Vol. 22, No.3 MayIJune 1995 NEWSLETTER American Society of Plant Physiologists
Inside This Issue.... FOUR ASPP MEMBERS ELECTED TO 2 President's Letter NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
4 Four prominent plant scientists, all Beam on Sectional Societies/ members of ASPP, were elected to mem Section News bership in the National Academy of Sci ences at the Academy's 132nd annual 6 meeting held in Washington, DC, April Annual Meeting Update 25, 1995. The group comprises Bob B. Buchanan, Elliot Meyerowitz, Ron 7-12 Sederoff, and Steven Tanksley. Public Affairs Bob Buchanan, president-elect of ASPP, • House BUdget Cuts is a professor in the Department of Plant • More on Plant Stress Biology at the University of California at • NRICGP Testimony Berkeley. Perhaps his best-known work is • DOE Energy Biosciences his discovery of the ferredoxin/ • NSF Support thioredoxin system. Also, in collaboration • Posters and Exhibits with Daniel Amon and Arnon's associates, he discovered a family of Widespread en 12 zymes that catalyze ferredoxin-dependent How to Make a Poster/ carbon dioxide fixation reactions. This Minority Luncheon/Obituaries work resulted in the discovery of the re ductive carboxylic acid cycle. Buchanan 13 will assume the presidency of the Society ASPP Education Forum on October I, 1995. Bob B, Buchanan, ASPP president-elect, At the California Institute of Technol who is one of four ASPP members recently 16 ogy, Pasadena, Elliot Meyerowitz's recent elected to membership in the National Plant Biochemistry Course work has concentrated in two areas-the Academy of Sciences. The other members so honored are Elliot Meyerowitz, Ron cbnlinued on page 3 Sederoff, and Steve Tanksley. 17 Gatherings
23 Jobs HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR 1995 BALLOT?
Remember to vote for new officers and for proposed amendments to the ASPP Constitution and Bylaws (See President's Letter on page 2.)
Deadline for the July/August 1995 issue To be counted, your ballot of the ASPP Newsletter must be received by June 23. is July I, 1995. 2 ASPP Newsletter ASPP President Jim Siedow Urges Approval of Amendments to the Constitu-~ion and Bylaws Members Have Opportunity to Make Historic Change with Creation of ASPP Education Foundation
Before getting into the message about ASPPEF. As noted previously, so in a rapid manner. ASPP public portion of this newsletter, let me offer the executive committee was unani affairs director, Brian Hyps, has my congratulations to the four ASPP mous in its endorsement of ASPPEF. developed a range of potential re members who were recently added to The Education Foundation has been set sponses that the ASPP can undertake. the membership of the National up to be a "tub on its own bottom." Some responses are targeted directly at Academy of Sciences: president-elect ASPPEF will be able to support only the more influential members of the Bob Buchanan, Elliot Meyerowitz, Ron those activities for which it can raise Congressional budget process, while Sederoff, and Steve Tanksley (see page funds. One million dollars of the ASPP others are designed to make certain 1). The addition of so many plant general endowment has been desig members of Congress aware how of scientists to the Academy clearly nated for use as the ASPPEF endow proposed budget cuts will affect their reflects the enhanced stature of plant ment, but only 5% ($50,000) of that specific district. As ASPP members, you science research in recent years, and we sum is available to be spent, consistent may soon be called upon by either look forward to more additions in the with ASPP's current endowment Brian or the committee on public affairs, future. spending policy. Finally, the existence with very short notice, to contact your I do not plan to bombard you in this of the ASPPEF will have no impact on Congressional representative and let newsletter with too much verbiage, but the future cost of subscriptions, either him or her know how important a rather would like to remind you of two institutional or individual, or on annual particular science funding program is to responsibilities that fall to each of you dues. both their district, specifically, and the as members of ASPP. By now you To the extent that ASprEr is success future well-being of the nation, more should have received your election ful at raising funds, the Society will be generally. ballots. In addition to voting for the in a position to implement many of the It is unrealistic in. this period of officers who will lead the society in excellent ideas that members have rampant budget cutting to argue for coming years, there are a set of pro brought before the executive committee increased spending for programs of posed amendments to the ASPP in recent years that were not under importance to ASPP members. How constitution. All the proposed changes taken for lack of funds. Additional ever, as Congress faces the inevitable have been reviewed and approved by details regarding the ASPPEF, includ fiscal realities of trying tu balance the the constitution and bylaws committee, ing its goals and its organization can be budget with so many major items not and they all received the unanimous found on page 31 of this newsletter. yet on the table, silence on the part of endorsement of the ASPP executive ASPP's ability in the future to respond any vested community may be taken as committee at its winter meeting. to the needs of its membership and to an indication that additional cuts can be I do not want to understate the promote the interests of the plant absorbed by that particular group. As importance of any of the other pro sciences will depend on the success of members of the ASPP, we must make posed changes, but I would like to the ASPPEF. I strongly encourage you our voices heard. Your willingness to reiterate the case for item number 11 to vote in favor of this proposed participate in this effort, if called upon, (amendment to the constitution), the amendment, as well as the other shuuld be regarded as a professional proposal to establish formally the ASPP changes listed on the ballot. obligation. Any less a response on your Education Foundation (ASPPEF). The The second item that I would like to part could be at the risk of a long-term need for ASPPEF has been detailed in bring to your attention involves the detriment to both the scientific commu previous newsletters by both me and recent announcements to come out of nity generally and the plant sciences my predecessor, Russell Jones. In brief, Congress regarding the House and more particularly. the Society finds itself in the position of Senate versions of the budgets needed wanting and needing to expand its to attain the goal of a balanced budget James N. Siedow activities in areas related to plant by the year 2002. Clearly, we are facing ASPP President, 1994-1995 science education. Carrying out these a period in which there will be little, if Duke University activities will require additional any, growth of federal spending for [email protected] resources. We cannot expect our support of scientific research in the primary source of revenue, institutiunal fureseeable future. A more dire pros subscriptions, to pay those bills, so pect is that some programs that are ASPPEF was set up to identify and very important to ASPP members may raise revenues for deserving projects actually undergo large budget cuts. As that the Society might want to under members of the community of plant take in the future. scientists, we must be prepared to Several points are worth emphasizing respond to budget proposals and to do May/June 1995, Vol. 22, No.3 3 ASPP Officers and Staff continued from page I lecular markers; cloning and characteriz ing many genes involved in wood forma 1994-1995 Officers origin of developmental patterns in flow tion; and genetically engineering conifers. President ers and the mechanism of plant hormone Ron Sederoff is organizer of a James N. Siedow (919-684-6573) action. He and his co-workers have cloned minisymposium to be presented at the President-Elect and sequenced key genes in the ethylene 1995 ASPP annual meeting entitled "Ap Bob B. Buchanan (510-642-3590) Immediate Past President reception pathway that have homology to plication of Biotechnology in Woody Russell L.Jones (510-642-14%) a class of bacterial response regulators, Plants." Secretary thus providing a testable biochemical hy Steven Tanksley, who earned his doc Donald R. Ort (217-333-2093) Treasurer pothesis for the mechanism of ethylene torate in gentics form the University of Mark Jacobs (215-328-8039) action in plants. California at Davis, is Liberty Hyde Bailey Chair. Board ofTrus tees Ron Sederoff is a professor in the De Professor of Plant Breeding at Cornell Larry N. Vanderhoef (916-752-2067) Chair, Publications Committee partment of Forestry at North Carolina University, Ithaca, New York. Tanksley Stanley Raux (512-471-4238) State University, Raleigh. Sederoff received was among a team of Cornell University Elected Members Kenneth Keegstra (517-353-2270) aU of his higher education at UCLA, where scientists who successfuJly cloned the first Elaine M. Tobin (310-825-7700) he earned a doctorate in zoology in 1966. gene for disease resistance in crops by Elizabeth Vierling (602-621-1601) Sederoff's career started with bacterioph using map-based cloning. Sectional Representatives Midweslern age and proceeded through studies with Election to membership in the National Mary Jo Vesper (513-229-2502) Drosophila and maize, but he is best Academy of Sciences is one of the highest Northeastern known for his recent success in applying honors that can be accorded a scientist or Subhash Minocha (603-862-3840) Sot/them molecular genetics to long-standing prob engineer in the United States. The officers William H. Outlaw Jr. (904-644-4020) lems in the understanding of forest trees. and members of ASPP offer their hearti Washington. DC Under Dr. Sederoff's direction, his group est congratulations to these four deserv J. Michael Robinson (301-504-6633) Western has succeeded in identifying quantitative ing plant scientists. Terri Lomax (503-737-5278) trait and disease resistance loci using mo- Headquarters Office 15501 Monona Drive Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA I\JOTE NEW E-MAIL ADDRESSES FOR Phone: 301-251-0560 • Fax: 301-279-2996 Executive director, Kenneth M. Beam. ext. 15 ASPP HEADQUARTERS STAFF (e-mail kenbeam@"spp.org) Director of finance and administration. All staff members at ASPP headquarters now have e-mail Susan K. Chambers. ext. 11 (e-mail [email protected]) access and new e-mail addresses, Please IT'ake note of Accountant, Thomas M. Dushney, ext. It} (e-mail [email protected]) the addresses and begin using them now, Member services coordinator, Sharon Y. Kelly. ext. 29 (e-mail [email protected]) Cathy Balogh. production editor. THE PLANT CELL
One of the great opportunities that I western section in 1955. The New England are very reasonably priced. The registra take enthusiastic advantage of as your group changed its name in 1955 to the tion fee for the typical day and a half executive director is attending the meet Northeastern section to correspond with meeting is about $25, and attendance runs ings of the ASPP sectional societies. I go the enlarged territory represented by the from 70 to 130 members. Meeting orga to as many of these meetings as time af attendance at its meetings. nizers try to hold their meetings at a dif fords because doing so gives me the op Membership in any section is open to ferent location within the region year to portunity to report on the activities at the any ASPP member regardless of his or year, so most members will have a meet headquarters office and, more important, her location. Consider joining a section ing site close by on a fairly frequent basis. to get feedback from the membership on and becoming an active participant in the I urge all members to attend the next the full range of Society activities. The varied and rewarding activities of these sectional meeting in their area. The sci latter is particularly rewarding-our or vibrant organizations. Plenty of volunteer entific presentations are diverse and mean ganization is not unique in that some of jobs need to be filled, and I urge you to ingful, and the smaller, perhaps less in the best and most innovative ideas come contact your sectional leadership to see timidating size of the meeting makes for up from the membership. how you can help. The names of current a relaxed atmosphere that many members ASPP has a proud history with respect officers can be found on page 4 of the enjoy. The most exciting part of these to its sections, going back to the very be annual membership directory. You can meetings is the strong participation by our ginnings of the Society. The first sections join the section when you renew your students and younger members. Sectional began in 1926 as local campus organiza ASPP membership, and the dues are cer meetings are an ideal place for students tions at Purdue University and the Uni tainly reasonable-no section's annual to make their first presentations of re versity uf Minnesota. Regional sections dues are higher than five dollars. My search results. were formed next: New England in 1933, experience has shown me that these sec Currently, 1,271 ASPP members, about Western in 1935, Southern (began as tions are very well managed, and they do 25% of the total membership, are dues Southeastern) in 1939, and Washington, an especially good job in putting on their paying members of their sections. We DC, in 1951. The early campus sections annual meetings. should strive to bring that percentage up had difficulty in maintaining active pro These meetings, because they are as high as possible. grams, and they evolved into the Mid- heavily subsidized by the national ASPP, Kenneth M. Beam Executive Director
SECTION NEWS
Midwest Section rone a-Amylase mRNA in the Absence and Cyanobacteria, co-authored with D. The Midwest Section of ASPP held its of Gibberellic Acid, co-authored with Li, F. Stevens, and L. Anderson). 1995 annual meeting April 7-8 at the Mark Brodl) and Michael Pacold, a Chi The meeting symposium, Anthocyanins, Kellogg Center conference facility on the cago-area high school student working at Thioredoxins, Cabbages and Kings, fea campus of Michigan State University; the the University of Illinois-Chicago (Redox tured speakers John Markwell from the meeting was attended by over ninety reg Modulation and Light Activation of University of Nebraska and ASPP presi istered participants. The research topics NADP-Linked Glyceraldehyde 3-Phos dent-elect, Bob Buchanan from UC-Ber- reflected the diversity of interests and phate Dehydrogenase in Rhodophytes continued on page 5 approaches among the MWASPP mem bership, and included presentations rang ing from the chemistry of natural prod ucts and herbicide physiology to gene iso lation and recombinant protein produc tion and characterization. Research presentation awards were given to Antje Heese-Peck of Michigan State University (Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins from Higher Plants are Modified by Novel Oligosaccharides, co-authored with Natasha Raikhel) and Veerendra Patil of the University of Illinois (Expres sion of an Antifungal Gene, Maize Chitinase, in Tobacco and its Effect on Rhizoctonia solani, co-authored with S. Wu, M. Meyer, and J. Widholm) in the gradu ate student division. Undergraduate MWASPP 1995 Student Competition Award winners (left to right) Michael Pacold. Lori awards were presented to Lori Kreisman Kreisman, Veerendra Pati!, and Antje Heese-P8ck are pictured with symposium speaker of Knox College (Stability of Barley Aleu- John Markwell (center). May/June 1995, Vol. 22, No.3 5
continued from page 4 Washington Area Section keley. Their talks focused on some of the The spring meeting of the Washington more unusual and unanticipated turns Area Section of ASPP was held at the U.S. their experiences have led in teaching National Arboretum in Washington D.C., (Plant Science Education: the Next Green April 13-14. The arboretum grounds pro Revolution?) and research (Potential Tech vided a scenic backdrop to the meetings nologies Stemming from Photosynthesis while the conference center staff did a Research), respectively. superb job hosting the gathering. To help establish better lines of com ApproXimately 65 people attended this munication and understanding between meeting and representatives of ASPP the predominantly academically based headquarters dropped by to update mem members of the society and industry, Joel bers on society activities. At the business Ream of Monsanto presented a talk en meeting, ASPP executive director Ken ti tled "The Commercialization of Beam extended an invitation to the WAS Transgenic Plants," which traced the pro to hold their annual crab feast and fall cess of developing data on the safety and meeting at ASPP headquarters. As visions environmental impact of genetically engi of steamed crabs and cold beer danced in neered plant materials to satisfy the re our heads, we somehow made it through quirements of various governmental agen the rest of the meeting! The membership cies. ASPP executive director, Ken Beam, elected Janet Slovin as chair-elect and also was in attendance at the meeting. He Robert Slocum as the secretary-treasurer. briefed the membership on the activities Southern Section student award winners. Jerry Cohen will succeed Mike Robinson of the national office in establishing the Eric Lindzen (second from leTt) and Debbie as the sectional representative to ASPP's Villalon and their mentors. Jung Choi (far executive committee. ASPP Education Foundation and in its left) and John Cairney (far right). efforts to counteract the negative public Of the fifteen papers presented by sec ity the plant sciences may have received tion members, eleven were given by stu as a result of President Clinton's State of Southern Section dents, including one undergraduate. The the Union comments on funding for plant The 1995 annual meeting of the Southern Marsho Award for the best student pre stress research. Section of ASPP was held in Knoxville, sentation went to Yuen Yee Tam, Depart Accessing information about upcoming Tennessee, March 18-20. Forty-eight oral ment of Plant Biology, University of Mary MWASPP meetings and registration infor papers and posters were given, including land, who discussed IAA turnover in tryp mation for the annual meeting will be outstanding presentations by graduate tophan-resistant lines of Lemna gibba. Four considerably easier in future years with students participating in the Best Paper invited speakers also participated in the the establishment of an MWASPP home Competition. The invigorating sessions Chair's Symposium, "Recognition, Trans page on the World Wide Web. This new sparked a record turn-out for the annual port and Communication," organized by feature was developed by newly elected fun run around the grounds of the Uni Heven Sze. Heven wiIJ be succeeded by secretaryI treasurer Tim Mulkey of Indi versity of Tennessee. Following a gala the new chair, Ben Matthews, who is al ana State University, and it can be ac evening dinner cruise on the Tennessee ready busy planning next year's sympo cessed by anyone with a vVWW browser, River, the participants enjoyed an excel sium. such as Mosaic or Netscape, at http:!/ lent symposium entitled "Cellular Mecha www.indstate.edu/mwaspp. nisms for Surviving Protoplasmic Water The other MWASPP officers elected Loss," featuring Malcolm Potts (V PI & More Southern Section photos on page 20. include Dan Bush (University of Illinois), SU), Melvin Oliver (USDA-ARS, Lub section representative to the ASPP execu bock), and Timothy Close (UC Riverside). tive committee; Gabe Holbrook (Northern Mark your calendars now for the 1996 Illinois University), chair; and Ray meeting in Orlando, Florida, March 30 Zielinski (University of Illinois), chair April 1. elect. The sites for two future meetings (1996, University of Illinois; 1997, Univer sity of Wisconsin) were selected at the business meeting, in part on the basis of Papers accepted by PlantPhysiologyfor its a poll conducted in conjunction with reg electronic Plant Gene Register istration for this year's annual meeting. are now available online and the titles will be listed Students who might be willing to assist with the organiza tion of the 1996 in the journal beginning with the July 1995 issue. MWASPP meeting should contact Tim Mulkey, who will coordinate the arrange Acces the World Wide Web at the URL ments for next year's meeting, either through the MWASPP home page or by http://ophelia.com/Ophelia/pgr/index.html e-mail (mulkey(@biology.indstate.edu). See you in Champaign-Urbana in 1996! 6 ASPP Newsletter ANNUAL MEETING FINAL PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY Preparations are nearly all in place for this year. Five major symposia are mix receptions, luncheons, an award cer the 1995 Annual Meeting of the Ameri planned, one for each day of the meeting. emony, a dinner/dance, an early morn can Society of Plant Physiologists, being Repeating last year's successful experi ing race for the runners in the crowd held this year in Charlotte, North Caro ment, six minisymposia will be offered, and, voila, you have five days of excel lina, July 29-August 2. Registration mate two each on Monday, Tuesday, and lent science and camaraderie, an unbeat rials were mailed in late April. The ab Wednesday. And, four special workshops able combination. stract supplement to Plant Physiology is at will be presented. As usual, a full comple Remember: the deadline for early bird the printer, to appear with the June issue ment of oral presentations is scheduled registration is June 19. Register early and of the journal. One last trip is being made Sunday through Wednesday. All posters save $40. If you did not receive your reg to Charlotte to be sure that all the last will be available for viewing Sunday istration materials, please contact Sharon minute details are in order. All that re through Wednesday, with authors in at Kelly, membership coordinator, at tele mains is for everyone to send in their tendance at two times rather than once to phone 301-251-0560, ext. 29, fax 301-279 registrations and show up at the meeting. maximize your opportunity to meet them 2996, or e-mail [email protected]. A full and varied program is promised and discuss their research. Throw into the See you in Charlotte!
Capsule Schedule for the 1995 ASPP Annual Meeting Charlotte, North Carolina Saturday, July 29, through Wednesday, August 2
Symposia Oral Presentations Special Events • Plant Pathology-Early Events in • Sunday, July 30,2:30 - 4:00 PM • Committee on Public Affairs Pa thogen Recognition • Monday, July 31, 2:30 - 6:00 J"M Presentation Saturday, July 29, 2:20 - 5:30 PM • Tuesday, August 1, 2:30 - 6:00 PM Saturday, July 29, 5:30 - 6:30 P\1 • [he Impact of Plant Physiological • Wednesday, August 2, 8:30 AM - NOON • Opening Reception and Mixer Research on Crop Productivity Saturday, July 29, 6:30 - 10:30 PM Sunday, July 30, 8:30 - 11:40 AM Poster Presentations • Committee on Minority Affairs • Water: Transport and Limitations to • Posters on display from 8:00 AM until Speaker and Luncheon Development 9:00 PM, Sunday - Tuesday, Sunday, July 30, NOON - 2:00 PM Monday, July 31, 8:30 - 11:40 AM July 30 - August 1, from 8:00 AM until • Networking/Pre-Awards Reception • Breakthrough Developments in 5:00 PM Wednesday, August 2 Sunday, July 30,6:00 - 7:30 PM Understanding Cellulose Biosynthesis • Odd-numbered posters attended • Awards Ceremony and Structure 12:30 - 2:30 PM, Sunday, July 30, and Sunday, July 30,8:00-9:00 PM Tuesday, August 1, 8:30 - 11:40 AM Tuesday, August 1 • Committee on the Status of • Unraveling Unique Features of Plant • Even-numbered posters attended Women in Plant Physiology Mitochondria 12:30 - 2:30 PM, Monday, July 31, and Panel Discussion and LWlCheon Wednesday, August 2, 2:30 - 5:40 PM Wednesday, August 2 Monday, July 31, 'JooN - 2:00 PM • Plant Runners' Stampede Minisymposia Workshops Tuesday, August 1, Early morning (SPECIFIC TIME TO BE ANNOUNCED) • NMR in Plant Biology • Tissue Printing • ASPP "Southern Style" Dinner/Dance Monday, July 11, 2:30 - 4:00 PM Saturday, July 29, 8:30 AM - 'JOON Tuesday, August 1, 6:30 PM - MIDNIGHT • Applica tion of Biotechnology in • Teaching Biology from Soup to Nuts: Woody Plants New, Do-able Ideas for High Monday, July 31, 4:30 - 6:00 PM School Curricula Watch for the • Co-suppression and Gene Silencing Saturday, July 29, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM in Plants • Grant Opportunities in Teaching full preliminary program Tuesday, August 1, 2:30 - 4:00 PM and Education • Molecular Biology of Monday, July 31, 7:00 - 9:00 PM in the annual abstract Circadian Clocks • Career Opportunities in Plant Biology Tuesday, August 1, 4:30 - 6:00 PM Monday, July 31, 7:00 - 10:00 PM supplement that will • Seeds of Change: Toward Change and Innovation in Science Education be published with the Wednesday, August 2, 8:30 - 10:00 AM • The Xanthuphyll Cycle and June 1995 issue of Photoprotective Energy Dissipatiun PlantPhysiology Wednesday, August 2, 10:30 AM See related stories on page 16. NOON May/June 1995, Vol. 22, No.3 7 Public Affairs . House Approves $1.4 Trillion In BUdget Cuts
The House of Representatives passed a an area where the National Science Foun vision of Energy Biosciences functions budget resolution May 18 to reduce the dation has largely wandered into in re should go if DOE is eliminated. Some federal budget by nearly $1.4 trillion over cent years. And that is a place where the speculate that DOE basic energy science seven years. This would balance the bud science budgets can be rescoped. We programs like the Division of Energy Bio get in year 2002. The House budget plan think that the concentration ought to be sciences would find a new home at NSF. would close the Departments of Com in those areas of the physical sciences." Walker supports the creation of a new merce, Energy, and Education and elimi Despite the House budget resolution inclusive Department of Science. nate nearly 370 other agencies programs call to eliminate DOE, research supported DOE has also put forth its own budget and commissions. The massive sweep of by basic energy science programs at DOE reduction proposal in this dollar-driven cuts includes reductions for programs like the Division of Energy Biosciences is debate that would save far more funds with large political constituencies like expected to survive. Walker's Science Medicare and Veterans benefits and does Committee can recommend where the Di- continued on page 8 not spare research. The resolution establishes overall ceil ings for federal appropriations in the com ing fiscal year, but is merely advisory HELP CONGRESS BALANCE THE BUDGET when it comes to distributing the money among federal programs. The House bud Urge Investment in Research get resolution would spend $1.587 trillion for Fiscal Year 1996 compared to $1.626 FollOWing is a sample letter to send to your members of Congress to explain trillion in the Clinton budget. The pend how investment in research in the plant sciences is consistent with efforts to ing Senate budget resolu tion calls for balance the budget. Address letters to your Congressman or Congresswoman spending $1.574 trillion in Fiscal Year to: The Honorable , U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, 1996. This lower ceiling tha t the appro DC 20515, Dear Congressman (Congresswoman) ; and to your priations committees have to work with Senators to: The Honorable , U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510, will result in reduced funding for the vast Dear Senator _ majority of federal programs. Despite these gloomy projections, I recognize that reductions proposed in the Fiscal Year 1996 Budget resolu House Science Committee chair and Bud tion affect most federal programs. However, cuts in research funding can get Committee vice chair Bob Walker (R prove to be counterproductive in the effort to balance the budget. In the PAl explained that needed funding for area of the plant sciences, research helps create thriving new markets for basic science research is provided in the improved food and other plant products. budget. Past federal research investments led directly to the technological leader "As this budget was constructed, sci ship of U.S. firms in agriculture and many other sectors. However, the United ence was regarded as an integral part of States now spends much less as a percentage of gross domestic product on the U.s. economy. The recommendations nondefense research compared to other leading industrial nations, according in this budget maintain a robust science to The World Competitiveness Report 1994 of the World Economic Forum. Fur policy providing for the fundamental sci ther reduction in federal research investments can lead directly to decline in ence base we need to move forward," the nation's businesses. Such decline will result in less revenues generated for Walker said. "Basic research is protected America's businesses, employees, and the nation. in all areas of the science budget. The Please provide revenue-generating federal support to vital areas of research National Science Foundation will continue such as the plant sciences to help Americans meet consumer needs in the to grow." brea of nutritional foods, clothing, housing, fuel, pharmaceutical. and other Walker said growth at NSF would pro prodUcts dependent upon plant research. ceed at an annual rate of 3 percent "with (Optional; Give an example of USDA. NSF, or DOE funding that you receive for the exclusion of social, behavioral, and research. the importance of the knowledge to which it may lead, and the economic studies and the Critical Tech number of individuals who gain valuable training from it.) nologies Institute." This does not take into account inflation. Social, behavioral, and Sincerely, economic studies fared worse as Walker Your Name and explained: "In large part, we think that's Institution 8 ASPP Newsletter continued from page 7 tively. The pending Senate proposal calls the President's remark. for elimination of the CSREES special ear The statement on plant stress by the than elimination of the department would marked grants. The House budget reso President in his State of the Union ad be expected to accomplish. Energy Secre lution recommends a reduction of $60 mil dress January 24 was the following: tary Hazel O'Leary questioned the pro lion in budget authority in FY 96 in the "For years Congress concealed in the posal to consolidate Energy, NSF, the En CSREES buildings and facilities account. budget scores of pet spending projects. vironmental Protection Agency, and Reductions proposed for CSREES and the Last year was no different. There was a NASA into a new Deparhnent of Science. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) for million dollars to study stress in plants She said this would go in the opposite FY96 in the House and pending Senate and $12 million for a tick removal pro direction of streamlining by creating a budget resolutions are nearly 10 percent. gram that didn't work. "It's hard to re megadepartment with a $46 billion bud It will be up to the appropriations com move those of us who've had them know. get, 77,000 employees, and 300,000 con mittees to determine actual spending in But I'll tell you something, if you'll give tract workers. these areas. The National Research Initia me the line-item veto, I'll remove some of The House budget resolution calls for tive Competitive Grants Program that unnecessary spending." all grants within the USDA's Cooperative (NRICGP) is housed within CSREES. State Research, Education and Extension (Please see page 7 for action you can take Plant Stress Meets the Press Service (CSREES) to be awarded competi- to support vital research programs.) After the President's remark on plant stress in a nationally televised address January 24, Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX) was DEFENDERS OF PLANT STRESS questioned on the nationally broadcast television news show "Meet the Press" for his support for a plant stress lab outside RESEARCH SPEAK OUT Lubbock, Texas, and for construction of a supercollider in Texas. A reporter asked letter From White House Explains Plant whether Gramm's call for overall federal Stress Comment budget cuts conflicted with his support In a written response to ASPP presi for questionable federal spending when dent James Sieduw on March 21, the it came to Texas. Gramm responded that White House provided an interpretation first of all, plant stress refers to drought of why President Clinton called into ques and not the kind of stress you get in tion federal support for plant stress re Washington-mental stress. He explained search during his State of the Union the importance of supporting research, speech. inlcuding plant stress research. Gramm is "In his State of the Union address, the one of the leading contenders for the Re President made reference to funding for publican presidential nomination. plant stress research not to diminish the With plant stress an often misunder importance of this type of research, but stood term that sounds curious to many rather to underscore the need for strict in the general public, research on plant review of our priorities in these fiscally This illustration of a plant striking a trium stress has been an inviting target for criti phant pose appeared in The Washington stringent times," said James A Dorskind, Post February 14, 1995, along with a cism on occasion. Ross Perot attacked special assistant to the President, director political news column that accurately plant stress research two years ago. Al of correspondence and presidential mes explained the importance of plant stress though plant stress research has come sages. research and ASPP's defense of it. (See under some confusing criticism, it appears "This Administration recognizes the March/April ASPP Newsletter for account that commentators on wasteful govern importance of technological and scientific of the this story.) © The Washington Post. ment spending are moving to different research and development, particularly in Reprinted by permission. (Artist: D'Angelo) examples. Coverage in the news media of agriculture, and we will continue our ef ASPP's response to the plant stress remark forts to keep the ind ustry strong," to having earmarked awards." Siedow helped explain the value of plant stress Dorskind added. added in the letter that ASPP was con research. With budget cutting a major The written explanation by Dorskind cerned that some in the public would priority in Congress and nationally was, in part, similar to a statement made mistakenly interpret plant stress as mean viewed questions on plant stress research by Siedow in his January 31 letter to Presi ing emotional stress following the State occurring during development of budget dent Clinton in which Siedow said, "It is uf the Union address. Siedow's letter ex proposals, ASPP has also taken its defense our understanding tha t your reference to plained the essential nature of plant stress of plant stress research to Congress and plant stress in your State of the Union research. USDA. address was not intended to diminish the The White House letter appeared some importance of plant stress research. In what less reassuring than the comments Congressmen Skeen and Durbin stead, it is our understanding that you of a White House Office of Science and Defend Plant Stress Research were making a point on the need to main Technolugy Policy official earlier to ASPP After ASPP committee on public affairs tain a strict review process in awarding staff who said science advisors at the chair Ralph Quatrano explained the need federal support for research as opposed White House "gasped" when they heard fur plant stress research to the House May/June 1995, Vol. 22, No.3 9 Appropriations Subcommittee on Agricul Karl Stauber, the President's then nomi ture on March 22, subcommittee chairman nee for Under Secretary for Research, Joe Skeen (R-NM) pointed out the impor Education and Economics at USDA, who tance of plant stress research done in the was later confirmed. Stauber gave an as southwest United States. Ranking minor surance that the Clinton administration ity member Richard Durbin (D-IL) told supports plant stress research and that Quatrano, "It's a wonder that agricultural the issue has been resolved. research can survive the throwaway lines of pork busters and Presidents." Plant Stress Lab for Lubbock May Find A couple of weeks later, Skeen ex New Name pressed his concern over the misrepresen The office of Rep. Larry Combest (R tation of plant stress research at a hearing TX), which played a lead role in winning with newly confirmed Secretary of Agri federal support for a plant stress labora culture Dan Glickman, former Democratic tory outside Lubbock, Texas, told ASPP congressman from Kansas. Skeen said he that the controversy raised over the term was concerned about unfavorable refer "plant stress," could spell the end for use ences to plant stress research and other of that term for the laboratory near Lub agricultural research. He pointed to the bock. The project would continue with impressive record of success of federal the same research effort; however, the investment in agricultural research. term "plant stress" may not be mentioned Glickman was making his first appearance to escape confUSing criticism. One ASPP as Secretary of Agriculture before the member in Maryland questioned whether committee on April 5. terminology like "environmentally de ASPP staff recently raised the question prived low-growth plants" could be in of the President's plant stress remark with the offing.
ASPP Testimony Cites Board on AgriCUlture Report Supporting NRICGP
In testimony before the House Appro quantitative index of its relevance to sus priations Subcommittee on Agriculture on tainable agriculture. Quatrano noted that March 22, ASPP committee on public the Board on Agriculture warned tha t the affairs chair Dr. Ralph Quatrano of the attempt at a single set of criteria derived University of North Carolina reviewed from a legislative definition of sustain the recent findings of the Board on Agri able agriculture will not provide adequate culture supporting funding for the Na guidance in selection of projects to sup tional Research Initiative Competitive port. The protocol's definition did not rec Grants Program (NRICGP). ognize the indirect, yet powerful, contri The Board of Agriculture of the Na bution of much basic and applied re tional Research Council, given develop search over the long term, according to ments in international trade, medicine the Board on Agriculture. and health care, and environmental pro (As a result of the efforts of ASPP and tection, finds a compelling case for in others, this protocol within USDA has creased funding for the NRICGP, since been revised and no longer states While testifying in behalf of funding for the that fundamental research makes no con Quatrano explained. Although, in its re NRICGP, Ralph S. Quatrano (top), choir of port "Investing in the National Research tribution to sustainable agriculture.) ASPP's committee on public affairs, Initiative-An Update of the Competitive Quatrano discussed several examples explained the need for plant stress Grants Program in the U.s. Department of successful NRICGP-supported research research in remarks before the House of Agriculture," the Board on Agriculture including discovery of plant genes resis Appropriations Subcommittee on Agricul stated that it is too soon to conduct a com tant to pathogens. He pointed out that ture on March 22. Committee chairman prehensive evaluation of the NRICGP, it NRICGP-supported research at the Uni Joe Skeen (R-NM) (bottom) also com mented on the importance of such reaffirmed its belief that competitive versity of Southern Mississippi to study research to the southwest United States. lesquerelJa oil as a castor oil replacement grants are the best way to stimulate new Skeen later defended plant stress and fundamental research activities in specific represents the potential for opening a $50 other agricultural research to new Secre areas, Quatrano said. million to $75-million market in the u.s. tory of Agriculture Dan Glickman. The Board on Agriculture report also (See story on page 8 on plant stress for commented on the protocol being final Congressional reaction to Quatrano's re ized within USDA that would be applied marks on plant stress research.) to each NRICGP project to provide a 10 ASPP Newsletter ASPP Supports ter Development c11airman John Myers (R IN), noted that he has nearly 60 colleagues $29.5 Million for DOE at Purdue who are members of ASPP. Energy Biosciences Sherman and ASPP staff also met with chairman Myers and Myers's personal staff and subcommittee staff in their of In testimony presented to the House fices prior to the hearing. Also on March Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy 28, Sherman discussed the need for sup and Water Development March 28, ASPP port of research in the plant sciences in member Louis Sherman expressed the National Research Initiative Competi ASPP's support of the administration's tive Grants Program with the committee $29.5 million request for the Department staff of Senate Agriculture Committee of Energy Division of Energy Biosciences Chairman Richard Lugar (R-IN). Sherman for Fiscal Year 1996. The division received also met that day with staff of Sen. Dan $27.8 million in Fiscal Year 1995. Coats (R-IN) on plant science research Sherman, professor and head of the funded by the National Science Founda Department of Biological Sciences at tion (NSF). Coats is a member of the Sen Purdue University, noted that the Divi ate Labor and Human Resources Commit sion of Energy Biosciences funds pioneer tee which has joint authorizing jurisdic ing research in the plant sciences and tion over NSF. non-medical microbiology. "This is a broad area of research with tremendous opportunities for break throughs that will offer Americans viable Louis Sherman, head of the Department of Biological Sciences at Purdue University, alternative fuels, new cost-effective ways testified before the House Appropriations of cleaning the environment, and other Subcommittee on Energy and Water new technologies," Sherman said. "The Development March 28 in support of Fiscal wealth of opportunities available to be Year 1996 funding for DOE's Division of tapped by research in this area are ex Energy Cliosciences. ceptional. A full ninety-five percent of the new ideas submitted to the Division of microbes the ability to produce biologi Energy Biosciences are turned away each cally such valuable substances as lubri year because of relatively limited funds. cants and plastics that may replace petro Sadly, among those 19 out of every 20 leum-based products," Sherman said. submissions rejected, there are some bril "Imagine farmers redirecting their excess liant opportunities lost." crop capacity to grow corn plants that can Sherman noted that plants and certain accumulate vast amounts of valuable bio microbes are the earth's only source of degradable plastics or vaccines and imag renewable biomass. Research supported ine also bacteria that such as corn cobs, by the Division of Energy Biosciences on wheat straw, or grass clippings into etha the fundamental mechanisms of photo nol, which can be used to fuel our cars synthesis is making it possible to better and as chemical raw materials for the Rep. John Myers (R-OH), chairman of the understand plant metabolism and plant manufacturing of other important chemi House Appropriations Subcommittee on growth and development. With this cals. Both of these possibilities are becom Energy and Water Development. repre knowledge, we are now able to improve ing a reality because of long-term basic sents the home district of Louis Sherman, the yields and efficiency of agriculture science projects funded by the Division of who testified before Myers's subcommit tee on behalf of funding for DOE's Division and forestry and to develop efficient and Energy Biosciences, and now commercial of Energy Biosciences. Sherman and ASPP economical devices for capturing solar ized by small companies." stoff also met privately with Myers and his energy, Sherman explained. Sherman pointed out that the Division personal stoff before Sherman's testimony. The Division of Energy Biosciences is of Energy Biosciences has supported ba funding research on use of plants and sic research and biotechnology to select microbes to manufacture new products. and modify plants and microbes so that Some chemicals produced naturally by they withdraw and detoxify pollutants, these organisms may prove to be highly thereby avoiding the enormous expense Deadline for copy for the beneficial to mankind and include com that our country expends using conven July/August 1995 issue pounds such as anti-cancer agents, cell tional methods in an attempt to physically growth enhancers, and molecules that remove the pollutants from the soil and of the ASPP Newsletter regulate human biological docks, water. Sherman noted. Sherman, a constituent of Appropria is July 1, 1995, "We can now introduce into plants and tions Subcommittee on Energy and Wa- May/June 1995, Vol. 22, No.3 11 ASPP Testifies on Plant ASPP Poster Exhibits Explain Value of NSF-Supported Science Research Research to Congress Supported by NSF ASPP exhibited poster displays of lead knowledge of the functions of the genes ing plant science research at the Congres of plants is pursued using sta te of the art sional exhibition and reception sponsored DNA sequencing and computational tech ASPP testimony presented April 5 by March 21 on Capitol Hill by the Coalition nology and how this can be a useful tool Lynn Zimmerman, associate professor of for Natiunal Science Funding (CNSF). for medicine, agriculture, and industry. biology at the University of Maryland ApproXimately 65 Congressional staff at Rabson explained how research con Baltimore Campus, before the House tended and they were joined by a num ducted by ASPP member Chris Somerville Appropriations Subcommittee on VA, ber of officials from the executive branch. on "Biodegradable Plastic from Plants" led HUD and Independent Agencies cited ASPP members who explained the to development of an environmentally several examples of important research Society's exhibits to the Congressional and benign plastic that will eventually decom supported by the National Science Foun agency staff in attendance were Jim pose into soil used for growing more dation. Zimmerman was testifying in sup Siedow of Duke University, ASPP presi "plastic plants." A brief description of this port of appropriating $3.36 billion for NSF, dent; Ken Keegstra, committee on public research was included in the CNSF news including $2.454 billion for research and affairs member; and Bob Rabson, who release that was sent for the exhibition. related activities in the Fiscal Year 1996 came to the exhibit a few hours after his This research was funded by NSF and by budget as proposed by the administration. retirement luncheon honoring his achieve the DOE Division of Energy Biosciences. Zimmerman discussed the research ments as Director of the Department of Somerville, now head of the Carnegie done by Steven Kay, Andrew Millar, and Energy, Division of Energy Biosciences. Institution of Washington, Stanford, Cali their colleagues to identify the biological Siedow and Keegstra explained research fornia, prepared the exhibit. (To see this clock gene of a plant at the NSF Center done on DNA sequencing of genes from poster exhibit, which was also used by for Biological Timing at the University of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Thomas ASPP on April 27 at NSF Family Science Virginia. "The point of these experi Newman, a colleague of Keegstra's at Night, see photo below.) ments.. .is to provide very basic tools to Michigan State University, prepared the understand a fundamental biological pro exhibit. The exhibit demonstrated how full continued on page 12 cess that may be important not only for optimizing photosynthesis, but potentially for controlling water loss during drought and many other processes that are keyed into the daily cycle," Zimmerman said. She also cited the work of her colleague at the University of Maryland, Mauricio Bustos, who is investigating factors that control how the proteins and oils normally found in important seed crops are made. Bustos is also looking into ways to use seeds as "biological factories" to mass produce pharmaceutical products of po tential use in medicine and animal hus bandry. Zimmerman explained that her uwn research and that of other labs has shown that the mechanism for heat stress sur vival may be similar to other survival mechanisms allowing plants to survive the many other stresses they experience in their environment, such as cold tempera tures, drought, toxic chemical exposure, and others. "What we can learn about the plant's responses to one stress can help ApprOXimately 75 people visited the ASPP exhibit on "Biodegradable Plastic from us understand, predict, and even enhance, Plants" at the NSF Family Science Night held April 27 at a shopping mall across from t'ISF through biotechnology, the resistance to headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Diane McKay and her dougher, Angela, .he.ard an explantion of how a plant was engineered to produce biodegradable.plastiC from Dr. other stresses," Zimmerman said. Lynn Zimmerman Cleft) of the the University of Maryland. Others who VISited the ASPP exhibit I'lere able to talk to Zimmerman's colleague at the University of Maryland, Dr. Mauricio Bustos. At least two of the people visitng the exhibit had heard days earlier of ASPP-member Chris Somerville's research on producing biodegradable plastic from plants on a National Public Radio broadcast of approximately five minutes during the program"All Thngs Considered." Somerville prepared the poster eXhibit. NSF and the DOE Division of Energy Biosciences supported Somerville's research. 12 ASPP Newsletter HOW TO MAKE A GREAT POSTER Talk by Jimmy Henderson Will Inaugurate Minority (Editor'S Note: The following ideas and sugges derstanding the data or validity of the Luncheon Series tions are excerpted from a handout prepared conclusions. by Dina Mandoli. research assistant professor in the Department of Botany at the University of Ill. Layout your poster bearing in mind In its efforts both to enhance greater Washington. and member of the ASPP educa that people approach visual information minority participation in plant physiology tion committee. The full document will be avail in a spatial sequence: center, top to bot able at 1he education committee's bo01h at this and to promote greater understanding of year's annual meeting in Charlot1e. North Caro tom, left to right. By that principle, put the importance for minority participation lina. Or you can send a request to Dr. Mandoli at your title (your punchline, your main in plant physiology, the Minority Affairs e-mail [email protected]. fox 206-685 message) at the center top in large letters. Corrunittee (MAC) is initiating a luncheon 1728. or Departmen1 of E.c)tany. KB 15. University By adhering to the center-top-bottom-Ieft of Washington. Seattle. WA 98195.) series. Its premiere speaker will be Pro right principle, you will arrange the ele fessor James H. M. Henderson from 1. A great poster has four primary hall ments so that they are easily followed. Tuskegee University in Alabama. He will marks: it is readable, legible, well orga Remember to leave space on your poster. give a lecture his more than fifty-year nized, and succinct. With respect to the Posters that are crammed with informa career as a plant physiologist, relating his latter, studies show that you have only 11 tion are tiring to read and are seldom read experiences at Cal Tech, Le Phytotron in seconds to grab and retain your audience's in their entirety. France, and others. The MAC encourages attention so make the pW1chline, i.e. your IV. Choose font styles and sizes for leg you to purchase tickets ($15) for this lun title, prominent and brief. Most of your ibility. A good rule is to stand 6 feet back cheon program during registration for the audience will absorb only the punchline. from your own poster: if you, who are conference. Those who are directly involved in related familiar with the material, carmot easily research will seek you out anyway and read it from 6 feet away, your audience 1------ chat with you at length so you can afford will certainly not be able to. (ASPP rec- to leave out all the details and tell those ommends type no smaller than nO points who are really interested the "nitty gritty" for your title, and at least 16 points for OBITUARIES later. text.) II. To begin V. Lise color to add interest and varia • Decide what the main message is, keep tion to your poster. If your poster includes David Appleman it brief, and make this your title. Use color figures, be sure that they are well We have recently had word of the death the active voice and avoid the verb "to reproduced. of emeritus member Dr. David Appleman. be" whenever possible. Dr. Appleman, an ASPP member since • Layout your elements crudely before There are some other practical consid 1940, served on the faculty at the Univer you start making the final copy to be erations to bear in mind. Leave yourself sity of California, Los Angeles. sure everything will fit the space you enough time to make a handsome will have. poster-at least a week. Be aware that a Albert Ulrich • Eliminate all extraneous material. Given well prepared poster is going to cost some Dr. Albert Ulrich, emeritus member that you have only 11 seconds to trap money, particularly if you ask an illustra from the University of California, Berke your subject before he or she moves on, tor to help you prepare it. Consider the ley, has died. Dr. Ulrich joined ASPP in show only data that add to your portability of your poster. The poster 1939. punchline. You need a title, authors and should fit into carry-on luggage so that their affiliations, introduction, results, even if your suitcase is lost, you can still and conclusions. Omitting materials present your work. Bring along your own and methods is a good place to start tacks, even if the organizers of the meet cutting back on extraneous material. ing have said tacks will be proVided. Have a methods handout for those who And always go back to those four hall are interested. Only occasionally are marks of a great poster: readable, legible, materials and methods essential to un- well organized, and, above all, succinct.
conlinued from page 11 from the House Science Committee-all relatively high turnout for the event, of whom spent time at the ASPP poster CNSF is planning to hold the exhibition Among those that ASPP invited who exhibits. armually, CNSF is made up of science, attended the exhibition were Martha This was the first Congressional exhibi engineering, mathematics, industry, and Krebs, director of the DOE Office of En tion and reception to be held by CNSF. educational associations and a number of ergy Research; Jim Cook, chief scientist, ASPP, which is a member of the CNSF universities that support the NSF. National Research Initiative Competitive steering committee, had urged sponsor Grants Program; ASPP member Machi ing this event to help explain the impor Dilworth, NSF program director for Plant tance of NSF-supported research to the Science Initiatives, Arabidopsis Genome new Congress. ASPP public affairs staff Research & Living Stock Collections and served on the planning committee for the for Integrated Plant Biology; and staff exhibition and reception. Because of the May/June 1995, Vol. 22, No.3 13 ASPP Education Forum
Edited by Robert Wise. Department of Update on Publishing Outlet tor such as plastic soda bottles and 35-mm Biology. University of Wisconsin Education Articles plastic film cans. There are several Oshkosh. Oshkosh. WI 54901. email The ASPP, through the efforts of dozen line draWings, references for [email protected]. Susan Singer and the education com further reading, a glossary, an index, mittee, is continuing to pursue its and six appendices on use of plastic commitment to education by exploring soda bottles, construction of fluorescent "Seeds Of Change" Minisymposium effective ways to publish peer-reviewed, light systems for plant growth, con Focuses on National plant science education-related materi struction of hydroponic equipment and Science Education NeEds als. A report of an NSF-supported preparation of nutrient solutions, using Hector Flores (Pennsylvania State meeting to discuss this issue was in the seedlings and rooted cuttings for University) has organized a teaching MarchiApril ASPP newsletter. In hydroponics, suppliers, and projects to minisymposium to be held at this addition, the executive committee has avoid. year's annual meetings in Charlotte. initiated a dialog with the editors of the The book lists for $12.95 and can be Three speakers, Sharon Long (Howard society's tvvo research journals, Plant ordered through bookstores or by Hughes Medical Institute and Stanford Physiology and THE PLANT CELL, on the calling 1-800-CALL WILEY. lJniversity), Jo Handelsman (University advisability of and possible mechanisms of Wisconsin-Madison), and Hector, will for publishing education-related articles Frederick Cour.ty/WAS-ASPP gives talks addressing the current state in the journals. The goals outlined in Outreach Programs Continue of scientific literacy in the United States the NSF Report are to (1) provide The Frederick County (MD)/Wash and present suggestions and ideas for needed information for plant biologists ington Area Section-ASPP plant science effecting change. Of particular interest in education, (2) provide a respected education outreach programs continue is the relationship betvveen teaching publication outlet for innovative plant apace. Scientists from the USDA Ft. and research in the modern academic biology educators, and (3) make a Detrick, Maryland, facility are currently environment and the role that tradi significant statement by the plant screening advanced high school science tional researchers can play in improv biology community about the value of students from the Frederick County ing undergraduate and graduate education. Members of the Society are School District (FCSD) for placement training. encouraged to enter into this discussion intu labs in the area for summer Sharon will share her insights into with the journal editors and members internships. Also, a Fast Plants work current problems (and solutions) in of the executive and education commit shop for FCSD high school teachers is undergraduate science educa tion tees (names and addresses are listed in tentatively scheduled for in-service days gleaned, in part, from her service un the ASPP Directory) in August, just before the start of the the National Academy of Science fall semester. Committee on Undergraduate Science New Book Available for Doug Luster is currently soliciting Education. Jo will discuss, among other High School Science Projects and collecting K-12 plant science issues, practical methods for incorporat The 165-page paperback book, Plant teaching resources. Of special interest ing stimulating teaching methods into Biology Science Projects (ISBN 0-471 are hands-on classroom exercises which biology pedagogy. Hector will explain 04983-2 [acid-free paper]), by David R. can be completed in 1-3 laboratory the successes he has had in the devel Hershey was published in January 1995 classroom periods. While informational opment of innovative undergraduate by John Wiley and Sons, NY. Hershey, material for plant science instruction is and graduate coursework in plant currently an adjunct professor at Prince readily available, especially on the biology at Penn State. George's Community Cullege (MD), has Internet through teaching bulletin This is the first such symposium or a Ph.D. in plant physiology and has boards, teachers in Frederick County minisymposium on teaching that ASPP authored over tvvo dozen articles about have indicated that hands-on exercises has sponsored and therefore a unique plants in science teaching journals. The are much more difficult to find. Anyone opportunity to discuss integration of book targets 10- to 15-year-olds and with useful information should contact teaching and research in plant biology. their parents and teachers. It contains Doug at 301-619-7338, or bye-mail at If you are an educator or have an substantial background informatiun on
continued from page 13 ongoing communication and volunteer six-month trial basis. Printed versions activities between Genentech employees of selected lesson plans and other of efforts have never been more and local area science teachers. When information from Access Excellence will important. Maxine T. Highsmith science teachers were asked what also be regularly distributed to the provides ASPP's outreach in this area. Genentech could do to make an nation's high school biology teachers. Working with contact teachers and impactful change in science education, The teachers will have virtually all community leaders in Frederick County, the teachers said they needed a way to the resources they desire made avail Maxine has already established contacts "break the isolation" they feel from able on the Access Excellence electronic between several interested seniors and other science teachers and be able to forum and a support center located at the admission counseling center of share their teaching ideas and lesson Genentech's South San Francisco Shaw University. In addition, faculty at plans with their colleagues. They said it headquarters staffed by specially Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, was this rare interaction that aJlowed trained professionals and volunteer have expressed an interest in participat them to go beyond standard means of Genentech scientists. ing in this informal program. teaching to effectively interest and Of the 105 Access Excellence teacher Interested students are sent informa inspire their students. fellows chosen for the first year of the tion on admission policies and proce Guided by a blue-ribbon panel of progra, 21 have won Outstanding dures, scholarship availability (for ed uca tionaI and scientific advisors, Biology Teaching Awards; 15 have won instance, Shaw University Presidential Access Excellence is dedicated to Presidential Awards; 10 are part of the Scholarships are awarded to outstand enhancing biology teaching by provid Woodrow Wilson Leadership Institute; ing incoming freshmen), and other ing a computer network forum on 5 have won Christa McCauliffe Awards; financial aid information. But, more which teachers can share their innova and one is a Westinghouse Advisor. importantly, students are given access tive teaching ideas and lesson plans Sixty-one are women, and 44 are men. to a faculty member at the participating and access information, expert assis About 75 percent are from public institutions who shows an interest in tance, and the advice and experience of schools, and 25 percent are from private them and helps steer them through the other teachers to create new ideas. institutions. application procedure. Here's how it works: Under the Genentech, Inc., sponsor of Access Maxine is very interested in expand auspices of the ~ational Science Excellence, is a leading international ing this program to include other Teachers Association (NSTA), 105 of the biotechnology company that discovers, institutions so that more options would most motivated high school biology develops, manufactures and markets be available to the students. Please teachers from every state and Puerto human pharmaceuticals for significant contact her if you are interested in Rico were selected as Access Excellence unmet medical needs. Access Excellence participating in order that information Fellows in the first year of the program. reflects the company's commitment to about your institution might be shared This year, an additional 100 people will improving science education in among the interested seniors. This be selected by NSTA. Each of the America. Teachers who are interested in information would be used to deter teachers will receive a free laptop participating in the program should mine the impact of the program. computer with modem and printer and contact the Access Excellence staff toll Maxine may be contacted at 919-546 a subscription to America Online. free at 1-800-295-988l. 8397 or bye-mail at In addition, the teachers will attend The Access Excellence Resource [email protected]. the Access Excellence Summit in San Center contains biology and biotechnol Francisco. At the Summit, the teachers ogy resources. Genentech, private "Access Excellence" Resources will become acquainted with one corporations, research centers, and Available on Internet another, learn how to use the laptop prufessional associations are parmering Genentech (a California-based biotech computer and online network, and be together to fill the Resource Center with company), in conjunction with the exposed to information and activities pertinent and leading edge research National Science Teachers Association tha t go beyond traditionaI educa tion and education resources. The address (NSTA), is involved in a major project conferences. for the Access Excellence home page is in support of high school science But the interaction won't stop there.
news, and collect fun factoids you Ceratopteris Promoted as Model tives of the NSF Division of Under can use in your classroom. System for Teaching Plant Biology graduate Education, Directorate for • Resource Center. Access meeting and Tom Warne (University of Tennessee) Education and Human Resources, will convention schedules, competitions, is developing a homepage for the be on hand to discuss available funding exhibits, and other information from collection and distribution of informa opportunities, of which there are many. science education resources nation tion on the use of Ceratopteris as a Attendees are encouraged to bring wide. model system for teaching plant biology speCific ideas, questions, and problems • Teacher-Scientist Network. When was at all levels. Ceratopteris, an easy to to the workshop. the last time you spoke with a grow fern with a short life cycle, is scientist? Join online discussions and currently used by a number of indi NSTA Workshop Set for seminars, hosted by teams of scien viduals across the country in general Chailotte Meeting tists and teachers on subjects you'll biology/botany laboratories as well as Dina Mandoli (University of Wash want to know more about. upper division courses and is also ington) and participants have been • The Teacher's Lounge. Talk with applicable at the K-12 level. The UT burning up the Internet exchanging teachers from across the country homepage will serve as a clearinghouse ideas for the upcoming high school online about a variety of topics for teaching ideas and applications that teachers workshop to be held in related to high school biology involve Ceratopteris. conjunction with the National Science education on the Access Excellence A paper on use of the C-fern in Teachers Association at the ASPP Message Boards general biology is currently in press in annual meeting in Charlotte. Titled, • Make the Connection! Whether you're the American Biology Teacher. In "Teaching Biology from Soup to Nuts a high school biology teacher or a addition, the International Journal of with Plants: New, Do-able Ideas for research scientist, you can get Plant Sciences, vol. 156, issue 3 (May High School Curricula," the workshop connected to the program and 1995) contains a special section on is being developed with Barbara Schulz, participate in online science seminars, Ceratopteris with one paper being a NSTA liaison, and will provide an exchange innovative lesson activities, review of the uses of Ceratopteris in opportunity for local high school and keep abreast of the latest teaching. teachers and ASPP members to work advances in science For more information or contribu together to develop exercises that • Books and Papers. One of the goals tions, either log on to the Ceratopteris demonstrate the special role of plants in of Access Excellence is to provide homepage (http://www.bio.utk.edu/ science education. The labs under resources and collaborative learning botany/ cfern/manualtw.html) or development have been selected to use experiences which enable teachers to contact Tom at Dr. Thomas R. Warne, only materials that are inexpensive and develop new teaching and learning Department of Botany, University of readily available in all areas of the strategies. Thus, the Books and Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, 615 country, at all times of the year. Papers area of Access Excellence's 974-6215, e-mail Physiological and genetic principles will Resource Center offers biology and Plant-Ed Discussion Group Savidge at the University of New This newsgroup provides: Continues to Grow Brunswick: "As a university instructor, •A forum for the exchange of innova Carl Pike reports that postings on the I am not able to explain to undergradu tive laboratory and classroom Plant-Ed discussion group continue to ates what the justification is for tinker activities. increase both in number and in diver ing with the genetic makeup of a •A forum for discussing the role of sity of topics. A very active thread "weed," particularly when there are so plant education in introductory recently concerned ways to bring many more immediate problems that biology courses and ways for improv excitement about plants to introductory need to be solved in the plant sci ing student perceptions of plants. courses (both in a general biology ences." The answers touched on many •A forum for the exchange of informa curriculum and in a plant biology aspects of what we do as researchers tion about educational opportunities program). SL'veral successful approaches and as teachers. £'11 not spoil the plot, for students and faculty (REU were mentioned, such as linking bu t encourage you to read the archives programs, teaching workshops, etc.) botanical concepts to things that are on Plant-Ed. •A forum for the exchange of informa familiar to students (such as fertilizing Moderators Jonathon Monroe (James tion about textbooks, internet re a garden) or to an historical perspective Madison University) and Susan Singer suurces, visual materials, and interac (the spice trade or the Irish potato (Carleton College) report that the tive computer programs. famine). Arousing interest with the charter for the Plant-Ed discussion •A source of quick help for last example of something dramatic (the gruup has been revised and will soon minute troubleshooting, conditions sensitive plant) was mentioned Bill be submitted to subscribers for a vote for plant growth, sources of materi Purves summed up this discussion well: of approval to make the group perma als, and practical advice. "This ultima tely brings me back to a nent. The charter is as follows: • An archive of searchable information recurrent theme of mine: don't worry The purpose of the PLANT-EDUCA for future use by instructors of plant about specific syllabi/content. Worry TION newsgroup is to function as a courses. about getting the students involved means for communication among all Subscribers are welcome. Contribu enough so that they learn ,orne/hing educators, including faculty, instructors, tions within the functions outlined well. Don't worry about stuffing them lab preparators, and graduate assistants, above are encouraged. The newsgroup with material. Plant the seed." involved in courses on any aspect of is unmoderated. To subscribe, send an A very thought-provoking question plant biology. e-mail to Plant Biochemistry 1995 form, contact Ms. Karen Maertens, The Twinning Program requires a 2 PBRTC, Institute of Biological Chemis year commitment beginning in January try, Washington State University, 1996. Eligible applicants must have The DOE/'\ISF/LSDA triagency Pullman, WA 99164-6340; telephone Ph.D.s and be US. citizens, nationals of supported Plant Biochemistry Research 509-335-5496, fax S09-335-7643, e-mail a US. possesion, or permanent resi and Training Center at Washington [email protected]. dents of the Uni ted Sta tes; must be State University will conduct a training engaged in research or research and course in plant biochemistry July 15-28, teaching careers at an educational or 1995. The course is designed to teach September 1 Is Deadline for research institution in the United States; fundamental principles as well as the NRC-Sponsored Twinning and must have existing contacts with latest advances in areas including Program to Countries of researchers or institutions in the structure-function of plant organelles; Central Europe and Eurasia countries listed above. ion transport; photosynthesis; carbohy Deadline for applications for this drate and lipid biosynthesis and program is September 1, 1995. For metabolism; nitrogen fixation and The Office for Central Europe and further details, contact Office for amino acid metabolism; synthesis, Eurasia of the :\Iational Research Council is accepting proposals for Central Europe and Eurasia (F02014), catabolism, phYSiology, and mechanism National Research Council, 2101 of action of plant hormones; synthesis collaborative research programs tha t link individual U.S. scientists with their Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washing and catabolism of unique plant prod ton, DC 20418; telephone 202-334-2644, ucts such as terpenoids, alkaloids, counterparts in Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Romania, and fax 202-334-2614, or e-mail cyanoglucosides; phenylpropanoids; [email protected] signaling mechanisms in plant defense Ukraine. Only proposals in fields responses toward pests and pathogens; normally supported by the National metabolic regulation; protein synthesis Science Foundation will be considered. and intracellular targeting of macromol Proposals should have the strong ecules. Funds have been allocated to support of the scientists' home institu partially offset travel and housing tions and should lead to significant expenses for up to 40 participants. For publications and long-term sustained further infurmation and an application linkages May/June 1995, Vol. 22, No.3 17 Gatherings All armouncements are subject to editing. Wherever possible, submit armouncements via e-mail to [email protected]. Alternatively, mail submissions to Jody Carlson, ASPP Newsletter, 15501 Monona Drive, Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA. Because armouncements are scarmed into the computer, faxed transmissions will not be accepted. July 4-7 FUTURE ASPP ANNUAL MEETING SITES 9th International Rapeseed Congress Cambridge, England Contact: Denis Kimber, 44 Church Street, 1995: Charlotte, North Carolina Haslingfield, Cambridge, CB3 71E, England. Saturday, July 29, through See November/December 1994 ASPP Wednesday, August 2 Newsletter for details. July 9·15 European Symposium on 1996: San Antonio, Texas Photomorphogenesis in Plants Saturday, July 27, through Silges, Barcelona, Spain, Contact Dr. Carmen Bergareche, Wednesday, July 31 Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Facultat de Biologia, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; fax 34-3- 4112842, telephone 34-3 1997: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 4021464. See November/December 1994 Saturday, August 2, through ASPP Newsletter for details. Wednesday, August 6 July 14-18, 1995 15th International Conference on Plant Growth Substances JUNE November/ December 1994 ASPP Newsletter Minneapolis, Minnesota for details. The second circular containing registration June 11-16 materials can be obtained by contacting Gary Gordon Research Conference June 26-30 Plant Cell Genetics and Development: 7th International Conference of the Conifer Gardner, Department of Horticultural Apical Meristems and Primordia Biotechnology Working Group Science, Univ. of Minnesota, 305 Alderman HaU, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA, fax 612-624 Wolfeboro, New Hampshire Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia 4941, e-mail [email protected]. Application form in February 3, 1995, issue For more information contact: Prof. R. D. See March/April 1995 ASPP Newsletter for of Science, or from Gordon Research reasdale, 1'0rBio Research, 50 Meiers Rd., details. Conferences, University of Rhode Island, PO Indooroopilly, Qld 4068; telephone 61-7-870 Box 984, West Kingston, R.I 02892-0984. 5888, fax 61-7-870-5777. See March/April July 15-29 Attendance limited to 135. Some funding 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. Plant Biochemistry Summer Course available for developing scientists; apply to Washington State University, Pullman chair: [email protected]. See Novem For further information and an application ber/December 1994 ASPP Newsletter for JULY form contact: Ms. Karen Maertens, Plant details. July 2-7 Biochemistry Research and Training Center, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington June 18-23 7th International Symposium on State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6340, Molecular Genetics and Ecology of Preharvest Sprouting in Cereals telephone 509-335-5496, fax 509-335-7643, Pesticide Resistance Abashiri, Hokkaido, Japan email maertens®Wsuvm1.csc.wsu.edu. See Yellowstone Conference Center Contact: Secretariat, 7th International Ylarch/April 1995 ASPP Newsletter for Big Sky, Montana SympOSium on Preharvest Sprouting in details. Contact: American Chemical Society, Cereals, Kitami Agricultural Experiment Meetings Department, 1155 16th Street N.W., Station, Kunneppu, Hokkaido 099-14, Japan; telephone 0157-47-21 46, fax 0157-47-2774 or July 16-20 Washington DC 20036, telephone 202-872 5th Brazilian Congress of Plant Physiology 6286, fax 202-872-6128. See November/ M. K. Walker-Simmons, USDA-ARS, 209 Lavras, MG, Brazil December 1994 ASPP Newsletter for details. Johnson Hall, Washington State University, For details contact: Renato Paiva, V Congr Pullman, WA 99164-6420; telephone 509 Bras Fisiologia Vegetal, Dept Biol-ESAL, June 26-30 335-8696, fax 509-335-8674, e-mail 37200-000 Lavras, MG, Brazil, telephone 55 International Workshop simmons®Wsuvm1.edu. See November/ 35 829-1214, fax 55-35 829-1100. See January/ Peroxidase Biotechnology and Application December 1994 ASPP Newsletter for details. February 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. Puschino (Moscow Region), Russia Contact Dr. 1. G. Gazaryan, Division of Chemical Enzymology, Department of Chemistry, Moscow State University, 119899 C;SP Moscow, Russia; fax 7-95-939-27-42. See 18 ASPP Newsletter July 17-21 AUGUST SEPTEMBER Fourth International Symposium on the Molecular Biology of Potato August 6-11 September 3-7 Wageningen, The Netherlands 10th International Workshop on 4th International Workshop on For information please contact the Congress Plant Membrane Biology Pathogenesis-Related Proteins in Plants: Bureau: lAC-Section ace, Mrs. M. van Regensbur& Gennany Biology and Biotechnological Potential Amstel, PO Box 88, 6700 AB Wageningen, Contact Widmar Tanner or Norbert Sauer, Kloster Irsee, Gennany The Netherlands; telephone 31 8370 90111. Lehrstuhl fur Zellbiologie und Contact: Dr. Erich Kombrink, Abteilung fax: + 31 8370 18552. Pflanzenphysiologie, l!niversitat Regensburg, Biochemie, Max-Planck Institut fur Universitatsstrasse 31, 93053 Regensburg, Zlichtungsforschung, Carl-von Linne-Weg 10, July 18-20 Germany; fax 49-941-943-3352. See Novem 0-50829 K61n, Germany, fax +49-221-5062 Plant Growth Regulator Society of America ber/December 1994 ASPP Newsletter for 313. See November/December 1994 ASPP 22nd Annual Meeting details. Newsletter for details. Minneapolis, Minnesota For information, contact Dr. Duane Greene, August 7-11 September 11-13 Program Chair, Department of Plant and Soil 4th International Congress on Amino Acids Physiological Responses of Sciences, Bowditch Hall, University of Vienna, Austria Plants to Pathogens Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, Contact: Bijay K. Singh, American Cyanamid University of Dundee, Scotland telephom~ 413-545-521 LJ. See January/ Company, P.O. Box 400, Princeton, NJ 08543 Contact Dr. Dale Walters, Plant Science February 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. 0400 USA, or B. Lubec, Department of Department, The Scottish Agricultural Pediatrics, University of Vienna, Wahringer College, Auchincruive, Nr Ayr KA6 5HW, July 23-28 Gurtel 18, A-1090, Vienna, Austria. See UK. See March/April 1995 ASPP Newsletter 4th International Symposium on Inorganic November/December 1994 ASPP Newsletter for details. Nitrogen Assimilation for details. Dannstadt, Gennany September 11-15 Contact: Wolfram Ullrich, Institut fur August 7-11 Laboratory Course: NMR of Carbohydrates Botanik, Teclmische HochsdlUle, 10th International Conference on Frankia Athens, Georgia Sclmittspahnstr. 3-5, D-64 287 Darmstadt, and Actinorhizal Plants See listing above under July 31-August 4 for Gennany; fax 49-151-16-4R08. See Novem University of California, Davis details. ber/ December 1994 I\SPP Newsletter for Contact: Dr. A. M. Berry, Department of details. Environmental Horticulture, University of September 11-16 California, Davis, CA 95616; fax 916-752-1819 Plant Respiration: July 23-28 e-mail [email protected]. See Novem Physiological and Ecological Aspects Gordon Research Conference ber/ December 1994 ASPP Newsletter for Syktyvkar, Komi Republic, Russia Plant & Fungal Cytoskeleton details. This international workshop will focus on Proctor Academy the following topics: respiration of plants in Andover, New Hampshire August 13-17 different climatic zones; respiration and Application form in February 3, 1995 issue Phytochemical Society of North America stress; respiration components of plants and of Science or from Gordon Research Annual Meeting their organs; relationship of respiration and Conferences, PO Box 984, West Kingston, RI Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada photosynthesis; respiration cost of crop yield; 02892-0984. SeC' March/April 1995 ASPP Contact: Dr. James A. Saunders, Plant regulation of plant respiration; alternative Newslettl'r for details. Sciences Institute, USDA, Bldg. 9, Rm 5, and cytochrome pathway. Workshop fee is Beltsville, MD 20705, telephone 301 504-7477, $30. Please address all correspondence to Dr. July 30-August 2 fax 301 504-6478; or Dr. Pedro Barbosa, Tamara K. Golovko, Institute of Biology, American Society of Plant Physiologists Department of Entomology, University of Komi Science Center, Ural Division, Russian Annual Meeting Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, Academy of Sciences, Kommunisticheskaya, Charlotte, North Carolina telephone 301 405-3946 office, fax 301 314 28, 167610 Syktyvkar, Russia; telephone 821 Contact: Susan Chambers, ASPP Headquar 9290. See November/December 1994 ASPP 22-51-15; fax 821-22-201-63. ters, 15501 Monona Drive, Rockville, MD Newsletter for details. 20855-2768; telephone 310-251-0560, ext. 11, September 13-15 fax 301-279-2996, e-mail August 13-17 14th Long Ashton [email protected]. 5th International Conference on the International Symposium: Transport of Photoassimilates Plant Roots-from Cells to Systems July 31-August 4 Canterbury, UK Long Ashton Research Station August 7-11 Contact: Dennis Baker, Biological Sciences, Bristol, England August 14-18 Wye College, Kent TN25 5AH, UK; fax +44 Contact H. M Anderson, Department of September 11-15 1233-813140, e-mail [email protected]. Agricultural Sciences, University of Bristol, Laboratory Courses: Techniques for Institute of Arable Crops Research, Long Characterization of Complex Carbohydrates August 20-25 Ashton Research Station, Bristol, BS18 9AF, Athens, Georgia 10th International Photosynthesis Congress United Kingdom; telephone 275-392181, fax For further information or to apply, contact: Montpellier, France 275-394007. See November/December 1994 Dr. Roberta K. Merkle, Complex Carbohy Contact: Dr. Paul Mathis (Photosynthesis ASPP Newsletter for details. drate Research Center, 220 Riverbend Road, Congress), DBeM-SBE, ('EA SacJay, Batiment University of Georgia, Athens, GA 10602 532, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette CEDF.X, France; fax 4712; telephone 706-542-4402, fax 706-542 33-1-69-08-87017. See November/December 4412, e-mail [email protected]. SeE' 1994 ASPP Newsletter for details. March/April 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details May/June 1995, Vol. 22, No.3 19 September 24-27 NOVEMBER information. Otherwise, contact Keystone European Science Foundation Workshop SympOSia, Drawer 1630, Silverthoroe, CO Genes and Their Products for Tolerance to November 5-9 80498; telephone 303-262-1230, fax 303-262 Physical Stresses in Plants First Joint USA-Mexico Symposium 1525. Maratea, Italy Agrobiology, Molecular Physiology, and For further information please contact A. Biotechnology of Crops Important to March 10-16, 1996 Leone, Research Centre for Vegetable Mexican Agriculture Seventh International SympJsium on Breeding, CNR, Via Universita'133, 1-80055 Cocoyoc, Mexico Flower Bulbs Portici, Italy; telephone 39 776 16 46, fax 39 For more information and registration Herzliya, Israel 775 35 79, e-mail leone®Vm.cised.unina.it. packets (hotel reservation forms, abstract Convener of the meeting is A. H. Halevy. See MarchiApril 1995 ASPP Newsletter for forms, etc.) send your complete mailing For more information, con.tact Ortra Ltd., details. address to Maarten Chrispeels P.O.B. 50432, Tel Aviv, 61500, Israel,; fax ([email protected]) or Alejandra 972-3-5174433. See JanuaryIFebruary 1995 September 25-27 Covarrubias ASPP Newsletter for details. Harnessing Apomixis: .~ New .!"rontier in ([email protected]). See Plant Science MarchiApril 1995 ASPP Newsletter for March 10-16, 1996 Texas A&M University, College Station details. Third International Workshop on Contact Dr. David M. SteUer, Department of Basic and Applied Research in Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M Plasmodesmal Biology University, College Station, TX 77843-2474; 1995 Zichron Yakov, Israel telephone 409-845-2745, fax 409-862-4733, e For further information contact one of the mail [email protected]. See Novem follOWing: Bernard Epel, Division. of Plant berIDecember 1994 ASPP Newsletter for MARCH Biology MRC7, The Scripps Research details. Institute, 10666 North Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Ma~ch R-14, '996 Ca 92037; fax 619-554-6330; e-mail Ke~stone Sympos'um [email protected]; Shmulik Wolf, Depart OCTOBER The '~xtrac cllular Matrix of !lants: men.t of Vegetable Crops, The Faculty of Molecular, 2ellular and Development;:! Agriculture, Hebrew University, Rehovot, October 1-4, 1995 Biology Israel 76100; fax 972-8- 468-265, e-mail International Symposium: Tamarron, Colora,:o [email protected]; William Lucas, Section Engineering Plants For Commercial Organizers: Andrew Staehelin, Michael of Plant Biology, University of California, Products!Applications Hahn, Norman Lewis, Andrew Mort, and Davis, California 95616; fax 916-752-5410, e University of Kentucky, Lexington Keith Roberts. The plant cell wall is a mail [email protected]. See MarchiApril Co-organizers: Glenn B. Collins and Robert J. specialized form of extracellular matrix that 1995 ASPP Newsletter for details. Shepherd. To be added to the conference determines the size and shape of cells, their mailing list, send your name and address to: patterns of growth, and the mechanical International Symposium on Engineering properties of tissues. It also directs APRIL Plants, c/o Conferences and Institutes, 218 gravitropic responses, acts as a barrier to Peterson Service Building, Lexington, KY invading microorganisms, and is a source of April 11-13, 1996 40506-0005 USA; e-mail signal molecules that regulate growth, New Biological Approaches to Understand [email protected], telephone development, and resistance to disease. and Improve Winter Survival of Plants 606-257-3929, fax 606-323-1053. Because it governs the texture of many of Arhus, Denmark the foodstuffs and materials we use, the Contact: Bjarni L. Gudleifsson, RALA October 8-12 properties of the plant cell wall are of Modruvellir, 601 Akureyri, Iceland; tele Third International Symposium: interest to the biotechnology, horticultural, phone: + 354-6-24477, fax + 354--6-27144. See Cytochrome P450 Biodiversity agricultural, and forestry industries. Jan.uaryIFebruary 1995 ASPP Newsletter for Woods Hole, Massachusetts Developments that have shaped this field in details. Contact: Dr. John C. Loper, Department of recent years include: the demonstration that Molecular Genetics, University of Cincinnati the complex polysaccharides of plant ceJ] April 12-19, 1996 School of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267 walls are unique, highly conserved macro 9th International Congress on 0524, fax 513-558-8474. See NovemberI molecules; the discovery that cell wall Soilless Culture December 1994 ASPP Newsletter for details. derived oligosaccharide fragments can serve SI. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands regulatory functions; the demonstration of Write to Secretariat of ISOSC, P.O. Box 52, October 8-12 cell- and tissue-specific expression. of both 6700 AB Wagen.ingen, The Netherlands. See International Symposium: glycoprotein and polysaccharide components Jan.uary/February 1995 ASPP Newsletter for Dynamics of Physiological Proces,es in of cell walls; the isolation of cell wall details. Woody Roots mutants and the production of transgenic Ithaca, New York plants with altered cell walls; and the April 15-17, 1996 Contact Dr. Mary A. Topa, Boyce Thompson recognition that lignin synthesis and Starch: Structure and Function Institute, Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853 assembly is a tightly controlled process. The Cambridge, UK 1801, USA; fax 607-254-1242, e-mail goal of the meeting is to take a broad look Contact: Mrs. M. A. Staff, Cavendish [email protected]. See NovemberI December at research on the extracellular matrix of Laboratory, Madingley Road, Cambridge, 1994 ASPP Newsletter for details. plant cells, and to bring together a diverse CB3 OHE, United Kingdom; telephone 44 mixture of researchers to foster cross 1223-3370007, fax 44-1223-337000. See fertilization of ideas and collaborations. If MarchiApril 1995 ASPP Newsletter for you have ever applied to attend or have details. attended a Keystone Symposia conference, you will automatically be sent application 20 ASPP Newsletter MAY JUNE June 23-26, 1996 Second Internationat Symposium on the May 12-17, 1996 June 16-21, 1996 Biology of Root Formation VIII Congress Third International Symposium on in Vitro and Development International Society of Citriculture Culture and Horticultural Breeding Jerusalem, Israel Sun City Resort, South Africa Jerusalem, Israel Root formation and development will be During thE' congress virtually every aspect of The contribution of in vitro culture and considered from various complementary citriculture will be covered in plenary, biotechnological achievements to horticul points of view. Emphasis will be placed on concurrent, workshop, and poster sessions tural plants (propagation, breeding, plant open discussions, and it is expected that new comprising the presentation of review papers and product development, response to insight and research possibilities will result and research reports. The congress theme is stress) will be evaluated. Emphasis will be from bridging gaps between topics that "Technology-The Key to Quality Citrus." placed on open discussions, and it is have, in the past been dealt with separately. fopics will include horticulture, physiology, expected that new insights will result from General topics to be covered: diversity of breeding, propagation, soil science, climate, bridging "classical" breeding and molecular adventitious and of lateral roots, induction pests and diseases, postharvest aspects, techniques, thus bringing forward the and development of adventitious and of processing, economics, and marketing issues. interdisciplinary biotechnological approach. lateral roots, molecular biology of root For information, contact: Congress Secre General topics to be covered: in vitro formation, formation of special substances by tariat, Institute for Tropical and Subtropical propagation, breeding and genetic manipula roots, ecological implications of root Crops, Private Bag X 11208, Nelspruit 1200, tions, biotic and abiotic stress, public and development, applied and commercial South Africa; telephone 27-1311-52071, fax legal aspects of horticultural biotechnology. aspects of root development. For more 27-1311-23854, e-mail For more information, or to receive a call for information, or to receive a call for papers, [email protected]. papers, contact Third International Sympo contact Second International Symposium of sium on in Vitro Culture and Horticultural the Biology of Root Formation and Develop Breeding, P.O. Box 50006, Tel-Aviv 6500, ment, P.O. Box 50006, Tel-Aviv 61500, Israel. Israel. (Photo at left.) At the Southern Section's 1995 annual meeting riverboat reception. participants in the symposium relax with meeting organizer. Cynthia Galloway. Laft to right: Malcolm Potts. Melvin Oli\ler. Timoi'hy Close. and Galloway. (Photo at right.) Ruth Alscher (left) and Camellia Okpodu at their poster at the 1995 Southern Section annual meeting in Knoxville. Tennesse. May/June 1995, Vol. 22, No.3 21 1995 Annual Meeting American Society of Plant Physiologists Saturday, July 29, through Wednesday, August 2 New Charlotte Convention Center Charlotte, North Carolina Monday, July 31, 2:30 - 6:00 PM NMR in Plant Biology Organizer: Yair Shachar-Hill, USDA/ARS Speakers/Topics: A. Haase/Multiparameter Resonance Microscopy on Intact Plants; R. George Ratcliffe/Probing Primary and Secondary Nitrogen Metabolism in Transformed Root Cultures with in Vivo NMR Spectroscopy; Teresa Fan/Use of ISN and I3C Isotope Labeling and Multinuclear NMR for Exploring Nitrate Metabolism in Anaerobic Rice Coleoptiles Application of Biotechnology in Woody Plants Organizer: Ron Sederoff, North Carolina State University Speakers/Topics: Jeff Dean/Tailoring Lignin in Forest Trees; John Davis/Transgenic Strategies for Forest Trees; Ron Sederoff/Application of Biotechnology to Forest Trees: DNA Markers to Study Natural and Artificial Selection Tuesday, August 1, 2:30 - 6:00 PM Co-suppression and Gene Silencing in Plants Chair: Marc Van Montagu, Universiteit Gent Speakers/Topics: Richard Jorgensen/Sense Suppression of Flower Color Genes as a Sensitive Reporter of Epigenetic States of Gene Expression in Plant Development; Vicki L. Chandler/Paramutation: An Allelic Interaction That Causes Heritable Changes in Transcription Molecular Biology of Circadian Clocks Organizer: Steve A. Kay, University of Virginia Speakers/Topics: Susan Golden/The Quest for the Cyanobacterial Circadian Clock; Richard C. Crain/Regulation of Volume in Samanea saman Motor Cells by Light and the Biological Clock; Steve A. Kay/Molecular Dissection of the Arabidopsis Circadian Clock Wednesday, August 2, 8:30 AM - NOON Seeds of Change: Toward Change and Innovation in Science Education Organizer: Hector Flores, Penn State University Speakers/Topics: Sharon Long/Improving Science Literacy and Science Education at the University Level; Jo Handlesman/ Biology Brought to Life: A Case for Local Action and Global Thinking; Hector Flores/Seeds of Change: Soul Searching through Undergraduate and Graduate Teaching The Xanthophyll Cycle and Photoprotective Energy Dissipation Organizer: William Adams, University of Colorado Speakers/Topics: Thomas G. Owens/The Direct Participation of Zeaxanthin in Energy-Dependent Quenching of Chlorophyll Excited States; Adam M. Gilmore/Mechanistic Aspects of Xanthophyll Cycle Dependent Photoprotection in Chloroplasts and Leaves; Barbara Demmig-Adams/Xanthophyll Cycle and Diurnal PSII Regulation 30 ASPP Newsletter Announcing the July 1995 Special Issue of THE PLANT CELL A Review Issue Devoted to Plant Biochemistry Foreword: 101 Reasons To Leam More Plant Biochemistry Joseph E. Vamer CELLULAR PROCESSES Regulation of Photosynthesis in C3 and C4 Plants: A Molecular Approach, Robert T. Furbank and William C. Taylor; Rubisco Synthesis, Assembly, and Regulation, Steven Gutteridge and Anthony A. Gatenby; Plant Mitochondrial Electron Transfer and Molecular Biology, James N. Siedow and Ann L. Umbach; Roles of Ion Channels in Initiation of Signal Transduction in Higher Plants, John M. Ward, Zhen-Ming Pei, and Julian 1. Schroeder; Regulation of Protein Degradation, Judy Callis; Nitrate: Nutrient and Signal for Plant Growth, Nigel Crawford; Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation, Panagiota Mylona, Katharina Pawlowski, and Ton Bisseling AMINO ACID BIOCHEMISTRY Use of Arabidopsis Mutants and Genes to Study Amide Amino Acid Biosynthesis, Hong-Ming Lam, Karen Coschigano, Carolyn Schultz, Rosana Melo-Oliveira, Gabrielle Tjaden, Igor Oliveira, Nora Ngai, Ming-Hsiun Hsieh, and Gloria Coruzzi; Regulation of Lysine and Threonine Synthesis, Gad Galili; The Shikimate Pathway: Early Steps in the Biosynthesis of Aromatic Compounds, Klaus M. Herrmann; Tryptophan Biosynthesis and Metabolism: Biochemical and Molecular Genetics; Elainr R. Radwanski and Robert L. Last; Biosynthesis of Branched Chain Amino Acids: From the Test Tube to the Field, Bijay K. Singh and Dale L. Shaner PRIMARY MACROMOLECULES Seed Storage Proteins: Structures and Biosynthesis, Peter R. Shewry, Johnathan A. Napier, and Arthur S. Tatum; Lipid Biosynthesis, John Ohlrogge and John Browse; Starch Biosynthesis, Cathie Martin and Alison M. Smith; Cellulose Biosynthesis, Deborah P. Delmer and Yehudit Amor SECONDARY PRODUCTS AND PIGMENTS Lignin Biosynthesis, Ross Whetten and Ron Sederoff; Terpenoid Metabolism, Douglas f. McGarvey and Rodney Croteau; Plant Carotenoids: Pigments for Photoprotection, Visual Attraction, and Human Health, Glenn E. Bartley and Pablo A. Scolnik; Chlorophyll Biosynthesis, Diter von Wettstein, Simon Gough, and C. Gamini Kannangara; Alkaloid Biosynthesis-The Basis for Metabolic Engineering of Medicinal Plants, Toni M. Kutchan; Genetics and Biochemistry of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis, Edwina C. Cornish and Timothy A. Holton ENVIRONMENTAL ADAPTAnON Stress-Induced Phenylpropanoid Metabolism, Richard A. Dixon and Nancy L. Paiva; Adaptations to Environmental Stresses, Hans f. Bohnert, Donald E. Nelson, and Richard G. Jensen Individual copies may be purchased for $22 (or $18/copy for 10 or more) for orders received by July 1. Orders received after July 1 are priced at $25 (or $22/copy for 10 or more) To obtain an order form, send your name and address to: Judith E. Grollman, Managing Editor. THE PLANT CELL E-Mail [email protected], Fax 301-279-2996 May/June 1995, Vol. 22, No.3 31 ASPP Education Foundation Proposal Editor's note: Printed below is the text of the proposal to create an American Society of Plant Physiologists Education Foundation. ASPP's executive committee approved the proposal at its meeting in Portland, Oregon, in 1994. On the annual ballot that will be mailed to all members in the spring of 1995, the membership of ASPP will be asked to approve the Foundation by adding it to the Society's constitution and bylaws. This statement will be published in the Newsletter until the time of the election. Mission Statement The American Society of Plant Physiologists Education Foundation (ASPPEF) promotes and supports education in the plant sciences to enhance the role of the plant sciences in a global society. Goals 1. To promote the teaching of plant sciences at all levels. 2. To advance public understanding and appreciation of the value of plant sciences to the welfare of society. 3. To support the development of new initiatives in emerging areas of plant science education. 4. To provide a mechanism for individuals and organizations to support education and research in the plant sciences. Composition of the ASPPEF Board of Directors The Board of Directors will be a standing committee of the Society and shall consist of one member designated as the Chair appointed to a three-year term by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee, twelve members recommended by the Chair and the President for approval by the Executive Committee, and the following ex officio members: the president, the president-elect, the immediate past president, the chair of the board of trustees, the treasurer, and the executive director. Each appointed member of the Board of Direc tors will serve a three-year term (NOTE: Initially, the terms of the twelve will be staggered such that four will be appointed for four-year terms, four for three-year terms, and four for two-year terms.) Duties of the ASPPEF Board of Dired'ors The Board of Directors of the ASPPEF shall oversee the management of all activities of the Foundation. The ASPPEF will report to the Executive Committee through the Chair of its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will be responsible for developing the ASPPEF budget, which will be presented to the Board of Trustees to be included as part of the Society's annual budgetary process. Final approval of the ASPPEF budget will rest with the Executive Committee. Approval The structure outlined above will be subject to the approval of the ASPP membership as required by the constitution and bylaws of the Society. Until this approval is granted, the ASPPEF Board of Directors will exist as an ad hoc committee of the Executive Committee of the Society. Review Continuation of the Foundation will be subject to review once every five years by the Executive Committee to examine the ASPPEF operation and success in achieving its goals. The review committee will be an ad hoc committee chaired by the Past President and consisting of five other individuals appointed by the President. The Review Committee will make a recommendation to the Executive Committee which will then make a decision regarding continued authorization of the ASPPEF. Budgetary Issues 1. The ASPPEF budget will be developed by the Board of Directors as a self-contained, independent fund within the overall society budget. 2. To provide an initial base of funding for the ASPPEF, one million dollars will be moved from the ASPP General Endowment into a separate (restricted) fund, to be designated the ASPP Education Foundation Endowment. Use of the funds in the ASPPEF Endowment will be subject to the same annual limit of 5.0% of the market value currently associated with the use of the General Endowment. Duties of the Chair of the Board of Directors The duties of the Chair of the Board of Directors include directing the activities of the Foundation, working with the President to identify members of the Board of Directors, recruiting volunteers to accomplish Founda tion goals, assisting in cultivating corporations, foundations and other donors compatible with ASPPEF goals, and reporting to and serving as a member of the ASPP Executive Committee.