In this Issue

• Lead article: Annual Meeting Wrap-Up
• From the Executive Director
• Health & Safety
• In Memoriam: Dr. John Asmus
• Conservation Graduate Programs 
• Specialty Group & Networks
• The Back Page: AIC’s Volunteers

Annual Meeting Wrap-Up

Expect the Unexpected: Embracing and Managing Change, Uncertainty, and Surprise 

By Cory, AIC Vice President and Program Chair

I should have been prepared to be surprised by what happened at this year’s meeting given the theme of “Expect the Unexpected: Embracing and Managing Change, Uncertainty, and Surprise.” However, this was my third year of organizing the annual meeting, and I landed in Salt Lake City with a rather blasé attitude. However, to deliberately mis-quote Kurt Vonnegut, “Annual Meetings are a series of surprises… they can only prepare us to be surprised yet again.”

This year, the biggest surprise of all was how happy everyone seemed. The 2022 meeting in Los Angeles was our 50th Anniversary, and we were glad to celebrate and meet up with colleagues after a long period of lock-down, but we were still navigating the uncertain realities of post-COVID life, and the mood felt a little frantic and unsettled. The 2023 meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, was caught in a fraught political moment, and while good things came of it—such as supporting Norman Studios, meeting Ennis Davis, Ben Garcia, and Dr. Nicole Robinson, and launch of the first ever RATS drag queen party (a tradition I very much hope continues!), the mood was understandably subdued. So, what made Salt Lake City different? Were we all on a Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain high? Was it the much beloved conversation cards created by the Member Engagement Sub-committee, another new favorite tradition? Was it a less-frantic evening social schedule that gave us more of a chance to catch up in meaningful ways with friends and colleagues? I don’t know, but I really hope that this mood continues as it bodes well for us as individuals and AIC as an organization.

read the full lead article here >>

From the Executive Director

Dear Members,

As we reach the midpoint of the year, I find myself reflecting on the past two years with AIC. It has been a journey marked by community, and collective commitment to care— both for our profession and for each other.

Our annual meeting in Utah was a tremendous success, a testament to the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, staff and board, and participants! Thank you! It was inspiring to see our community come together, not only to share knowledge but to support each other and provide a sense of belonging.

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