Canada’s innovators are building the transformative health technologies the world needs now. In Toronto, a thriving health corridor brings together world-class hospitals, universities, research institutes, startups and global tech leaders—all within walking distance of each other. It’s a uniquely connected ecosystem that makes Toronto a natural choice for life sciences conferences and meetings that spark collaboration and discovery.
We are in an AI chasm, and what happens next decides whether associations unlock a generational upgrade or whether the entire category slips into disillusionment.
That might sound dramatic, but it’s the reality I’m seeing play out every day. The tone around AI has shifted. The hype is gone. The razzle dazzle is gone. People aren’t impressed by what AI can do anymore. They want to know what AI will do for them in the real world. And honestly, that’s exactly the moment described in one of the most important books in technology: Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore.
In STEM societies, engagement has become the strategic variable that explains everything including recruitment, retention, revenue, and reputation. Yet leaders tell an all too familiar story: member touchpoints are scattered across websites, emails, apps, and event platforms; inboxes are saturated; and board expectations for measurable outcomes keep rising.
The opportunity isn’t just to modernize tools. It is to re-architect the member experience so that it feels connected, personal, and trustworthy end‑to‑end. Recent conversations at ACCESSE25 underscored this shift: engagement now happens where members live, which is on mobile, across communities, and increasingly with AI as a co-pilot for discovery and service.
In today’s attention economy, social media is no longer a side channel. It’s the public square where authority is earned, alliances are formed, and missions are advanced. Associations that treat social platforms as broadcast megaphones are leaving value on the table. The opportunity is bigger: use social to convert everyday engagement into measurable impact.
Inspired by the ACCESSE25 session “Amplifying STEM Societies Through Social Media,” presented by Kelly Florian, PCM, CDMP, Digital Marketing Manager at The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), this piece provides an overview of how social media can serve as a strategic lever for executives and teams who are ready to lead in the open.
In 2025, Canada’s life sciences sector is making headlines around the world. From Nobel-level recognition and billion-dollar investments to next-generation therapies and world-class facilities, the country is demonstrating why it belongs at the forefront of global health innovation. For international associations, these breakthroughs are more than good news stories—they signal why Canada is a natural choice for conferences that advance the frontiers of science.
In every association leader’s calendar, there are moments when the ground seems to shift beneath our feet: economic volatility, disruptive technologies, political headwinds, changing member expectations. We’re asked to respond quickly, decisively, and, above all, humanely.
At ACCESSE25, RoMaine Jones-Wise, Senior Consultant at Exude Human Capital, delivered a keynote that reframed these challenges as opportunities for leaders to “meet the moment” with resilience, empathy, and clarity. Her message: The science of leading change is not just about strategy. It is about people.
For professionals working to advance science, technology, engineering, and math, this year’s ACCESSE25 conference in Philadelphia offered more than just a chance to connect with colleagues and industry partners. Anchored by the theme "Expanding Impact,” this conference was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when mission-driven leaders come together to share knowledge, elevate their disciplines, and address the most pressing challenges facing the STEM association community today.
This year's program committee, comprised of 12 CESSE member volunteers, was thoughtfully designed to foster innovation, spark collaboration, and deliver actionable insights.
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Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives
When events are designed with clear purpose, they go beyond simple gatherings—they become powerful catalysts for change.
At Destination Canada, our multi-year Legacy & Impact Study is examining events held here to uncover strategies that decision makers and societies can use to leave a lasting impact.
Have you ever wondered what makes someone step up and say, "I can lead this team"? I recently had the chance to chat with Karen Horting, the Executive Director and CEO of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and let me tell you - her story has some powerful takeaways for all of us trying to find our leadership voice.
Well…it depends on how you see it! Did Artificial Intelligence sweep you off your feet or catch you off guard? There are always two sides to a coin and whichever side you are looking at it from, we all agree that AI is here to stay.
On any given day, we find ourselves swinging widely between the extremes of AI – from exhilaration and excitement to caution and concern – sometimes both within a few hours. You are one day super excited that the mundane task you grudgingly used to chug along for several hours now gets done quite literally with the click of a button; then the other day you are faced with copyright, energy, ethics concerns related to AI and ensuring all the behind-the-hood conscientious practices that we uphold every day in our profession are factored in.
Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives
1061 American Ln Suite 310, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives
Six years ago, I was starting a new job; I’d done the association thing before (I live in DC—they let you reach into a hat and randomly select a career pathway between government, contractors, associations, NGOs and fancy burger restaurants) but this was my first time in a STEM society. On about my fifth day, our ED said, “I’d like to send you to this conference, help you get a better understanding of how these organizations work and get some ideas for the job.” I said, “cool, but it starts next week, and also what’s a ’Sess?’”
I’ve now been to ACCESSE three times, and I’m looking forward to my fourth. And I mean looking forward. I had the dates highlighted on my calendar ever since I got back from Detroit! Why?
As a nonprofit leader, I prioritize supporting my staff, recognizing that the most valuable resource of any organization is its people. This support takes various forms, with continuous learning and networking standing out as indispensable tools for organizational and staff growth and success. That's why we send our entire team to the ACCESSE Conference.
ACCESSE offers a unique platform for development and networking, particularly beneficial for nonprofit staff across various levels in STEM societies and associations. Indeed, this conference holds significant value for organizations and their staff alike.
Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives
1061 American Ln Suite 310, Schaumburg, IL 60173
It takes true courage to seek out understanding. In a time when so much seems to divide us, the need for true community has never been greater. Whether we agree or disagree, we should be able to come together, share ideas and have real conversations.
Community isn’t just about where we meet—it’s about the connections we build, the understanding we foster and the strength we gain from engaging with one another.
Last year, our leadership tasked a few staff with developing a strategy to innovate our Annual Meeting, our flagship event, where we have enjoyed enviable attendance for many decades. Like many non-profits, our Academy is steadily making its way back from the dizzying business effects of COVID. We are also challenged by the demographics of our 111-year-old organization. Most of our members are at least 50 years old or more, and we are acutely aware we need to attract and engage a new generation of professionals – young recruits who don’t want to sit in a dark ballroom while a shadowy figure delivers pearls of clinical wisdom on a 3:1 screen.
And, like our membership, our senior staff is composed of a lot of “seasoned” veterans. Most of us have been on board for more than a decade and we have a few “lifers,” like me (37 years and counting). So, this resilient team, charged with breathing new life into our meeting, had to consider the effects of change on two audiences. We were to present a plan to surpass pre-pandemic attendance levels and pique the curiosity of millennials and Gen Z without disenfranchising the loyal Boomers who had always kept our association out of the doghouse.
What happens when you put a radiation researcher and an architect in the same room? You get bold, imaginative collaborations that lead to global breakthroughs.
