The Biophysical Society committees are essential to the implementation of the Society's stated purpose to lead the development and dissemination of knowledge in biophysics. All new and continuing committee appointments are approved by Council on an annual basis. Committee members must be current Society members at the time of their appointment and must maintain active membership status for the duration of their committee terms.
Do you want to get more involved in BPS activities? If so, submit a volunteer form and select the committees that interest you from among the following: Early Careers, Education, Inclusion and Diversity, Membership, Professional Opportunities for Women, Public Affairs, or Publications.
The Awards Committee solicits nominations for the Annual Society Awards. The deadline for award nominations is May 1 of each year. Society members are encouraged to nominate candidates by submitting a nomination form and required materials.
Chair
Linda Columbus (2025)
Committee Members
Jonathon Howard (2024)
Timothy Lohman (2024)
Tanja Mittag (2025)
Charles Sanders (2023)
Stephen Tucker (2025)
Lynn Zechiedrich (2024)
Frances Separovic, ex officio
Gail Robertson, ex officio
Taekjip Ha, ex officio
The BPS Conferences Committee brings together groups of researchers, both those already established as well as new groups, for specialized meeting topics in a small meeting format. These conferences recur biennially or triennially and reflect excellence in science.
Chair
Suzanne F. Scarlata, Chair (2025)
Committee Members
Marta Filizola (2022)
Samantha Harris (2022)
Anne K. Kenworthy (2022)
Arthur G. Palmer (2022)
Baron Chanda, ex officio
Janice Robertson, ex officio
Lukas K. Tamm, ex officio
The Committee for Inclusion and Diversity's, formerly the Minority Affairs Committee (MAC), charge is to increase the number of underrepresented biophysicists and enhance the visibility and career opportunities of existing underrepresented biophysicists, and to involve them in Society affairs. The Committee aims to foster a community for underrepresented biophysicists primarily through activities at the Annual Meeting and through the Summer Program. Outreach to young underrepresented students is achieved through participation at the scientific conferences for underrepresented students.
Chair
Candice Etson (2025)
Committee Members
M. Yusuf Ali (2024)
Christopher Bassey (2025)
Anna Bukiya (2024)
Walter Chazin (2025)
Luyi Cheng (2023)
Samuel Cho (2023)
Daryl Eggers (2023)
Lisandra Flores Aldama (2024)
Theanne Griffith (2024)
Meghna Gupta (2025)
Kim Ha (2023)
Anne Hinderliter (2025)
Stephen Jett (2024)
Catherine Royer (2025)
Nagarajan Vaidehi (2025)
Carlos Villalba-Galea (2025)
Catherine Volle (2024)
The Early Careers Committee is charged with guiding and promoting the Society's career development activities, including the organization of career development, networking, and community-building events at the Annual Meeting and writing articles in the Society's newsletter, the BPS Bulletin. In addition, the Committee is responsible for increasing the involvement of early career (graduate student, postdoctoral, or newly independent scientist) members in Society affairs and for recognizing the challenges unique to early career scientists.
Chair
Holly A. Holman (2023)
Committee Members
Maryam Al-Khannaq (2025)
Ademuyiwa Aromolaran (2023)
Manuela Ayee (2023)
Senjuti Banerjee (2025)
Francisco Barrera (2024)
Matthias Buck (2025)
Anthony Cammarato (2023)
Ashley De Lio (2023)
Swati Dey (2025)
Peying Fong (2024)
Christian Jorgensen (2023)
Jasna Markovac (2023)
Robert K. Nakamoto (2024)
Trushar Patel (2024)
Jenny Ross (2024)
Harpreet Singh (2024)
Charlotte Smith (2025)
Woong Young So (2024)
Jeanne Stachowiak (2024)
Patrick C. van der Wel (2025)
Priscilla L. Yang (2024)
Ragothaman Yennamalli (2024)
The Education Committee is responsible for providing materials and ideas to be used in promoting biophysics to the general public and particularly to students. The Committee plans and executes brochures and educational programs at the Annual Meeting, including the Undergraduate Poster Award Competition. The Committee also creates educational resources for the Society website and coordinate outreach events such as Science Fairs.
Chair
Yadilette Rivera-Colón (2023)
Committee Members
Semire UZUN GÖÇMEN (2025)
Esmael Haddadian (2025)
Kambiz Moshfegh Hamadani (2024)
Dirar Hormouz (2023)
Logan Kaler (2024)
Jefferson Knight (2025)
Hannah Malcolm (2024)
Jacob O'Connor (2024)
Tugba Nur Ozturk (2024)
Thayaparan Paramanathan (2025)
Allen Price (2023)
Luis O. Romero (2023)
Rita. Sirrieh (2025)
Liskin Swint-Kruse (2024)
Andreea Trache (2023)
Samuel Safran, ex officio
The Fellows Committee, chaired by the President, solicits nominations for the Biophysical Society Fellows. The deadline for fellow nominations is May 1 of each year. Society members are encouraged to nominate candidates by submitting a nomination form and required materials.
Chair
Gail Robertson
Committee Members
Michael Brown (2023)
Jane Clarke (2024)
Gilad Haran (2025)
Mauricio Montal (2024)
Ruth Nussinov (2024)
Jose Onuchic (2025)
Lee Sweeney (2025)
Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede (2025)
The Finance Committee, chaired by the Treasurer, advises Council on the finances of the Society. The committee reviews the fiscal health of the Society and with the Executive Director prepares and recommends an annual budget for approval by Council at the Annual Meeting. The Finance Committee oversees the annual audit and the management of the Society's reserves.
Chair
Samantha Harris (2025)
Committee Members
Cynthia Czajkowski (2025)
Diane Lidke (2024)
Pablo Peixoto (2024)
Jonathon Rocheleau (2023)
Kathleen Hall, ex officio
Gail Robertson, ex officio
Erin Sheets, ex officio
The Member Services Committee is charged with coordinating the activities of its member committees to ensure that Society resources are used efficiently and that the diverse human resource needs of the membership are met.
Chair
Erin Sheets (2022)
Committee Members
Yadilette Rivera-Colon (2023)
Karen G. Fleming (2024)
Melanie J. Cocco (2024)
Candice Etson (2025)
Holly A. Holman (2023)
The Membership Committee is charged with assessing changes in Society membership and needs, looking for nascent and underserved areas, and based on those assessments, developing plans to attract new members and retain existing members. At the Annual Meeting, the Membership Committee hosts several events, including the First-Time Attendee Drop-By and the New Member Welcome Coffee, giving members an opportunity to speak with Society leadership, and hosts a table at the Education & Career Opportunities Fair. The Membership Committee also sponsors Society Mini-Grants for local networking events.
Chair
Melanie J. Cocco (2024)
Committee Members
Clemens Anklin (2024)
Tinatin Brelidze (2023)
Ashley Carter (2024)
Michael Cascio (2024)
Carmen Domene (2025)
Teresa Giraldez (2024)
Seda Kocaman (2024)
Alla Kostyukova (2024)
Yuri Nesmelov (2024)
Cathy Proenza (2023)
Roger (Bryan) Sutton (2024)
David Svintradze (2024)
Viksita Vijayvergiya (2023)
Seth Weinberg (2025)
Manuela Zoonens (2025)
Erin Sheets, ex officio
The Nominating Committee is charged with preparing a list of nominees for President-Elect, Council, Treasurer or Secretary when necessary, determine the willingness of the candidates to run, and report its list to the Executive Board and Council for approval the year following its election.
Per the Society bylaws, nominations for Council may also be received by petition. Contact the Society Office at [email protected] for information on how to submit a petition candidate for Council.
Chair
Margaret Cheung
Committee Members
Erin C. Dueber
Gilad Haran
Kumiko Hayashi
Kandice Tanner
Gail Robertson, ex officio
The CPOW is charged with promoting science education for girls and women; promoting the advancement and retention of women and minorities in biophysics; fostering development of professional communities among women; raising awareness of the scientific contributions of women in biophysics; recognizing the challenges of balancing career and family; promoting fair and equitable treatment, and improving the climate for women in biophysics in all stages of their careers. The Committee serves as a resource to other committees to promote diversity and internationalization within their programs and activities. Each year, the CPOW sponsors Annual Meeting activities and hosts workshops on various topics, which are open to all attendees.
Chair
Karen G. Fleming (2024)
Committee Members
Otonye Braide (2023)
Anne Carlson (2025)
Silvia Cavagnero (2023)
Lukasz Cwiklik (2025)
Kasper B. Hansen (2024)
Michaela Jansen (2024)
Hong Li (2024)
Emily Liman (2024)
Leslie M. Loew (2024)
Emily Mace (2024)
Nelli Mnatsakanyan (2025)
Vera Moiseenkova-Bell (2024)
Vivian Onyali (2025)
David Piston (2024)
Padmini Rangamani (2025)
Kenton Swartz (2024)
Lynn Zechiedrich (2023)
The Biophysical Society Program Committee is charged with the organization of the Annual Meeting scientific program. The program must respond to and serve the needs of the membership, which represents diverse scientific, technical, and educational constituencies.
Co-Chair
Baron Chanda
Co-Chair
Janice Robertson
Committee Members
Michelle Digman
Gilad Haran
Joseph A. Mindell
Anna Moroni
Jennifer L. Ross
Ibrahim Cisse, ex officio
Elizabeth Komives, ex officio
Arthur G. Palmer III, ex officio
Elizabeth Villa, ex officio
The Public Affairs Committee's responsibilities include (1) ensuring appropriate support for biophysics and basic research at the federal funding agencies; (2) supporting biophysics through congressional and public outreach and education; (3) developing special initiatives and responses, as appropriate, to matters of public policy that impact on biophysics and biophysicists at all education and career levels; and (4) advising the Society president and council on matters of public affairs. Recently, the committee has provided input on strategic plans at NSF and NIH, budget and appropriations decisions on Capitol Hill, reauthorization legislation for NIH, NSF, and the Department of Energy Office of Science, open access regulations and bills, as well as other areas of interest to the Society. The committee also plans policy events for the Annual Meeting and sponsors scientists to participate in Hill Days in Washington, DC.
Chair
Eric Sundberg (2024)
Committee Members
Leah Cairns (2023) BPS Congressional Fellow 2019-2020
Edward Egelman (2024)
Ranajeet Ghose (2023)
Kalina Hristova (2024)
Emmanuel Margeat (2022)
Bridget Milorey (2023)
Steven Moss (2024)
Arnold Revzin (2023)
Michael Rudokas (2024)
Sanjeevi Sivasankar (2023)
Harmen Steele (2024)
Frances Separovic, ex officio
Erin Sheets, ex officio
The Publications Committee is responsible for overseeing Society peer-reviewed publications and recommending editorial policies for each to ensure achievement of Society goals. It appoints all Associate Editors and Editorial Board Members (such appointments to be ratified by Council). The Committee is also responsible for understanding and developing journal budgets in collaboration with the Finance Committee, for approval by the Council.
Chair
Kathleen Hall (2024)
Committee Members
Antje Almeda (2024)
Carlos Baiz (2024)
Linda Columbus (2023)
Andrea Gohlke (2022)
Kambiz Moshfegh Hamadani (2024)
Chia-Lung Hsieh (2024)
Diego Krapf (2024)
Waldemar Kulig (2024)
Ilya Levental (2022)
Daumantas Matulis (2024)
Shriyaa Mittal (2022)
Maria Spies (2022)
William Wimley (2022)
Christopher Yip (2023)
Samantha Harris, Treasurer, ex officio
Chair
Lukas Tamm (2024)
Committee Members
Teresa Giraldez (2025)
Vasanthi Jayaraman (2023)
Syma Khalid (2025)
Jinwoo Lee (2025)
Joseph Mindell (2023)
Simon Scheuring (2022)
Da-Neng Wang (2024)
Thorsten Wohland (2025)
Baron Chanda, ex officio (2023)
Ibrahim Cisse, ex officio (2024)
Janice Robertson, ex officio (2023)
Elizabeth Villa, ex officio (2024)
Suzanne Scarlata, ex officio (2022)