Post Detail

Injury and violence are among the leading causes of death worldwide, resulting in approximately 4.4 million fatalities – and millions more non-fatal injuries – globally each year. Originally founded as a volunteer-led professional consortium in 1997, the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR) provides leadership and fosters excellence in the science of violence and injury prevention. As the field grows, so does the demand for skilled researchers from a diversity of disciplines and backgrounds and the need for SAVIR to provide resources and support for them.

Within this environment, SAVIR also finds itself at a critical time in its history. In the last year, the organization began the shift away from its historic volunteer-driven operational model and hired an executive director and managing director to oversee all operations and administrative activities. At the same time, SAVIR undertook a brand refresh, built out a new online presence, and signed a partnership agreement with Safe States, renewed annually for up to five years.

Looking to maximize the efficiency, effectiveness, and overall sustainability of those efforts, as well as develop a tactical roadmap for the coming fiscal years, SAVIR leadership underwent a strategic planning project that included stakeholder interviews, organizational infrastructure analysis, review of current and past communications and other outreach, and evaluation of an internally led risk assessment. This resulted in detailed recommendations, summarized here:

MISSION

The mission of the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR) is to promote high-quality research in violence and injury prevention and to translate and disseminate research findings across the spectrum of science, practice, and policy communities through research, research dissemination, advocacy, and training.

VISION

The Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR) aims to be the leading scientific organization dedicated to advancing the science of injury and violence prevention, helping build a well-trained pipeline of researchers across industries, and fostering linkages between the science community and the practice and policy communities.

STATED PURPOSES

The leading professional organization fostering excellence in the science of injury and violence prevention (IVP), SAVIR helps members connect with colleagues, learn new skills, share their research, and advance the field. Our work centers on the areas of advocacy, education, and training with specific focus on the following purposes: 

Advocacy

• Advocating for sustained research funding broadly, including government/public funding and private philanthropic investment
• Educating policymakers on the science of IVP and evidence-based solutions and serving as a resource for evidence-based policy solutions and the importance of funding
  

Education

•  Connecting members to achieve better science outcomes 
• Providing resources and advancing standards for best practices in research methodology and practice
  

Training and Mentorship

• Cultivating a diverse community of injury and violence prevention professionals, enriching connections with senior colleagues, and helping students and early career researchers and practitioners find their place in the field. 
• Cultivating training across the career lifespan to encourage IVP researchers to stay in the field and move into leadership positions taking IVP with them
• Extending intentional outreach aimed at drawing a diversity of people and fresh perspectives to the field
• Training the interdisciplinary research workforce of the future.
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