As our 52nd Annual Meeting in Denver draws nearer, I can’t help but revel in the excitement I feel for what is sure to be an incredible meeting. Looking through the scientific program and workshops, with just some marvelous speakers and topics, I am extremely excited, and also humbled and grateful to serve our society to the best of my ability. Perhaps most of all, I am excited to see all of you, with some really great networking opportunities, and even just the hallway conversations in the hotel which, for many of us, epitomizes the perioperative neuroscience family to which we all belong. Did I mention that I’m excited?!
SNACC has a lot to celebrate right now. We have a lot of engagement from our membership, a lot of scientific and leadership accomplishments within our ranks, and there has perhaps never been a time at which perioperative neuroscience and neurocritical care have garnered so much attention, in all domains of the wider anesthesiology, surgery, and critical care communities. Indeed, perioperative (and especially postoperative) neuroscience, whether it be related to neurocognitive recovery, anesthetics as mental health treatments, anesthetics as windows into the landscape of consciousness, or the anesthetic implications for long-term outcomes, has seemingly never been more popular (and these are just a few examples). And many of our members are literally at the forefront of these initiatives and areas of exploration. And I could not be prouder to be their colleagues. SNACC is what allows us to connect to each other to celebrate these accomplishments and to delve into these exciting forays into the advancement of our science, for the betterment of humanity.
SNACC also celebrates the individual accomplishments of its members. One that particularly stands out is that of our Past President, Dr. George Mashour, who has been named the Senior Associate Dean for Faculty & Faculty Development at the University of Michigan Medical School. To say that we are proud of him is an understatement; to say that we are surprised would be a lie. Anyone who knows George knows that his scientific vision and accomplishments have been too many to name, but that he is also one of the most humble and caring people you will meet. Congratulations George!
SNACC also celebrates the life and legacy of Harvey Shapiro, one of our founding fathers and our 4th President (1977-78), who sadly passed away on December 17, 2023. To those who knew him personally, he was a sharp, charismatic, and caring man who not only led SNACC in its early days, but also was a great leader in the anesthesiology community-at-large, serving as the Chair of Anesthesiology at UCSD. A link to his obituary, which is beautifully written, is found here.
Thank you for taking the time to read my final message as President to the SNACC membership. I am so eagerly awaiting to see many of you, and to spend some quality time together, in Denver!
Stay safe and see you soon!
With best wishes,
John Bebawy
Thanks to our Annual Meeting Supporters
