoctoral representatives serving on Pacific Northwest Chapter’s Council to attend the SOT Annual Meeting , registration fees for undergraduates to attend the Pacific Northwest Chapter Annual Meeting, and support of short, directed internships for trainees in Pacific Northwest regional institutions.
- To Create Special Educational Programs: Proceeds from the Fund may be used to develop special educational programs offered in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Chapter’s Annual Meetings. These programs may include career workshops, continuing education courses, or community outreach events.
- To Recognize Outstanding Achievement by Pacific Northwest Regional Toxicologists: Proceeds from the Fund may be used to provide a cash stipend to the recipient of a Pacific Northwest Toxicology Achievement Award. This Achievement Award will recognize toxicology scholarship, leadership, and service of an individual within the Pacific Northwest Chapter and will be presented at the Pacific Northwest Chapter Annual Meeting. Achievement Award recipients will be invited to present a plenary lecture on their work and the decisions and activities that led to their achievements. The lecture is intended to provide mentorship and inspiration to Regional Chapter members, to foster cooperation between regional toxicologists, and to highlight the importance of work done in the broader community.
As with all Endowment Funds, all expenditures made from the proceeds must comply with the SOT’s designation as a 501(c)3 organization. The PNCEC will be responsible for identifying one or more objectives to be supported each year and for developing detailed criteria for nomination and selection of the award recipients, including organization of the award selection committee.
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