A Message from ORS President Marjolein van der Meulen, PhD

ORS  opened last week for the . My research group always plans summer experiments with an eye on the upcoming ORS deadline at the end of August, focusing on the final data and analyses needed to submit a strong abstract. We hope you are able to submit your science and join our community in sharing discovery and innovation. Our membership includes people from a wide variety of intersectional identities. The ORS is committed to supporting our community members with an inclusive and scientifically rigorous environment at our annual meeting.

Attending the  is an important scientific milestone in the career of an orthopaedic researcher, particularly because many of our members only are able to attend when presenting. Experiencing the broad range of topics from our interdisciplinary community is stimulating. The in-person networking opportunities are invigorating, particularly after the prolonged isolation of the past several years. By February 2023, we hope to be having more “normal” interactions.

The  will be held at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, TX. Meeting in a single hotel is an opportunity for our community to reconnect and interact. The location, at a major transportation hub, will provide easy access not only to our members in the Central and Southern US, but also to all other parts of the globe. The hotel gardens provide a lovely setting to plan future collaborations. In the evenings, I hope to run into you at the Media Bar in the Grand Atrium.

We have received inquiries specifically about the meeting location. Our meetings are planned many years in advance to identify an appropriate venue for sharing our science, provide affordable and accessible hotel rooms for attendees, and handle other logistics associated with a 3,000-member meeting. We strive to balance these meeting decisions with our responsibilities to uphold our values, support our membership, and be fiscally responsible. In 2019 the ORS did not meet our hotel obligations in Austin. We avoided substantial fiscal penalties by planning to meet in Texas again, and a lot has changed since that time.

As we plan for the 2023 meeting, we would like to emphasize our values. The ORS respects all society members including all races, ages, ethnicities, nationalities, gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities, incomes, religions, and all other forms of human diversity. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are part of core values of ORS, which include supporting our members, no matter where they live, and ensuring high-quality and equitable care for the patients and communities ORS members serve, no matter where that may be. Our choice to host a meeting in a specific location does not infer support for local laws, policies, or candidates, but instead affirms that we will carry and promote our values and our science wherever we gather. For more information on the position of ORS on DEI initiatives, please visit .

Enjoy your summer rest, relaxation and research. And, good luck getting your !