Popescu Next President-Elect of the Biophysical Society

By Bill Bruton

“The Biophysical Society is a community by the members, for the members and with the members. It is the public square where we sound out preliminary observations and ideas, the village we all need to thrive and evolve, and the collective voice with which we can make a difference in the discipline, in science, and in society,” Popescu says. “I welcome the opportunity to help guide this organization and its members as we advance biophysics into the future.”

Popescu is very familiar with the society and its governance, having served on its council in the past, and also as a two-term chair of its Committee for Professional Opportunities for Women.

“I also knew that the society was in the process of developing a new strategic plan, and I was immediately very enthusiastic about the possibility of leading the society through a period of what I envisioned as a rejuvenation, after the hardship of the pandemic,” Popescu says.

The president-elect participates in council meetings and serves in place of the president in the president’s absence.

“I am thrilled that my platform resonated with the membership and feel empowered to lead the society toward the goals I have put forth in my vision statement,” Popescu says. “Specifically, I look forward to strengthening the community of biophysicists by reinforcing existing interactions among members, and by helping to develop new connections across the career span, across the globe, and throughout the year.”

The Biophysical Society is a member-based scientific organization dedicated to the development and dissemination of knowledge in biophysics. It is an international organization based in the U.S., with overseas members currently comprising more than a third of the total membership. The society currently consists of more than 7,500 members in academia, government and industry.

“Congratulations to Dr. Popescu. It is important to see women leaders in research positions. She is uniquely qualified to lead this internationally renowned organization into the future,” says Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Popescu earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry and a master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Bucharest and earned her doctoral degree in biochemistry from UB.

She was recognized with a UB Exceptional Scholars — Sustained Achievement Award in 2021. She has also served as chair of the Council of Faculty and Academic Societies within the American Association of Medical Colleges, and served two terms on its board of directors.

Popescu will assume the office of president-elect at the 2023 annual meeting in San Diego and will begin her term as president during the 2024 annual meeting in Philadelphia.