It is with great humility and gratitude that I write my first President’s Message for IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine. What a great privilege it is to serve you as the president of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S). I’d like to thank our AP-S members for their trust, and I will do my best for our Society and members to achieve our potential during these unprecedented times. I have been a member of AP-S for more than 40 years and have seen firsthand both our Society and our field progress to new heights over the years. I am sure that, with all of us working and collaborating together, this trend will only continue.

I am writing this message on 27 November 2020, amid the news of the continuing global pandemic. It has been with us for almost a year now, no matter where we live. Much, but not all, has changed. This pandemic has, without a doubt, left its mark on society, and, as we have already witnessed over the course of the last year, we will need to continue to be ready for and adapt to disruption.

Rest assured, however, that our Society is in exceptionally good shape. I thank each and every one of you for your services to our organization, which has led to us remaining a prominent Society among the 39 at IEEE. We have close to 10,000 members and approximately 200 Chapters and joint Chapters. The magnificent efforts of the many volunteers who have served the Society and continue to do so in various capacities have made us what we are now. I would also like to acknowledge the services of all committee members, chairs, and other volunteers, including those who have passed their responsibilities on to other members. This last group has served the Society diligently, working with incoming members to continue to build on our institutional knowledge. These efforts have helped us maintain our excellence.

I express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Mahta Moghaddam, who diligently and gracefully provided wonderful leadership, guided us through this uncharted territory, and helped me transition to my current role. I am also grateful to our past presidents, members of the Administrative Committee(AdCom), and countless other members of the Society whom I have known and learned from over the years. I would like to extend a warm welcome to our president-elect, Prof. Gianluca Lazzi and to our newly elected AdCom members: Prof. Magda El-Shenawee, Prof. Kamal Sarabandi, Prof. Branislav Notaros, and Prof. Kwai-Man-Luk. Each of them brings a wealth of experience to AP-S.

Many members have contacted me to express their vision and ideas for the way forward; this has led to productive discussions that I appreciate and hope will continue. I am always open to feedback, suggestions, criticism, or even complaints. I would also like to urge and encourage our younger members and future leaders, from various regions in the world, to become more involved in our activities and share their interests and ideas.

The way ahead is challenging but not void of opportunity. Let us unite to embrace these new boundary conditions and strengthen our resolve to continue our important mission. I hope that all of you and your loved ones are well and staying safe.