Many colleagues who have become active in AIS have experienced that their membership has entailed friendships with like-minded people, thanks to Bill Newell's creation of a welcoming atmosphere from which both individuals and the organization have benefitted. Musing upon the words behind the acronym AIS, and anticipating its historic first conference outside North America -- in Amsterdam in 2019 (see http://www.aisconference2019.nl ) -- what follows is a brief reflection upon friendship and interdisciplinary studies and the ways that Bill has connected the two.