A. John Popp, MD, was elected the 1999-2000 Vice President of The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at the AANS Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, April 24-29, 1999. An active member of the AANS since 1980, he has served as Editor of the AANS Bulletin (1998-present); Associate Editor of NEUROSURGERY://ON-CALL® (1998-present); member of the Washington Committee (1998-present); and as an AANS Director-At-Large (1995-1998).

Dr. Popp is Professor, and Henry and Sally Schaffer Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Albany Medical College (Albany, New York), as well as Surgeon-in-Chief of Albany Medical Center Hospital, director of the Medical Center's Neurosurgical Residency Training Program and Chairman of the Operating Committee of the faculty practice.

He grew up in Perry, New York, and, after earning his bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester, Dr. Popp received his medical degree from Albany Medical College. Soon after, he completed his internship at Queen's Hospital and his surgical residency at Albany Medical Center Hospital. In 1969, he was commissioned to the U.S. Air Force in Japan to serve as a surgeon until 1971. Following his military service, Dr. Popp returned to Albany Medical Center Hospital to undertake his neurosurgical residency.

In addition to his involvement in the AANS, Dr. Popp has served as a member of the New York State Neurosurgical Society's Board of Directors (1995-present); as a delegate to the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies (1993-1996); as President of the Hudson/Mohawk Clinical Neurosciences Society (1992-present); and as a member of the Society of Neurological Surgeon's Program Committee.

An active clinician and researcher, Dr. Popp has authored numerous books and articles for scientific journals on such topics as aneurysms, vascular malformations and tumors. In addition, he recently served as Editor-in-Chief of The Primary Care of the Brain and Spine -- a textbook designed to assist primary care physicians in managing patients with neurological disorders.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, The American Association of Neurological Surgeons is a scientific and education association with approximately 5,300 members in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members must be certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgeons. Neurosurgery is the medical specialty dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the nervous system, brain, spinal cord and spinal column.