Season's Greetings from the President

Dear Colleagues,

As I sat down to draft this message I realized that taking a few days off from work was indeed a good idea for me to be able to appreciate my true treasures and celebrate my real fortunes. In the rush and dazzling frenzy of our daily lives, we even forget how to slow down and relax. Yet, we know that one can rarely keep a perspective for a bigger picture, for what actually counts, or what really is worth our time and effort when the baby keeps crying, the boss keeps whining, the deadlines keep piling, and the stress keeps rising. As the most urgent drains our energy and the loudest draws our attention, we inadvertently neglect the most precious.

Naturally, our infant organization TASSA also has many immediate needs which require attendance on almost a daily basis. Its smooth operation and efficient governance take patience, care and resilience. However, in this brief note, I do not intend to detail the accomplishments of TASSA during the past year. The list of such outputs may be numerous, but I would like to focus on what exactly the OUTCOME is as a measure of our success. I hope to convey that message by a single quote from Dr. George Atkinson, the Science and Technology Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State, "Whenever I address other diaspora organizations related to science and technology these days, I always use TASSA as an exemplary case to be followed."

I am proud and happy to inform that the health of TASSA is sound and the state of TASSA is strong. This fragile infant grew out of diapers ;-)) and can steadily stand up on its feet, ready to take long strides. You, the TASSA community, remain to be among our highest priorities to serve towards building a sustainable science bridge between the U.S. and Turkey. I can not deny the pain of digging a deeper foundation, agony of growth, and roughness of transition, but we accept and face these challenges as a natural process of formation for a young organization. We are inspired by the commitment of our membership and confident about the bright future of TASSA.

I urge you to pay your 2007 membership dues today, to get more actively involved in TASSA programs and activities, and to support our thriving organization.

I wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year.

May all your holidays be full of love, joy and peace.

Suleyman Gokoglu, Ph.D. President, TASSA