Dr. Hedglin was elected as Co-chair of the “DNA Repair & Mutagenic Mechanisms” Special Interests Group of the Environmental Mutagenesis & Genomics Society (EMGS). The Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are the heart of the EMGS. Special Interests Groups are collaborative structures where scientists from different backgrounds (academia, government, and industry) and career stages (students, new investigators, early and established career scientists) can meet and collaborate about a specific area of science related to the genome. SIG meetings at the annual meeting provide a space for free-from discussion and short presentations of the key challenges and current research. This is the place where students, new investigators and seasoned experts in the field will interact in an informal setting. The SIGs are also responsible for creating proposals for content for the symposia and keynote speakers for the annual meetings. In between annual meetings each SIG organizes webinars to keep the discussions going. SIGs collaborate regularly to create new viewpoints and connections.

In addition to serving as Co-chair of the “DNA Repair & Mutagenic Mechanisms” SIG, Dr. Hedglin also serves EMGS as a member of the Endowment board, the Finances & Fundraising Committee, and the Awards & Honors Committee. He is also the organizer and chair  for the “Environmental toxicants and genome integrity: The regulation and roles of DNA polymerases“ symposium at the 56th Annual Meeting of the EMGS in Rochester, NY in 2025 (for more information click here) and the co-chair of the Program Committee for the virtual edition of the 56th Annual Meeting of the EMGS.