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Responsibilities of the Vice President’s office

Duties of the Vice President of the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention

Revised October 2024

The major responsibility of the Vice President is to plan the annual meeting, serving as Program Chair throughout a 15-month process beginning in the final quarter of the individual’s term as Vice President-Elect. To ensure proper and timely program development, the following timetable is provided as guidance:

15-24 Months Prior to the Annual Meeting (while VP-Elect):

1. Participate in all Program Committee teleconferences and meetings for the Annual Meeting the year prior to the meeting you are planning, paying close attention to processes.
2. Review the programs for recent Annual Meetings.

12-15 Months Prior to the Annual Meeting (while still VP-Elect):

1. Meet via teleconference with staff to discuss the process and timeline.
2. Select your Program Committee.
3. Contact DNTS and OTIS representatives to begin coordinating activities.
4. Send out the request for session proposals in late February with a deadline date of April 15.
5. Discuss possible course topics with the current and incoming Chairs of the Education Committee.
6. Decide on a meeting theme.
7. Work with staff to develop and finalize meeting artwork.
8. Convene and chair a series of approximately four teleconferences of the Program Committee, starting in mid-April right after the session proposal deadline. During this teleconference series, work with the Program Committee to decide which sessions will comprise the program, give feedback to session chairs as needed, etc.
9. Notify session chairs regarding whether their session proposal has been accepted or not.
10. Chair the Program Committee meeting at the Annual Meeting in June to finalize the preliminary program. Present the list of session topics, meeting dates, and location during the Annual Business Meeting.
11. Work with staff on NIH R13 grant proposal.

9-12 Months prior to the Annual Meeting:

1. Check in with session chairs periodically to ensure their speakers have been confirmed and talk titles are finalized.
2. Review and provide feedback on the Annual Meeting website during its development.
3. Review and provide feedback on promotional emails/e-cards and other communications.
4. Check with the Education Committee Chair regarding progress toward establishing the course program and inviting speakers and remind them of the responsibility of the Education Committee to select the recipient of the Agnish Fellowship.
5. Select and invite the Robert L. Brent Lecturer and the Keynote Lecturer.
6. Co-Chair the Annual Meeting Sponsorship Workgroup, send emails requesting funding for the meeting and work with staff on formal applications for funding.

6-9 Months prior to the Annual Meeting:

1. Review and discuss the abstract review and selection schedule with staff.
2. Select your abstract reviewers. It is suggested that you select around 30 so each will have less to review. Staff will reach out to them to check their availability.
3. Receive submitted abstracts and organize the abstracts according to designated sessions and poster versus platform presentations. The headquarters office will provide you with information on how many abstracts can be assigned to each session. You are not obligated to assign an abstract to the author's preferred presentation type.
4. The Student Affairs Committee and the Awards Committee have roles in the abstract review and selection schedule, related to the Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Platform and the Innovator Finalists Platform.
5. Work with staff to send the abstract accepted/not accepted emails.
6. Select platform session chairs.
7. Work with staff to finalize the program for timely submission to the Birth Defects ResearchJournal.
8. Work with staff to notify all invited participants of travel arrangements, housing considerations, reimbursements, and honoraria. Review Session Chairperson Guidelines for policies and deadlines.
9. Continue co-chairing and working with the Annual Meeting Sponsorship Workgroup to review and identify funding/grant opportunities and associated deadlines.

1-3 Months prior to the Annual Meeting:

1. Send necessary information and guidance to platform chairs.
2. Deal with any speaker cancellations.
3. Prepare a brief report from the Program Committee and present it during the Annual Business Meeting.
4. Select and invite the Nominations & Elections Committee for the term starting July 1 including designation of a Chair.
5. Work with Council to determine Council rosters and recruit new committee members for the term beginning July 1.

On Site at the Annual Meeting:

1. Welcome and introduce speakers as written in the agenda.
2. Actively participate in the entire Annual Meeting, specifically including all awards sessions, the Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Platform, the Innovator Platform, all poster sessions, and all social/networking events.
3. Encourage nonmember speakers and attendees to join the Society.
4. Check in with trainee attendees to ensure their experience at the meeting is positive.
5. Accept the gavel from the outgoing President at the Annual Business Meeting and thank them for their service.
6. Chair the Council 2 meeting at the end of or directly after the Annual Meeting.