Before becoming a member of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) and attending the annual meeting, I was not all that familiar with San Diego. Sure, we had visited a time or two as kids, but geez, that was a long time ago. Now we go so often, San Diego seems like a second office to us.
I jest, but not really. According to the ASHG archives of past meetings, San Diego first became a venue for the meeting back in 1977. The meeting did not return to this west coast spot until ten years later in 1987.
My dear readers, I may be old, but I am not that old.
I didn’t catch the San Diego ASHG sunshine until October 2001. Incidentally, the 2001 meeting was a bit somber and slightly lower in attendance than the year’s past meeting given the previous month’s national emergency. Both domestic and international travelers were still wary, and many cancelled reservations that were made for the meeting months in advance. For me, that time was filled with mixed emotions as I had just gotten married, and my husband and I flew directly to the meeting from our honeymoon.
Six years later, the meeting ended up back on these west coast shores. The 2007 ASHG in San Diego promised to be up beat and fun as I was relatively new faculty and I had a student. To boot, our larger group of faculty and students all planned to go. Planned, that is, until the Santa Ana winds whipped up the biggest wildfires ever experienced by the region just a few days before the start of the meeting. The literal ring of fire and the poor air quality associated with it forced many colleagues and their trainees to cancel. I, as did others, soldiered on and attended the ASHG meeting along with the dinner organized for our past and future colleagues. Dr. Marylyn Ritchie organized this dinner but ended up cancelling her trip to ASHG because of the fires. That would explain why so many of us went off menu that night…
A then almost-Dr. Will Bush with now chair Dr. Stephan Zuchner (University of Miami; 2007). 
Drs. Dana Crawford and then post-doctoral fellow Jake McCauley (now Associate Professor at University of Miami) enjoying the grappa because, why not? (2007) 
Dr. Bill Scott before the post-grappa bill came (2007). 
Dr. Mark Rieder (then at the University of Washington) and Laura Witrak cutting a rug at the Illumina party (2007).
Of course, modern-day ASHG is not complete without a party or two. This ASHG was the first Illumina hometown party, and they pulled out all the stops. I barely missed the hip hop dancers, but was there in time to see some Seattle colleagues try their best.
In between scientific sessions, I also managed to squeeze in a trip with my husband to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Suffice to say, the lines were really short that week.
ASHG in San Diego seems to have hit its stride with a meeting in 2014. With almost 8,500 registrants, the 2014 meeting was one of highest attended meetings to that point. For us as faculty, the PhD program was mature and we had many past and present students attend and present their science at the meeting.
Now Drs. Mary Davis, Carissa (Iverson) Jones and already Dr.Marylyn Ritchie (2014). 
Analyst extraordinaire Yuki Bradford along with Assistant Professor Nanibaa’ Garrison and now Dr. Jennifer Malinowski (2014). 
They’re all PhDs now! Drs. Carissa Iverson, Timothy O’Brien, and Corinne Simonti (2014). 
A trio from the Bush lab: now Drs. Alex Fish, Mike Sivley, and Jake Hall (2014). 
Double trouble at the oral presentations: Dr. Janina Jeff and now Dr. Matt Oetjens (2014). 
Now Associate Professor at University of Iowa Kelli Ryckman with Dana Crawford (2014). 
Drs. Bill Scott and Scott Williams, missing William Scott Bush (2014).
Genetics of eye diseases represent at ASHG 2014 with Dr. Jessica Cooke Bailey 
and Dr. Nicole Restrepo (2014)!
(You know I have my 2014 badge…)
So that brings us to 2018.
After all these years, 2018 will stand out for me for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I was elected a member of the ASHG board of directors. Although my term officially started January 2019, the new roster was already being announced at the 2018 meeting. I am very honored to have had my colleagues vote for me, and I intend to make the most of my tenure.
The new faces of ASHG’s board. I really regret not having a new headshot ready (2018).
Second, I was cordially invited to participate as a panelist with Dr. Janina Jeff at the ASHG Diversity Breakfast. I am proud that our society has taken the issue of diversity in the biomedical research workforce seriously and has organized several, new activities to boost diversity in ASHG membership and leadership. 2019 will be even more exciting with the new Human Genetics Scholars Initiative.
ASHG diversity breakfast panelist with Dr. Janina Jeff (2018). 
Dr. Janina Jeff, mentor, with her diversity breakfast mentees at ASHG 2018.
Finally, ASHG 2018 was one of the first meetings where I was not responsible for presenting a poster or giving an oral presentation. Sure, I was co-investigator for our work in the Million Veteran Program, but Dr. Rob Igo took the lead in presenting our poster. Normally I would be worried about my reduced visibility at the meeting with the lack of posters, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
Stand in one place long enough, and you’ll bump into a bunch of people you know. Here, I started with Drs. Janina Jeff and Josh Hoffman (2018). 
Then Dr. Jennifer Malinowski stopped by (2018). 
Jennifer moved on, but Dr. Jonathan Haines happened by (2018). 
What’s this–it’s the now Ramblin’ Wreck post-doc Dr. Corinne Simonti (2018)!
Dr. Josh Hoffman chatting everyone up. Here with Drs. Will Bush and Matt Oetjens (2018). 
And now with Drs. Scott Williams, Sudha Iyengar, Will, and Bill Scott (2018).
ASHG was busy as usual, filled with scientific presentations and formal and informal meetings.
On the couch with Dr. Brittany Hollister as she tells me all about her NHGRI fellowship (2018). 
Catching the poster session with CWRU graduate student Andrea Waksmunski (2018). 
Getting a breath of fresh air with Drs. Matt Oetjens and Sarah Pendergrass (2018).
Of course, no ASHG is complete without a party or two.
Dr. Francis Collins and colleauges practice for their ASHG gig as Ethidium Spill (2018). 
Geneticist get their rock on at the Illumina party (2018). 
Dr. Will Bush turned it up to 11 at the Illumina party (2018). 
I am too old for this, with Drs. Jeff and Cooke Bailey (2018). 
Drs. Capra and Bush on the collaborator couch at the Illumina party (2018).
As I have posted before and will surely post again, the best part of ASHG is catching up with colleagues you haven’t seen in a while.
Make new friends, but keep the old. A selfie with Josh Smith (University of Washington) and Dr. Mike Eberle (Illumina). Sorry Illumina guy next to me, I keep forgetting your name (Matt?). 
Dinner with the CWRU crew and Dr. Melinda Aldrich (2018). 
Lunch with Dr. Pat Howard Peebles and PhD mentor Stephanie Sherman. I look like I was photo-shopped in with a moody filter (2018). 
A Bill Scott, William Scott, Scott Williams sandwich. My night is complete (2018).
ASHG can be a long and exhausting meeting, packed with four or five days of new data and ideas. It can be overwhelming at times, but before you know it, it’s all over and planning for 2019 is well underway.
Speaking of 2019, Sarah Pendergrass has a point—so long San Diego, until 2020. For 2019, we’re headed to Houston! See you in H-Town, the big HTX!
