SLAS: How YOU will Benefit

Specific SBS Benefits   |   Specific ALA Benefits

The merger of SBS and ALA will not disturb any existing or planned member programs, services, standards or events in the near term.

Annual dues will be reduced to $120 for SBS members and will remain at $120 for ALA members.

New will be the opportunity to become a member of the Society by your contributing efforts. As detailed in the SLAS Bylaws, the new "membership by contribution" provision initially allows those volunteers participating on a committee or published in either journal to receive complimentary membership for the relevant calendar year.

SLAS Membership Structure

All memberships will be renewable on a calendar year basis and run from January 1 through December 31. Corporate memberships will be available for businesses or organizations.

In 2010, it will be a major responsibility of the SLAS Board of Directors to create a sound and thoughtful strategic plan that will drive the development of the new organization and its two sections. From an organizational perspective:

• This alliance enables SBS and ALA to leverage each other's strengths to achieve global significance and attract new members who offer increased diversity of knowledge and experience.
• Over time, the breadth, depth, quality, and significance of benefits will strengthen and grow. Immediately, members will benefit from access to an expanded network of experts and an expanded portfolio of programs, services, standards and events — all through one unified and consistent organization offering a fully integrated and automated, easy-to-access Web domain.
• Vendors benefit from increased reach, impact and efficiency of customer communication and marketing investments.
• Operational cost efficiencies contribute to a sound financial foundation for organizational maintenance and growth.

Immediately Applicable Member Benefits Under the SLAS Umbrella

Specifically, SBS members will be able to take advantage of:

• Significantly lower membership dues rate, discounted dues for retired members, and the new "membership by contribution" program;
• An award-winning wiki — LabAutopedia;
• Preferred discounts for short courses and the annual conference and exhibition LabAutomation2011;
• The Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation (JALA);
• The Market Place for Laboratory Automation online product directory uniquely connected to LabAutopedia;
• Robust initiatives for students and early career professionals such as "Life After Graduate School";
• The LabSnap e-newsletter;
• The Lab Man blog and podcasts;
• Expanded social networking via Linked-in, Facebook and Twitter; and
• An expanded membership directory.

Likewise, ALA members will be able to take advantage of:

• The new "membership by contribution" program;
• Preferred discounts for short courses, the 2011 SBS Annual Conference and Exhibition, real-time webinars, and multiple global symposia planned for Asia, Europe and the United States;
• The Journal of Biomolecular Screening (JBS);
• The SBS News newsletter and SBS Buzz e-alerts;
• Discounts for an online learning center featuring recorded content from the SBS Annual Conference and Exhibition;
• Special interest group and standards initiatives such as for Automation Quality Control and Microplate Standards SIGs;
• A menu of online directories and reference libraries;
• Expanded social networking via Linked-in, Facebook and Twitter; and
• An expanded membership directory.

Also in 2010, members of both SBS and ALA will benefit from the development of an all new and significantly enhanced internship program; and other awards, grants and scholarship programs.

Summary of SLAS Member Programs & Services

Education

Annual Conferences & Exhibitions. Both SLAS sections will host a major conference and exhibition featuring a plenary program, conference program, short courses, tutorials, industry workshops, posters, and exhibitions.

Global Symposia. SLAS will annually present two-day symposia around the world featuring a plenary speaker, conference program, posters and an exhibition. The immediate focus of global symposia will be Asia, Europe and the United States.

Education. SLAS will annually produce online, real-time virtual courses (streaming webcasts) as well as an online learning center featuring recorded content from the annual conference and exhibition.

Special Interest Groups. Special interest groups will continue to work to establish practical industry standards and achieve other goals that address topics such as automation quality control, microplates, data analysis and imaging, stem cells in drug discovery, sample management, screen design and assay technology, ADMET, drug repositioning, and academic outreach.

Publishing

Web Site. SLAS will launch a fully integrated and robust Web site with a seamless interconnected Association Management System on the back-end for membership management purposes. The Web site will serve as the face of the organization offering online access to most, if not all, activities, programs, products, services, and informational resources.

Scientific Journals. SLAS will publish two scientific journals: The Journal of Biomolecular Screening (JBS) will be published 10 times per year by the SBS Section, and the Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation (JALA) will be published six times per year by the ALA Section.

Newsletters. SLAS will publish several print and online newsletters. The SBS Section will print a bi-monthly newsletter (SBS News) and issue occasional e-notices via the SBS Buzz. The ALA Section will produce a bi-monthly e-newsletter (LabSnap).

Wiki — LabAutopedia. SLAS will publish an online wiki featuring a repository of reference materials, tutorials, videos, definitions and terminology, standards, white papers, organizational listings, events, and more.

Social Networks. SLAS will publish The Lab Man blogs and podcasts, and present information through other emerging online social networking vehicles such as RSS news feeds, Linked-in, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Online Products and Services

Member Directory. SLAS will have an online member directory enabling members to easily update their personal contact information, search for other members, and renew their dues. Members also will be able to access programs, products, informational resources, and transact business (e.g., register for annual conferences).

Career Center. SLAS will have a fully automated and interactive employment program that serves both individuals seeking new opportunities and organizations seeking new talent. The program intuitively combines its online component with an in-person career center and development workshops at annual conferences.

The Market Place. SLAS will offer an online product directory for quick and easy access to new and existing technology, products and services for research and discovery. The Market Place will serve as the retail side of the wiki (LabAutopedia), linking educational and informational content directly to the latest in products and services.

Directories and Reference Libraries. SLAS will offer access to valued directories and reference libraries including but not limited to academic institutions, academic screening facilities, societies and associations, glossary of screening terms, microplate standards, NIH connections, NCRI oncology exchange, and other scientific reference resources and indexes such as GoPubMed and ChemBioNet. Directories, lists and other resource links may also be cross listed in the wiki (LabAutopedia).

Awards, Grants, Internships and Scholarships

SLAS will offer a robust program for awards, grants, internships, and scholarships including but not limited to the following:

General Awards, Grants and Internships

The SBS Achievement Award. A $5,000 award presented at least every three years to recognize outstanding achievements in research, innovation, ground breaking foundation, or seminal contributions proven to be broadly applicable to biomolecular screening or pharmaceutical/agricultural lead discovery.

The SBS Accomplishment Award. An intermittent $1,000 award to recognize a member for a significant technical accomplishment, exceeding a benchmark or milestone in screening or the lead discovery process, or an innovative and integrated use of mature technologies.

Support Request Program. In support of its purpose, mission, and core values, SLAS will objectively consider financial and/or in-kind support for educational initiatives, events and/or special projects presented by other strategically and appropriately aligned organizations.

Internships. In support of its purpose, mission, and core values, SLAS will research, develop and deploy a robust, annual internship program for graduate students, post-doctoral associates, and junior faculty (less than four years in first academic appointment).

Event Awards

ALA Innovation Award. An annual $10,000 award for the best podium presentation at the annual conference that is judged to be exceedingly innovative, contribute to the exploration of technologies in the laboratory, and comprise independence of thought, clarity of vision, extraordinary technical originality, and seminal integration and automation strategies.

The SBS Technology Innovation Award. This $2,500 Award is for an outstanding novel technology or approach that is predicted to have a significant impact on the field of biomolecular sciences. The novel technology or approach may be unproven in the field but has the potential to make a huge impact on the drug discovery process.

ALA New Product Designation (NPA) Awards. This designation is presented at the annual exhibition to as many as three companies, and is based on their new products' market opportunity, extraordinary technical originality, quality supporting data, and impact on laboratory automation.

The ALA Tony B. Academic Travel Awards. This annual scholarship program (named for the late Tony Beugelsdijk, an ALA co-founder) enables 40 to 50 students, graduate students, post-doctoral associates, and junior faculty (less than four years in first academic appointment) to participate in the annual conference and exhibition by providing up to $50,000 for their travel, lodging and registration. The awards are earned by the quality of submitted abstracts, relevance of the research to laboratory automation, statements of the conference's value, and qualifications of the applicant.

ALA Innovation AveNEW Awards. These awards enable eight promising new start-up companies to showcase their talent and technology by providing them with travel, lodging and space on the exhibition floor. Applicants are evaluated for technical merit and commercial feasibility as well as other criteria, including but not limited to compelling science and technology, clarity of vision and market opportunity (business plan), strength of management team, impact on laboratory automation and technology, and start-up status.

ALA Poster Awards. An annual program for student poster presenters provides a $1,000 award for the most outstanding poster presentation, a $500 award for second place, and a $250 award for third place. Awards are based on the quality of the abstracts, relevance of the research to laboratory automation, poster materials and author presentation skills.

ALA Short Course Service Awards. This annual award for service honors short course instructors who have taught their particular course for five years, and 10 years.

Publishing Awards

The JBS Academic Excellence Award. An annual $1,500 award for a graduate student based upon scientific merit, experimental approach/innovation, presentation, and grasp of the subject matter.

JALA Readers' Choice Award. An annual non-financial award, this designation is based on popularity among member readers via JALA Online.