This letter is in response to the news of a new Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (VASEM), which has recently been formed in the Commonwealth of Virginia (see Physics Today, January 2014, page 22). That new academy is not affiliated with the Virginia Academy of Science (VAS), an organization that has been in place for the past 92 years. The membership of VAS is open to all scientists and people interested in science in Virginia, from faculty and research scientists to postdocs and graduate and undergraduate students, as well as business professionals and others who support our mission. We also welcome middle school and high school students and their teachers as members of our Virginia Junior Academy of Science.
The mission of VAS is to promote research and education in science, technology, engineering, math, and health (STEMH) in Virginia through grants, publications, and meetings. We welcome VASEM as a new academy in Virginia and look forward to working with them to increase STEMH activities in the state.
