SIMB has recently signed a memorandum of understanding together with the Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (KMB) to foster the collaboration between the two societies in areas of mutual interest.

SIMB has recently signed a memorandum of understanding together with the Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (KMB) to foster the collaboration between the two societies in areas of mutual interest. Both societies have a shared interest in advancing microbial sciences and promoting scientific exchange between universities and industry. In the past, KMB has co-sponsored the SIMB Natural Products meeting. The intent of this agreement is that we expand the collaboration across the breadth of topics in industrial microbiology and biotechnology. One of the goals in SIMB’s strategic plan is to “Expand our global reach” which this agreement will help achieve. The agreement came out of efforts of the SIMB International Outreach Committee, chaired by Susanne Kleff at Michigan State, and we want to thank the committee and the KMB representatives for their efforts in establishing this new relationship.

One outcome of this agreement is that SIMB and KMB will each send two speakers to the other society’s Annual Meeting. George Garrity, SIMB Past President, and I as current SIMB President will speak at the 2018 KMB International Symposium & Annual Meeting which will be held June 27−29, 2018 in Yeosu, South Korea. Dr. Yong-Keun Chang, President of KMB and Dr. Soo-Wan Nam, Executive Director of KMB will be speaking in the “Frontiers in fermentation: uncommon microbes” session at the 2018 SIMB Annual meeting in Chicago. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Chang and Dr. Nam and other KMB members to our Annual Meeting in Chicago and to a fruitful collaboration between the two societies.