2025–2030 Strategic Plan
Assembled by the 2024–2025 Long-Range Planning Committee: John Kominoski (co-chair), Allison Roy (co-chair), Fred Benfield, Michelle Busch, Checo Colón-Gaud, Amy Hansen, Erin Hotchkiss, Courtney Larson, Meryl Mims, Eric Moody, William Ota, Kelsey Solomon, and Shannon Speir
Vision, Core Values, and Goals
Read the full 2025–2030 Strategic Plan here
Vision
The Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) will be a vibrant, inclusive, and diverse community dedicated to advancing, applying and translating science for the health and vitality of freshwater ecosystems and the services they provide.
Core Values
- Promoting excellence in freshwater science: SFS is dedicated to advancing freshwater science to understand fundamental properties of aquatic ecosystems, promoting interaction across the disciplinary breadth of freshwater science, and applying our science to improve freshwater policy and management.
- Sustaining a supportive, cooperative, and open scientific community: SFS is rooted in a welcoming and collaborative community committed to maintaining and growing that community through its publications, annual meetings, mentoring and training programs and associated activities.
- Advancing diversity, inclusivity and equity in freshwater science: SFS recognizes the inherent value of diversity, inclusivity, and equity in freshwater science. SFS is dedicated to becoming a more diverse and equitable society through inclusion, where all scientists are welcomed and their voices heard, thus promoting diverse perspectives and representation in freshwater science.
- Developing and supporting freshwater scientists: SFS is dedicated to the development of students and early career freshwater scientists and practitioners, and to supporting the continued development of all freshwater scientists throughout their careers.
Goals
Goal 1: Continue and improve communication of freshwater science to policy makers, managers, and the general public.
Goal 2: Improve equity, inclusivity, representation, and a sense of belonging at SFS meetings and within all Society events, activities, and communications, welcoming all.
Goal 3: Increase geographic, demographic, and disciplinary diversity of membership.
Goal 4: Support professional development and training for members, especially students and early career members, through programs and funding.
Goal 5: Support innovation of freshwater science by advancing theories, methodologies, and discoveries, and sharing cutting edge science.6. Support the professional development of all members across all career stages through specific programs and actions.
Goal 6: Build on the SFS Meeting Philosophy to improve the accessibility, affordability, and sustainability of the Annual Meeting to our Society and host communities.
Goal 7: Elevate the reputation and impact of Freshwater Science, the go-to journal for members of SFS, both today and in the future.
Goal 8: Continually seek new and innovative ways to improve communication among and services to our members.
Read the full 2025–2030 Strategic Plan here