As the ACCESSE26 conference takes shape, we asked members of the ACCESSE26 Program Committee to share what individual purpose means in the STEM society profession. Their responses offer a practical reminder that purpose is not abstract. It shows up in the day-to-day work of building structure, making decisions, supporting volunteers, and connecting achievements to service and impact.

Their insights will inform the first installment of CESSE’s three-part blog series exploring this year’s conference theme: Rooted in Purpose. Below are five perspectives from STEM society professionals across roles and organizations.

Well…it depends on how you see it! Did Artificial Intelligence sweep you off your feet or catch you off guard? There are always two sides to a coin and whichever side you are looking at it from, we all agree that AI is here to stay.

On any given day, we find ourselves swinging widely between the extremes of AI – from exhilaration and excitement to caution and concern – sometimes both within a few hours. You are one day super excited that the mundane task you grudgingly used to chug along for several hours now gets done quite literally with the click of a button; then the other day you are faced with copyright, energy, ethics concerns related to AI and ensuring all the behind-the-hood conscientious practices that we uphold every day in our profession are factored in.

It takes true courage to seek out understanding. In a time when so much seems to divide us, the need for true community has never been greater. Whether we agree or disagree, we should be able to come together, share ideas and have real conversations.

Community isn’t just about where we meet—it’s about the connections we build, the understanding we foster and the strength we gain from engaging with one another.

Last year, our leadership tasked a few staff with developing a strategy to innovate our Annual Meeting, our flagship event, where we have enjoyed enviable attendance for many decades. Like many non-profits, our Academy is steadily making its way back from the dizzying business effects of COVID. We are also challenged by the demographics of our 111-year-old organization. Most of our members are at least 50 years old or more, and we are acutely aware we need to attract and engage a new generation of professionals – young recruits who don’t want to sit in a dark ballroom while a shadowy figure delivers pearls of clinical wisdom on a 3:1 screen.