Val was a co-originator of SciMix.  After seeing at the national meetings so many young attendees with no one to talk with, Val came up with the idea of having a large poster session with presentations from all of the sub-fields.  She reasoned that a discussion on the research findings would open the door for a wider conversation, foster networking, and help them find a home in the Society.   
 
SciMix has become the most popular event at the national meetings and has attracted tens of thousands of attendees.