EDITOR’S NOTE

By Helen Colby, PhD, Editor-In-Chief

As Victoria Shaffer discusses in her final From the President note, many changes are coming to SMDM! While we’re sad to say goodbye to President Shaffer, who has done an outstanding job of leading our organization over the last year, we’re also excited to welcome Beate Jahn to the role of President and look forward to her leadership in 2025-2026.

Changes are also coming to the newsletter! It has taken us a little longer than we planned, but look for the updated layout in the next issue. We will be highlighting more international scholars – starting with an excellent piece by Austin Gideon Adobasom-Anane in this issue – and sharing more updates from our SIGs, along with additional details about the upcoming annual meeting in Oslo.

If you have any suggestions for recurring sections you would like to see in the newsletter, or content you would like to contribute, please reach out to me via email.

For now, enjoy the fall weather (or spring weather for our members ‘down under’), and consider joining a SIG or signing up for one of the many excellent virtual courses described below.

By Victoria Shaffer, PhD, Past President

I want to start off by saying thank you to the members of SMDM. It has been an honor to serve as your President. There have been a number of significant changes to our organization in the past year, including moving forward without an Executive Director and changing our annual meetings to June. The SMDM leadership team, including the Board of Trustees, Committee Chairs, and Special Interest Groups Chairs, along with our management company, ADG, have adapted to all of the changes with skill and thoughtfulness. Despite the stressors of the last year, I enjoyed my time as President because of the team of people at SMDM that I got to work with. I am proud of how we adapted to our circumstances and how—despite the challenges—we have been able to continue to share high quality scientific content throughout the year.

In my final newsletter post written as President, I wanted to share a brief update about the activities that SMDM has initiated in service to our strategic plan. Last year, Alan Schwartz led the leadership, while President, in a strategic planning exercise to identify three major goals for 2025-2027. As shared at our Business Meeting in June, SMDM will work to achieve the following goals:

1. Communicate a distinct identity and value propositions to current and potential members, collaborators, and decision makers
2. Be the source of connection and career advancement for a diverse, international multi-disciplinary membership
3. Be a leader in the creation, dissemination, and translation of methods that advance decision science and meet public needs.

As we work toward these goals, SMDM will also operate in a manner that is sustainable for members and the organization and apply an international (i.e., non-US) lens. This year, the board has worked to implement the goals of the strategic plan by identifying four specific activities that—if executed over the next two years—will bring SMDM closer to achieving these goals.

• Activity 1: Increase exchange with clinicians and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) policy makers
• Activity 2: Revisit best practice/guideline papers that have been published in our journals for an update/refresh and strengthen the pipeline from our scientific meeting to our journals.
• Activity 3: Reinvigorate our Special Interest Groups (SIGS) and make their activities more visible
• Activity 4: Increase online communication, engagement, and visibility

While SMDM will continue to spend the next two years working on these activities, we have made strides in all four areas already in 2025. Our 2025 and 2026 Annual Meetings have created content that is specifically geared toward engaging clinicians and policy makers. The final day of the conference at the 2025 Annual Meeting was dedicated to “crosstalk sessions” aimed at increasing dialogue between clinicians and researchers. These sessions were recorded and can be accessed on our YouTube channel here. Organizers of the 2026 Annual Meeting, held in Oslo, are currently planning elements of the meeting that should appeal to policy makers globally and symposia that would be of interest to clinicians worldwide.

Beate Jahn, as President-Elect, and I have been working with leaders at ISPOR (the Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research) to create a collaborative agreement between the two societies to update the papers produced by the ISPOR-SMDM Modeling Good Research Practices Task Force in 2012. The new task forces will include members from both societies, and their products will be jointly published in Value in Health and Medical Decision Making.

SMDM will be rolling out a long-awaited new website with a member database. The website redesign was led by Digital Communication co-chairs, Jenny Spencer and Alistair Thorpe. The Board got a preview of the new website at our June meeting, and we are looking forward to its launch. SMDM will also be starting a branded listserv for public posting of events and discussions relevant to medical decision science that will be moderated by SMDM leaders.

Finally, after a few years’ hiatus, many of our Special Interest Groups (SIG) met in person at the 2025 Annual Meeting (Decision Psychology, Dissemination and Implementation, DSCCo—Decision Science for Child Health Collaborative, Open Source Models, Preference Measurement, Q+ Affinity, and Shared Decision Making) and have held virtual meetings post-conference. Trustee, Laura Scherer, filled the previously vacant role of SIG coordinator, which has increased communication between the SIGs and the board and created a forum for SIG leaders to meet, collaborate, and discuss their needs. Once or twice a month, SMDM will be promoting upcoming SIG events via email to members. Keep your eyes open for November events and register to receive the Zoom link. Plans for SIG meetings in Oslo at the 2026 Annual Meeting are already underway!

Thank you again for your support as we navigated the waters this year in an increasingly volatile global political climate. I enjoyed working with this Board of Trustees, and I look forward to serving my final year on the Executive Committee as Beate Jahn takes over as President. SMDM is in great hands, and I am looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Oslo this June!

By Emily Burger, PhD, and Torbjørn Wisløff, MSc, PhD; Co-Chairs of the 2026 Annual Meeting

Hello SMDM members!

We’re thrilled to share some exciting highlights from our recent site visit by ADG’s lead meeting planner, Qiana, on September 11^th and 12^th. Despite a few raindrops, the weather didn’t dampen our spirits. Over two bustling days, we delved into every detail of our upcoming meeting at the University of Oslo. From scoping out the fantastic conference spaces to fine-tuning catering options. We collaborated with IT and budgeting teams, met with UiO’s security staff for a thorough risk assessment, and strategized with Ivar Sønbø Kristiansen, Chair of our local sponsorship outreach. Between meetings, we took a few moments to bask in the vibrant atmosphere of Oslo, snapping memorable photos at landmarks. Here are the three of us at the Oslo City Hall (where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually).

We capped off our last day by exploring potential dinner venues for our “Dinner with Experts” in the vibrant waterfront area of Aker Brygge. This lively spot combines modern architecture with stunning views of the Oslo fjord. But the fjord is meant for more than just admiring; why not partake in a unique Norwegian tradition that involves enjoying a sauna followed by a refreshing dip in the water? This custom not only promotes relaxation but also invigorates the body, providing a quintessential Scandinavian experience. Floating saunas are scattered throughout the city center, and they are a popular choice for both after-work relaxation and social evenings with friends.

We have some exciting collaborations in the works for issue panels and symposia. Stay tuned as our Call For Abstracts goes out on Monday!

EMPOWERING GLOBAL VOICES IN MEDICAL DECISION MAKING: A PHD STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE AT THE 47TH SMDM ANNUAL MEETING, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, USA

By Austin Gideon Adobasom-Anane, PhD Student and LMIC Member
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine |Ghana| 

With immense gratitude and pride, I recount my experience as a PhD student and a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) member at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making (SMDM), held from 15 to 18 June 2025 at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. This life-changing opportunity was made possible through a generous travel scholarship from the SMDM, a gesture that truly embodies the Society’s commitment to inclusive, equitable health and decision science research and global dialogue. 

Attending the SMDM 2025 meeting was nothing short of transformative. As a young researcher working on neglected tropical diseases and health systems decision-making in rural Ghana, the conference exposed me to cutting-edge methods in medical decision science, implementation research, and policy evaluation. 

From pre-meeting workshops to plenary sessions, oral and poster presentations, I engaged with researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and students from diverse backgrounds. I presented findings from my doctoral work, titled “Slithering Choices-Attributes Influencing Snakebite Treatment-Seeking Behaviour in Ghana: A Qualitative Discrete Choice Study,” receiving insightful feedback from leading scholars, and engaging in robust discussions that challenged my perspectives and enriched my thinking and that will shape the next phase of my research and its real-world impact. 

SMDM25 provided a unique platform for mentorship, collaboration, and inspiration. Beyond the sessions, networking with peers and mentors from around the world was a highlight. I connected with fellow researchers tackling similar challenges in different contexts, forged potential research collaborations, and met scholars whose work I have long admired. These interactions were not only professionally rewarding but also personally affirming. A reminder that despite geographic and economic differences, we are united by a shared commitment to advancing knowledge and improving lives. 

The experience has already begun to ripple outward. I have returned home with fresh ideas, renewed motivation, and a deeper understanding of where my work fits in the global research ecosystem. I have shared insights with colleagues, incorporated new approaches into my analysis, and begun planning collaborative projects that emerged from conversations at the conference. 

For students and LMIC members like me, scholarships such as this are not just financial assistance; they are enablers of equity, excellence, and engagement. They ensure that voices from low-and middle-income countries are present in global dialogues and that research from underrepresented contexts contributes to shaping the future of science and policy. 

Without the SMDM 2025 LMIC/Trainee Scholarship, attending this prestigious gathering would have been financially impossible. This support did more than cover travel costs, accommodation and meals; it opened a door to professional visibility, global knowledge exchange, and a renewed motivation to contribute meaningfully to health decision science. 

I am deeply thankful to the SMDM leadership, the scholarship committee, and donors whose generosity made my participation possible. This experience has expanded my worldview, sharpened my research focus, and deepened my resolve to mentor others in similar contexts. 

To current and prospective donors: your support is not just a travel grant — it’s an investment in the future of global health equity, ensuring that other promising researchers from resource-limited settings can also benefit from such transformative opportunities. Together, we can build bridges that span continents, connect ideas, and shape a more equitable scientific future. It empowers researchers from underrepresented regions to contribute their insights, shape the discourse, and foster locally grounded solutions that benefit all. 

I left Ann Arbor, Michigan, not just with new ideas and connections, but with hope — that as more LMIC researchers are included, the field of medical decision making will continue to grow in relevance, richness, and reach. 

Let’s keep the doors open. Let’s keep the conversation global. 

I am eagerly looking forward to meeting these wonderful SMDM members in Oslo at SMDM26.  

Many thanks with warm greetings from Ghana. 

Austin Gideon Adobasom-Anane 

SMDM 2025 LMIC/Trainee Scholarship awardee 

UPCOMING EDUCATION EVENTS

Register for one of our upcoming Virtual Courses. Registration is open for 4 Virtual Courses offered before the end of 2025. Late rates begin 7 days before each course. Click on each image to learn more and register.

Registration Rates:

Click on the image for each SMDM Committee event below to learn more and register. These events are open to members and non-members alike, and registration is complimentary.

Click on the image for each SIG event below to learn more and register. SIG events are open to members and non-members alike, and registration is complimentary.

We are now preparing the 2025 Brunswik Society Newsletter. We look forward to your contributions to this year’s newsletter!

The Brunswik Society Newsletter offers researchers in the field the opportunity to present and share their work with other members. As in previous years, the 2025 newsletter will have an ISSN (2296-9926), meaning contributions will be included in international databases.

We welcome newsletter contributions about your research projects, conference experiences, questions and interests of theoretical or empirical character, publications, job opportunities, future congresses and conferences, seminars, workshops, and/or new literature related to Egon Brunswik’s concepts and theory building (e.g., representative design, the lens model, Brunswik symmetry). We greatly appreciate developments of Brunswik’s ideas, as well as of the ideas of Kenneth R. Hammond (1917-2015). Contributions that pay tribute to his enormous work for the Society are also welcome.

We look forward to contributions from students and junior researchers. It would be a pleasure for us to inform the Brunswik Society about projects using Brunswikian methods and your thoughts on Brunswikian theory.

Please submit your contribution (about 200 – max. 1000 words, 1 to 3 pages) by November 1, 2025. A contribution template is available (Here you find also a copy of the 2024 newsletter). It is more appropriate to submit a readable summary of a project and its results, than to send in a formal scientific report. Please send your contribution along with the following information to Esther Kaufmann:

• Title
• Name of author(s)
• Institution(s)
• Country(ies)
• Email address of the first author

Confirmation of the receipt of your contribution will be sent. Please feel free to contact us at the above email address if you have any additional questions.

Furthermore, please let us know of any Brunswikian papers that might interest the group, so that we may invite the authors to participate in the Society and the newsletter.

We look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your support.

Thank you,

Kylie Molinaro, James Adaryukov, August Collsiöö, Rob Hamm, Esther Kaufmann and Felix Kerscher for the Brunswik Society

Here are the most recent job opportunities since our last newsletter.

Postdoc positions in the Yale Cancer Prevention and Control Program

We are recruiting a postdoctoral fellow, with a particular interest in decision/simulation modeling and cost-effectiveness analysis. Please see more info here.

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