Call for applications for the position of: AO Trauma Research Commission Chairperson

Dear members of AO Trauma,

We are happy to announce the call for applications for the prestigious position of:

  • Chairperson of the AO Trauma Research Commission

The AO Trauma Research Commission (AOTRC) is the highest research governance body of AO Trauma globally. It is constituted by the chairpersons of the five regional Research Committees (Asia Pacific, Europe and Southern Africa, Latin America, Middle East and Northern Africa and North America).

The AOTRC Chairperson is a full member of the AO Trauma International Board (AOTIB). The role also includes membership of the AO R&D platform.

Terms of office

The term of the current AOTRC Chairperson, Pol Maria Rommens (Germany) will end on June 30, 2024. Based on the Terms of Reference of the AOTRC, the terms of the new AOTRC Chairperson will be as follows:

  • July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024: one (1) year term as AOTRC Chairperson-elect
  • July 1, 2024* – June 30, 2028: four (4) years term as AOTRC Chairperson

* The change of office of the chairperson always takes place after the meeting of the Assembly of Trustees. The administrative cut-off is end of June.

Eligibility for the AOTRC Chairperson

In order to be considered for nomination by the Nomination Committee (NomCom), candidates must be a paying AO Trauma member, and fulfill one of the following criteria:

  • Be a current or past member of any AO Trauma Global Commission (Education, Research or Community Development), or
  • Be a current or past member of any AO Trauma Regional Board (Asia Pacific, Europe and Southern Africa, Latin America, Middle East and Northern Africa and North America).

In addition, the candidates must also fulfill the requirements specified in the referenced job description. A same function can only be held once by the same person.

Electorate and voting mechanism

Based on the Terms of Reference of the AOTRC, the following voting mechanism applies:

  • Electorate: voting members of the AOTIB
  • Each voting member has one (1) vote
  • The electorate will be informed by email. The votes will be cast anonymously through the AO Trauma e-voting mechanism.

Nomination and electoral process

  • All interested and qualified candidates must submit by November 18, 2022 midnight (Zurich time) via the online application system:
  • The NomCom will review all applications and approve the eligible candidates by November 25, 2022
  • The election will run from November 28 to December 16, 2022
  • The election process is carried out according to the first-past-the-post logic:
    • Multiple run-off electronic voting process through the AO Trauma Software tool.
    • If a candidate reaches an absolute majority in any round, he/she is elected
    • The candidate with the least votes is eliminated at each round
    • Another round is carried out as long as no candidate reaches an absolute majority
  • The elected candidate has to be confirmed by the AOTIB in January 2023
  • The NomCom will then ratify the election process, inform the candidates of the election outcome, and announce the result on the AO Trauma website

We encourage you to apply for this important and prestigious position. As AOTRC Chairperson, you will be able to actively shape the future success of AO Trauma globally.

Thank you for your interest and support.

Yours sincerely,

AOTRC Nomination Committee

Michael Baumgaertner (Chairperson AOTIB)
Pol Maria Rommens (Chairperson AOTRC)
Rodrigo Pesantez-Hoyos (Chairperson AOTLA)