Rockville, Md. (November 4, 2022)—The American Physiological Society’s (APS) Porter Physiology Development Fellowship, the Society’s flagship diversity program, has been honored with an inaugural Impact Award from the Software & Information Industry Association’s (SIIA) Associations, Media and Publishing (AM&P) Network. The new awards program honors outstanding leadership in the publishing industry, specifically recognizing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) champions and emerging talent.
Over the past 55 years, the Porter Fellowship has supported scientists from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds pursuing education and training in the physiological sciences, as well as retention in physiology careers. The longevity of the program—launching years before the National Institutes of Health launched similar programs—is a testament to the Society’s long-standing commitment to DEI. The mentorship and the sizeable stipend ($28,300) that the Fellowship provides make the program unique in the STEM field. But Porter Fellowship also stands apart for the overwhelmingly positive ratings from participants and for the number of past Fellows who’ve transitioned into esteemed research careers.
“We are honored to be recognized by SIIA’s AM&P Network as a champion for diversity, equity and inclusion. APS strives to create an environment in which all individuals are encouraged to join, thrive and lead,” said APS Executive Director Scott Steen, CAE, FASAE. “Spotlighting diversity initiatives and physiologists from diverse backgrounds across all communication channels is a priority for our organization. We are so pleased to be selected as an inaugural Impact Award winner for this work.”
The Impact Award win specifically recognizes the reporting and content-related initiatives the Society has undertaken since 2021 to raise the profile of both the Fellowship and the up-and-coming researchers selected as Fellows. These include a comprehensive program analysis of recent Fellow cohorts (2016–2020) and promotion of individual Fellows from each cohort on social media and the APS website and in The Physiologist Magazine.
“The Porter Fellowship program has been a cornerstone of the American Physiological Society for over 50 years. While the historical commitment to championing diversity and equity in the field is unparalleled, it is equally impressive that the Porter Fellowship program continues to evolve with the changing landscape of science to best prepare future physiologists from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds for whatever career path they choose,” said APS DEI Committee Chair Karla Haack, PhD. “While the program offers a stipend, professional development and networking opportunities within and beyond APS, I think the real value of the Porter Fellowship program is the sense of community for physiologists who don’t often see themselves reflected in their lab, program or department.”
“We are so excited to celebrate this award win as the Society continues to build and grow the program with support from the William Townsend Porter Foundation,” said APS Director of Member Communities Brooke Bruthers. “We appreciate the work of the many APS members who’ve served as mentors, research hosts, sponsors and allies of the program. The support and dedication of our community is critical to ensuring the Fellowship’s availability for young generations of physiologists to come.”
Applications are now being accepted for the 2023–2024 cohort through January 15, 2023.
Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical and basic scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.
