Secretary’s Report - 2025

The Secretary’s Report consists of the motions adopted in the prior year by the Executive Committee and by the full Society, excluding pro forma motions. The full minutes are available upon request from: secretary@rheology.org

Selected highlights from the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 Executive Committee Meetings and the 2024 Business Meeting

• Michael Moloney (CEO of AIP) reviewed work between SOR and AIP to transition the SOR website to the AIP Digital Experience Platform. He indicated that in AIP communications, they are not editorializing, but linking to facts.

• Dimitris Vlassopoulos (Editor of JOR), announced the appointment of Emanuela Del Gado as new associate editor and Safa Jamali as the new social media representative. Upcoming special issue in space applications and low-gravity research.Described a steady decline in submissions since 2020.

• Paula Arratia and Carlos López Barrón (Rheology Bulletin Editor) described that the Rheology Bulletin is mailed to members. Introduction of Carlos López Barrón as the new editor.

• Alex Giglia (AIP JOR manager) announced total revenue to JOR of $252k, including the guarantee of $120k.

• Albert Co and R. Robertson-Anderson (website) described migration of website to AIP, highlighting new potential features: newsletter, job opportunities, online courses, spotlights.

• R. Rao (financial advisements) reported on the financial investments, which are mostly equities.Proposal to hire a professional investment manager.

• Meetings: Reviewed 2024 Austin meeting with a projected loss of $85k.Updates on 2025 Santa Fe, 2026 Boston (will be expensive). Decided to hold 2028 in Madison.

• Awards: Approved recommendations for Bingham, Metzner and Fellows (discussion on calculation of number of Fellows).

• M. Helgeson and J. Gilchrist (Education and Outreach Committee) described Austin Short courses and the Rheology Academy (an online educational platform). Proposal to move several committee responsibilities to other committees: i) Future of Rheology, ii) Student-Industry Forum, iii) Knowledge Flows

• Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee: description of harassment reporting, and how to increase diversity in the Bingham Award nominations.

• Kate Weigandt described the formation of new Community Development Committee. It has initial responsibilities of running the Rheology Research Symposium and the Student-Industry Forum

• Gareth McKinley (SOR Historian) described oral histories being conducted at meeting with AIP.

• Safa Jamali (membership committee) related the steady decline in regular members over 10 years, thought the meeting attendance has been growing.

• Mike Graham (Centennial Committee) described plans for centennial including the design of a new SOR logo.

• The following Rheology Venture Fund applications were approved:

  • Geology-Rheology Mini-session at SOR 2025. Christine Roberts, Sujit Datta
  • Rheo4kids Outreach to bring science of rheology to children and teenagers in Brazil: Monica Naccache & Priscilla Varges
  • A platform for community-driven DIY rheology projects: Ben Yavitt & Aashish Prive