Message from the President

During the Forum I will be handing over to my successor Carmen Sandi, so this is also an occasion for me to reflect on my two years as FENS President. I am very happy to report that FENS is in an excellent position to support and encourage neuroscience research, outreach and advocacy over the next period.  We have strong continuing and renewed partnerships with key organisations that enable FENS to support and deliver a wide variety of programmes. These include: the Cajal Schools – with IBRO and the Gatsby Foundation to provide hands-on training in neuroscience; the annual Winter School and Kandel Prize – with the Hertie Foundation; the biannual Brain Conferences – with the Lundbeck Foundation; the FENS-Kavli Network of Excellence, an academy of exceptional young neuroscience PIs –with the Kavli Foundation; the Summer Neuroscience School, training initiatives and advocacy – a new partnership with the Society for Neuroscience. 

These high quality activities would not be possible without such major strategic partnerships and I am very grateful for our partners’ commitment to FENS. I am also extremely grateful to the exceptional and dedicated work of the small staff team in the FENS office in Brussels and our outstanding Executive Director Lars Kristiansen. I have also been very fortunate to have the strong support and energy of the superb volunteer leadership of FENS Executive Committee, the Governing Council, our energetic Editors-in-Chief of EJN and our key committees that oversee education, training, the Brain Conferences and the history of neuroscience.

While I shall be sad to decrease my time with FENS, my commitment to European neuroscience will not diminish and I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve as President. I am confident that in handing over the leadership to Carmen, FENS will be in more than capable hands.

Prof. Barry Everitt
FENS President