By Rhys Slough, M.Sc., 2022 SMRT Program Chair
Dear SMRT and ISMRM Colleagues,
I trust you are all well, and for those who are not, I wish you well as soon as possible. It is with great personal delight that I introduce myself as your SMRT Annual Meeting Program Chair for London 2022. I congratulate the previous chair, Thao Tran, and all others involved in a wonderful program earlier this year. Their leadership and guidance leave me in good stead for this upcoming program.
A brief history of me: I have spent the last decade in MRI at Cambridge University Hospital, England. Our unit oversees around 45,000 examinations per annum, and we have the benefit of seven systems. I have pursued an academic interest around urological imaging, hyperpolarised imaging, and other novel techniques. I have had the privilege of working with Professor Martin Graves, a great servant to the ISMRM and SMRT community, amongst other prestigious members. I believe strongly in supporting innovation, change, and transformation.
Such has been the theme over the last 18 months, not unlike the ISMRM and SMRT community: we have all taken the time to reflect and grow, both as individuals and as communities. I can think of no other community than this, which so truly embodies the culture of support, growth and truly working as one; therefore, I remain empowered to continue working hard to bring any talent and skills that I may possess to the community, fueled by a debt of gratitude to all of the other wonderful members who have been so generous to me over the years. I take great strength from our members that have already made such a professional transition and continue to give so selflessly to the community of ISMRM and SMRT.
I take up this post with these traits in mind, along with Steven Sourbron, chair of the ISMRM Annual Meeting, I will aim to support and enable a program that embodies the mission of ISMRM and SMRT and empowers its members to connect, grow and support each other. We are welcoming ESMRMB, which truly reflects our values of togetherness and the ideal of collaboration with those who share our values. I look forward to returning to an in-person meeting, whilst maintaining a hybrid format to support those that are unable to join us physically. Steven has elegantly outlined a number of key items and themes for the program, and I can assure you that the SMRT program will mimic these. I would like to use my first blog to empower you, the members, to be forthcoming in your suggestions and also empower you to encourage colleagues to join and contribute. We will announce our program committee imminently; please use us to build the program that you all dream of.
Please keep an eye out for upcoming submission deadlines. Year on year, we were breaking records for SMRT member contributions and awards; I have no doubts that we will continue to achieve this.
Warmest regards, your SMRT 2022 AMPC Chair,
Rhys Slough, M.Sc.
2022 SMRT Annual Meeting Program Chair