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Sharon Dell, BEng, MD, FRCPC, ATSF
Assembly Chair

Welcome to the Assembly on Pediatrics of the American Thoracic Society! We are an active assembly with diverse membership focused on child respiratory health. We have many exciting opportunities for those who are interested in getting involved in the Assembly as shown by the number of committees, interest groups, and working groups listed below. 

Our mission is to promote the respiratory health of infants, children and adolescents and to improve the care of children with respiratory disease through research, education, patient care, and advocacy. We strive to improve the lung health of all children and advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.  The Assembly includes specialists in pediatric pulmonology, neonatology, sleep medicine, pediatric critical care, allergy-immunology, and nursing, united in a common goal of understanding, improving, and advocating for the respiratory health of children.  Nearly 75% of ATS members with Pediatrics as their primary assembly choose to be members of other assemblies, further reflecting our diverse interests. The Assembly also has an active international community, and we strive to expand our membership beyond North America.  If interested, please visit the Virtual International Pediatric Pulmonary Network.

The Pediatrics Assembly is committed to helping students, residents, fellows and junior faculty pursue a career focused on childhood respiratory health. Opportunities to encourage medical students and residents attend the International Conference include the Student Scholars Program and the Pediatric Resident Development Scholarship program.  The Resident Boot Camp and Fellows Track Symposium are programs for incoming fellows and fellows in training respectively.  The ATS New Faculty Boot Camp (NFBC) program targets members in training who are within a year of transitioning to their first academic faculty position.  Scholarships to participate in the International Conference are also available to minority and international mentees.  Details of these opportunities are found on the ATS website.  The mentorship and apprenticeship programs are available to junior faculty who have completed training but seek greater involvement in ATS.  The Pediatric Division Directors Association and Pediatric Program Training Directors Association have focused on workforce issues related to the pipeline, training, and future of Pediatric Pulmonology, and we continue to address issues related to diversity and inclusion.

The Pediatrics Assembly highlights scientific advances and educational updates through multiple venues. The Web Committee delivers content throughout the year, including webinars, journal clubs, podcasts, Quick Hits, and Team InstaTweet.  The Program Committee organizes Pediatrics Assembly programming at the International Conference and is responsible for selecting scientific symposia and programming scientific abstracts, organized in mini-symposia, poster discussion sessions, and thematic poster sessions.  Some of the most popular sessions featuring trainees include Pediatric Clinical Chest Rounds, a discussion of 4 interesting case reports by trainees and faculty, and the “Best of Pediatrics” Mini-Symposia of the highest ranked abstracts across multiple disciplines within pediatrics.  The Planning Committee of the Assembly promotes the development of clinical practice guidelines, technical statements, and workshop reports specific to pediatric respiratory health. 

The Executive Committee for the Scientific Assembly on Pediatrics is:

Assembly Chair: Sharon Dell, BSc, MD, FRCP(C), ATSF
Past Assembly Chair/ Nominating Committee Chair: Paul E. Moore, MD, ATSF
Incoming Assembly Chair: Terri Laguna, MD, MSci
Program Committee Chair: Benjamin Kopp, MD, MPH, ATSF, FAAP
Program Committee Chair Elect: Erick Forno, MD, MPH, ATSF
Planning Committee Chair: Sharon A. Mcgrath-Morrow, MD
Co-Web Directors: Maria Teng Santiago, MD
Early Career Professionals Working Group Chair: Kristie R. Ross, MD, MS
PEDS International Relations Working Group Co-Chairs: Laura Gochicoa, MD & Ozge Yilmaz, MD
ATS Interest Group on Neonatal and the Developing Lung Chair Trent E. Tipple, MD,  &  Laurie Christine Eldredge, MD, PhD, Co-Chair
Interest Group on Pulmonary Complications of Childhood Cancer Chair: Samuel B. Goldfarb, MD
Interest Group on Children’s Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease Research Network (chILDRN) Chair: Alicia Casey, MD
ATS / SIMRI Interest Group Chair: Enrico Lombardi, MD
Division Director’s Chair: Cori Daines, MD
Pediatric Pulmonology Training Director’s Association President: Ben Nelson, MD
Science and Innovation (SIC) PEDS Representative: Matt D. McGraw, MD
PEDS Advocacy Advisory Group,Chair: Christy Sadreameli, MD, MHS
SRN Assembly on PEDS Sleep Issues PEDS Liaison: Laura M. Sterni, MD
Chair Appointees: Paul David Robinson, MD, MRCPCH, FRACP, PhD, Christopher A Gerdung, MD, FRCPC,  Robyn T. Cohen, MD, MPH, and Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir, MD, MS
Apprentice: Marie Wright, MBChB, MRCPCH

Your input and feedback are always welcome. You can contact the assembly by email at peds@thoracic.org.