Dear Friends, dear members of the AETE,

June 2022, … how big is the cliché but … time is flying. Post-covid times have arrived and we are all eager to meet each other again in a live (preferentially international) environment. I am happy to announce here that we are all grateful for the great opportunities generated in Utrecht for our next physical event in September. A nice selection of attractive abstracts were accepted for presentation at our the 38th Annual meeting of the AETE. An appealing list of invited speakers are ready to share their newest scientific findings and we have two very interesting and interactive workshops planned. More than 16 sponsors will be lined up to introduce you to their new products. And of course, the LOC did a great job to secure one of the finest social events in AETE’s history. As a society we are grateful for the fact that some sponsors have even decided to support specific parts of the social program, or helped in covering the travel expenses of our invited speakers.

By the end of June, we will finalize the conference program, including the short oral presentations and of course decide on which students will be selected for our prestigious student competition. As a society, we care about students and we like to offer them an ideal environment to train their presentations skills. Furthermore, this year we offer for the first time the possibility for students to apply for an AETE student travel grant. We like to maximize the opportunity for all students to come to our annual meetings. For 2022 we have 5 grants available, up to a maximum of 250 euro per awardee. So, please, check our website under the “student tab” and discover all the possibilities and regulations. It may be a great opportunity for students for our 2023 event.

Also this year, we will continue with our practitioner’s forum, that was organized for the first time in Murcia. Again we will have this planned in parallel with the main program and I am very happy to see the program. We will have 1h and 30 min available to discuss the newest insights in hormonal use for superovulation programs and practitioners have been invited to share their field data. Covid taught us that several new initiatives can be organized together with our society to reach out to practitioners. Our webinars in 2021 were very successful and we should definitely keep this format in mind. Especially the collaboration with national embryo technology societies such as SIET and AETd were a great example and should be continued. So, please, approach us if AETE can be of any help in organizing a practitioners event.

I am very positive about the future of our society. The successful collaboration with the Brazilian Embryo Technology Society (SBTE) is ongoing and we continue to publish our abstracts and invited reviews together in Animal Reproduction. This is a great opportunity for our society. Both societies have representatives on each other’s meetings. Also our collaboration with IETS is outstanding. For our AETE 2023 meeting, we can already announce that Greece will be the country to be and the local organizing committee is securing one of the finest venues we ever had. To be continued …

The AETE board is also rejuvenating as we are looking for new board members to join forces. So please, step up and propose yourself for the board member elections during our next General Assembly meeting. Daniel Le Bourhis is leaving our board after an AETE service of 8 years. Daniel served in the board as representative of the ET business and he was our liaison officer between the AETE and the French foundation and authorities. Daniel has been a great board member, always constructive and looking for the best possible solutions for our society. His great knowledge of the practitioner’s field has been a substantial asset in our board. He had a crucial role in for example setting up the practitioner’s forum. I am sure you all still remember the magnificent AETE meeting we had in Nantes, France, where Daniel chaired the local organizing committee. So, Daniel, in the name of all the members of our society, I really like to thank you for the significant efforts you made for our society. Not only Daniel’s but also my time as a board member is coming to an end. In 2012 I started my AETE career in Saint-Malo and was responsible for the student affairs. Since fall 2018 I had the privilege to serve the society as a President. It was an intense and not always easy task to fulfill but I am very proud about the accomplishments of our board team over the last years. It was always a pleasure to work together with every board member and I truly enjoyed this fruitful and always constructive collaboration. I think, as a team, we can look back with satisfaction on the transition of the AETE during the past years. I like to thank all members of the society, but especially all the governors of the board of the AETE for their confidence and for the great team spirit. Of course, I am leaving the board and not AETE, so I will stay around for sure.

I wish you all a great and relaxing summer together with your beloved ones. I am very confident for a great future of our society. See you in Utrecht!

Jo Leroy,

President of the AETE