Earlier this month, the American Crystallographic Association convened Special Interest Group (SIG) officers, new leaders, and members of Council for a focused discussion on the future of SIG engagement and the long-term strength of the Association.

The meeting highlighted both the ACA’s strong foundation and an important opportunity ahead. While the annual meeting remains central to our community, members are increasingly looking for ways to connect, contribute, and engage throughout the year. SIGs play a critical role in making that happen by providing smaller, interest-driven communities where members can participate more deeply—at any career stage and from anywhere.

During the meeting, SIG officers shared updates from the past year and discussed several new initiatives aimed at supporting year-round engagement, clarifying timelines, and strengthening communication between SIGs, Council, and ACA Headquarters. These include clearer expectations for SIG activities, an emphasis on virtual participation to broaden access, and new support structures to help SIGs succeed.

A key new initiative is the ACA Leadership Track, designed to identify and mentor future SIG leaders early while offering meaningful professional development opportunities—particularly for early- and mid-career members. Council–SIG officer pairings were also introduced to strengthen collaboration and ensure SIGs have direct points of support.

If you’re an ACA member looking to get more involved, now is the time:

• Attend your SIG’s virtual meetings

• Volunteer to help with a SIG activity

• Express interest in future leadership opportunities

SIGs are the heart of year-round engagement within the ACA, and your participation helps ensure a vibrant, connected, and sustainable Association for the future.

More details and resources will be shared with SIG officers soon. In the meantime, members are always welcome to reach out to their SIG leadership or ACA Headquarters to learn how to get involved.