Committee Descriptions

The Advocacy Committee identifies and recommends actions on policy and advocacy issues relevant to the mission of USASP. The committee monitors state and federal legislation, regulatory developments, and other initiatives that may impact the pain research and care communities. Based on this landscape, the committee advises the Board of Directors on potential positions, public statements, or strategic actions USASP should consider. It also provides trainings and resources for USASP members to take actions that support pain research and care at the federal level.

 Current Initiatives & Upcoming Projects

• Advocacy for Pain Research and Care in FY27 Appropriations: Working to raise awareness and address internal issues at NIH and other agencies (staffing limits, fewer NOFOs, administrative bottlenecks) that affect pain research and care as well as adding language in FY27 allocation reports to request agency transparency/reporting

• Monitoring Federal Administrative Agency actions and drafting Federal Register responses for the Board/Organization.

• Cross-Committee Collaboration: Working with the Communications Committee to amplify advocacy messaging through social media, newsletters, and podcast content.

• Monitoring Federal and State Policy: Tracking and summarizing proposed legislation and regulatory actions that impact pain research, care, and education to inform USASP leadership and membership.

• Membership Engagement: Developing tools and messaging—such as one-pagers, talking points, and email templates—to empower USASP members to take simple, impactful advocacy actions.

• Communications Training: Because press is an important policy adjunct, providing training and one-on-one support with talking to reporters, writing op-eds, and other forms of media engagement.

The Awards Committee oversees USASP’s recognition programs, celebrating excellence and contributions to the field of pain research. The committee is responsible for managing the annual call for nominations, reviewing applications, and recommending award recipients to the Board of Directors. They also guide other committees that propose new awards and can propose new awards as a committee for Board consideration to ensure continued recognition of achievement across career stages and disciplines. The committee also organizes the final evaluation and presentation of poster awards at the annual meeting. Notable initiatives have included the development of the USASP Fellows Award, the Gold-Haythornthwaite Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Early Career Investigator Poster Awards.

Current Initiatives & Upcoming Projects

• Update Review Criteria: Working to develop clearer review criteria to increase transparency, with a focus on the Lifetime Achievement Award. This will include a review and possible edits to the information in the call for applications for the Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as developing internal review criteria and/or a rubric for committee members. 

• Develop New Awards: exploring opportunities to add new award categories for the 2027 cycle

The Committee on Committees is responsible for identifying, reviewing, and recommending individuals to serve as committee chairs and committee members for all USASP committees. In making appointments, the committee strives to promote diversity, both within individual committees and across the organization as a whole. Scope of committee work: June - August. The committee’s full charter can be viewed (HERE).

The Communications Committee drives USASP’s outreach across social media and other platforms, connecting with the public, educators, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to raise awareness about pain research and treatment. It is divided into two subcommittees to help support these goals, including a subcommittee dedicated to the “OUCH: Talking Pain with USASP” podcast and a subcommittee dedicated to social media efforts. Members participate in monthly meetings and actively contribute to communication tasks such as podcast episode creation, social media posting, and multimedia outreach. Recent accomplishments include building USASP’s presence across four social media accounts and regularly releasing podcast episodes.

Current Initiatives & Upcoming Projects

• Producing the “OUCH: Talking Pain with USASP” Podcast: One of the subcommittees is devoted to developing, recording, and producing new episodes for the OUCH podcast. Several episodes are already planned with brainstorming for new content regularly underway.

• Strategizing How to Boost USASP’s Social Media Presence: Over the next year the social media subcommittee hopes to bolster USASP’s presence on Bluesky and LinkedIn. Our engagement has been highest on LinkedIn, and we are planning to actively pursue further posting using this platform.

• Highlight USASP members and trainees

• Collaborating with Other Committees on Relevant Communications Projects: The Communications Committee collaborates with other USASP committees to lend expertise in science communication. For example, they will be collaborating with the USASP Webinar Subcommittee to help develop a webinar series and pain research-based science communication toolkit for USASP members. They will also continue working with the Advocacy Committee to align messaging about federal changes impacting pain research and care.

The Education and Professional Development Committee is divided into four active subcommittees that support the growth of pain researchers and clinicians at all career stages through high-impact programming and resources. The full committee meets quarterly. Subcommittees typically meet every 1-2 months. During the application process, please indicate which subcommittee(s) you are most interested in joining if selected. These include:

1.  Early Career Forum Planning Subcommittee: Plans the Early Career Forum, a half-day pre-conference event held the day before the USASP Annual Scientific Meeting. Planning begins in the fall. The committee typically meets monthly starting in September until the USASP Annual Meeting, which is typically held in the spring. For next year’s meeting, a goal is to bring back the Mock Study Section panel using the new NIH process and simplified review criteria.  

2.  Webinar Subcommittee: Develops and hosts monthly webinars on a wide range of pain-related topics. In addition to content planning, members may help facilitate discussion with invited speakers.

3.  Leadership Academy Subcommittee: Supports the Leadership Academy, a program designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders in the pain field. Members review applications, refine curriculum, develop and deliver webinars, and contribute to program evaluation. Over the next year, the subcommittee aims to review progress among Leadership Academy participants, implement cross-cohort networking opportunities, and track mentor/mentee progress. More information can be found here: https://www.usasp.org/leadership

 4.  Certificate Program Task Force: This Task Force has been charged with determining whether a formal, structured certification or training curriculum is warranted. The Task Force has completed a member survey to identify unmet education and certification interests, a landscape analysis of existing pain certification programs and will be preparing a formal recommendation to the USASP Board of Directors on the future work of an education or certification committee.   

The Membership Committee is responsible for supporting the growth and engagement of a multidisciplinary and diverse community of pain science professionals, patients, and advocates. The committee leads efforts to recruit new members, retain existing members, and enhance the overall member experience. Members help develop and review policies and procedures related to membership applications and renewals, monitor member needs and priorities to help shape USASP programming and services, collaborate with other USASP committees to ensure initiatives reflect the interests and values of the broader membership.

Current Initiatives & Upcoming Projects

• Strengthening the Member Experience and Value Proposition: Identify and elevate key member offerings that will reinforce USASP’s role as a leading organization in pain science, with a focus on aligning benefits with member needs and career stages.

• Expanding Engagement and Participation: Develop new, flexible pathways for member involvement to fill space between less engaged membership and those active in SIGs and current committees (e.g., create a new abstract review committee).

• Standardizing Membership Structure: Evaluate potential impacts of transitioning from a rolling membership model to a standardized membership cycle to enable more coordinated membership campaigns, improve tracking of key metrics, and streamline administrative processes.

• Improving Clarity and Alignment Across Systems: Continue efforts to standardize membership categories, career stage definitions, and engagement pathways across platforms to reduce confusion and enhance consistency.

• Strengthening Recruitment and Retention: Build on personalized outreach strategies and leverage the broader USASP network to re-engage lapsed members and attract new members. 

The Members Opening Spaces for All Through Involvement & Connection (MOSAIC) Committee supports initiatives aimed at fostering a respectful, collaborative, and supportive professional community across the USASP membership. The committee advises USASP leadership on organizational responses to national policy changes that may impact members, identify and implement initiatives that promote broad engagement and participation, and supports membership and professional development opportunities. The Committee also reviews applications for the USASP High Priority Awards for Early Career Investigators.

Current Initiatives & Upcoming Projects

• Propose the "MOSAIC Connect" Program: The MOSAIC Committee is exploring the development of a new extended professional development and mentoring program for USASP High Priority Early Career Investigators. In the coming year, the committee plans to formalize a proposal to present to the Board, with the goal of launching the program at the 2027 USASP Annual Meeting.

• Scholar Engagement & Community Building: The MOSAIC Committee supports the development of webinars, virtual networking events, and alumni activities to foster long-term engagement and peer support among High Priority Scholars and the broader USASP community.

The Nominations Committee is responsible for managing the nomination process for USASP’s Board of Directors and Officer positions. The committee ensures that the slate of candidates reflects the diversity, disciplines, and composition of the USASP membership. Key responsibilities include:

• Soliciting and reviewing nominations for open Board and Officer positions

• Evaluating nominees for eligibility and qualifications

• Presenting a slate of qualified candidates to the membership for election

Advances USASP’s mission through strategic relationships, community engagement, and collaborative initiatives. The committee identifies and develops partnerships with organizations, institutions, and stakeholder groups aligned with USASP priorities; supports opportunities connected to the Annual Scientific Meeting and other society initiatives; reviews requests for collaborative projects; and helps expand USASP’s public presence, impact, and connections across the pain community.

The PWLE Engagement Committee plays a pivotal role in integrating the voices and perspectives of individuals with lived experience of pain into USASP’s programs, policies, and strategic priorities. This committee is central to ensuring that USASP remains a person-centered organization committed to listening, learning, and acting in line with pain lived experience communities. Committee members collaborate with USASP leadership to implement recommendations from the Patient Involvement Task Force, support the meaningful inclusion of PWLE in USASP activities, foster connections among PWLE and other stakeholders across the pain community, and promote equity, accessibility, and representation for PWLE throughout USASP’s work.

Current Initiatives & Upcoming Projects

• PWLE Engagement Community of Practice: At the 2026 USASP Annual Meeting, The PWLE Engagement Committee launched a new Community of Practice for USASP members who are interested in community/PWLE engagement in pain research. Over the next year, the committee will develop a long-term plan for the Community of Practice, such as leadership, activities, schedule, and recruitment.

• Develop a “Community/PWLE Engagement Hub” on the USASP Website: The committee will work with USASP staff to build out a central place on the USASP website with resources and information about community/PWLE engagement in pain research.

• PWLE Mentorship Program: Develop a PWLE Mentorship Program that matches researchers new to community/PWLE engagement in pain research with those who routinely incorporate engagement in their research.

• PWLE Consultation Panel: Consider development of a PWLE Consultation Panel (if there is a demonstrated need), whereby USASP members can meet with a panel of PWLE to present research aims, protocols, etc., and obtain feedback that is incorporated into their research plans and implementation.

The SPC is responsible for developing the scientific content of the USASP Annual Meeting. The committee brings together members with diverse backgrounds in research, clinical care, lived experiences, and education to ensure a robust and inclusive program that reflects the full breadth of the pain field. The SPC meets throughout the year, with increased involvement in late fall to review the symposia proposals and in December/January to review poster abstracts. In addition to symposium and poster reviews, members also help recommend and recruit plenary speakers (summer) and review and select travel award recipients (Jan/Feb).

Ongoing Initiatives and Priorities for the Upcoming Year

• Maintain and Strengthen Abstract Submissions: Build on the strong volume and quality of abstract submissions while maintaining a scientifically rigorous and inclusive program.

• Expand Breadth of Keynote and Symposia Representation: Prioritize keynote speakers and symposia that bring diverse scientific, clinical, and lived-experience perspectives to the program, informed by lessons learned from the 2026 USASP Annual Meeting.

• Ensure Breadth and Balance in Scientific Coverage: Promote balanced representation across clinical, translational, and basic science perspectives, while incorporating lived-experience perspectives and maintaining attention to emerging and underrepresented areas.

• Promote Diverse Perspectives in Symposia: Encourage symposium proposals that include diversity in discipline, career stage, institutional affiliation, regional representation, and lived experience, while highlighting cross-cutting themes that advance the field.

• Enhance Review Efficiency and Consistency: Implement structured pre-meeting review and prioritization, refine evaluation rubrics to promote greater consistency, and explore a supplemental reviewer pool to help manage workload, including travel award review.

• Embed Equity and Representation in Decision-Making: Continue incorporating principles of equity and broad representation to ensure the meeting remains accessible, inclusive, and reflective of diverse voices.