The CSIS Global Health Policy Center hosted an event entitled, “Outcomes from the Durban International AIDS Conference” on Wednesday August 3, 2016. I went to this event to hear updates from the 2016 International AIDS Conference from some of the key players in attendance and to hear a perspective on what the outcomes of this conference were. Overall, the speakers seemed to have a message of positivity, and of moving in the right direction, despite some setbacks in the field which includes a decrease in worldwide funding.

The first panelist was Chris Beyrey, President of International AIDS Society, who highlighted some important takeaways. According to Beyrey, more of the abstracts submitted were scientific, about 4%, than in any previous year. He also noted that a majority of the first authors were women. As a woman in the science field, I appreciated this being addressed as a positive change for the conference and am always comforted to know that women in science are a welcome and important asset. Beyrer stated one thing he wanted to emphasize was that it is “too soon to declare victory” in HIV and TB research, and that there is still much more to be done in these fields. He went on to summarize the findings from the five scientific tracks: basic research, clinical science, epidemiology, prevention research, and implementation science. Overall, I found Beyrey to give a very positive outlook on where the field is, and where it should go by focusing on the need for continued funding and research to end future HIV incidence.

Another panelist, Deborah Birx who is the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and the U.S. Special Representative for Global health Diplomacy, shared a very poignant experience about the conference. Birx shared about a performance from four vocalists, who are all very prominent soloists, and how they mastered the art of knowing when to shine solo and when to sing backup. She tied this to the field of HIV and how she felt the conference really exemplified how members of the field have begun to master the art of sharing the spotlight to progress the overall goals.

I really appreciated Birx’s analogy and thought about how grateful I am to be a part of a field that truly cares about the advancement of human health. My time at the Forum has shown me that people from every agency, whether regulators such as the FDA, researchers, academics, or individuals in industry who design and market medicines, there are people who are willing to put aside competition and ego to advance the science of their field forward. People are, at the end of the day, passionate about controlling infectious diseases and other health threats.

This notion was further reiterated as the Vice President of Kaiser Family Foundation discussed her excitement over the level of collaboration and new participants at this conference. She stated that although the weight of the global state of affairs is heavy at the moment, the people who are passionate about these topics are ready to continue the fight.

Many of the speakers also spoke of the excitement of “the next generation” and how they continue to be inspired by the passion of up-in-comers in the field. They spoke of the excitement that they felt knowing their passions and their life’s works would be taken up by capable and equally passionate individuals. As a newcomer to the field of public health, it is heartwarming and inspiring to know people who have contributed so much to the field look forward to training those of us just getting started!