The American Association of Physicists in Medicine’s (AAPM) 65th annual meeting and exhibition will take place July 23-27 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.
The theme of this year’s conference is The Art of Science, The Science of Care. In a recorded video interview, 2023 AAPM President Ehsan Samei, PhD, FAAPM, outlined some of the highlights of this year’s program. “This theme reminds us of the privilege of being a medical physicist, a vocation rooted in the ingenuity, imagination and creativity,” Samei stated. “That is the art which is enacted within the field that is one of the highest embodiments of human intelligence — that is physics. And all that then translated into practice with direct benefit to human health. Ours is a high calling, the dignity of caring and the opportunity to put our thoughts and hearts towards a higher purpose. And we do this as a community collectively, thus the annual meeting.”
This year’s Presidential Symposium features prominent artists and thought leaders. On Monday, July 24, from 10:15-12:15, Samei will kick off the President’s Symposium lineup, speaking on this year’s theme, The Art of Science, the Science of Care. AAPM23’s website describes the symposium as follows: A key topic is how art speaks to the foundational quest of humanity: the discovery of information and our response to it, with innovation as its key methodological asset – illuminated in a presentation given by award-winning artist Enrique Martinez Celaya. This is followed with a demonstration of how this same innovative and inquisitive impetus gets embodied in the science of care – illuminated in a presentation given by exemplar scientist Kyle Myers. We then learn how Marie Curie, as a defining figure of our discipline, exemplifies these very attributes of art and science in the service of humanity – illuminated in a presentation given by distinguished physician and author Richard Gunderman, MD, PhD. The last speaker of the session, the award-winning author, professor, and Senior Fellow for Vocation and the Common Good for the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Steven Garber, will address how the idea of vocation can deepen our sense of self by giving us a more coherent understanding of the complex reality of our lives, our professional purposes, and our responsibility to the world.
Later in the day, the President Symposium features a Fireside Chat, again focused on the AAPM23 theme. Following are five days of world-class science, educational and professional sessions that echo the conference theme. The full Education Program runs July 22-27, and additional details can be found here.
Technical Exhibits
In the Exhibit Hall, more than 100 exhibiting companies will showcase the latest offerings in products and services, providing an opportunity to make one-on-one connections directly with vendors.
“One thing the pandemic has taught us is the value of our community and cooperation. We are more, and can do more when we are together,” Samei stressed in the video message. “What makes AAPM special is us. As a community, we all strive toward the same goal, advancing human welfare. We are therefore better off when we are together. So I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity that is being provided for you by your own peers. Let's be together, shape our discipline together and make new memories together. I look forward to welcoming you in person to our 65th annual meeting.”
For more information, visit https://w4.aapm.org/meetings/2023AM/.