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Time to Speak up Get Set November/December 2014 • Volume 41, Number 6 p. 4 p. 7 p. 17 ASPB Officers Assume Plant Biology 2015 ASPB issues Policy Posts for 2014–2015 Reflections and Statements on GE New ASPB Officers and innovations for 2015 Foods and Diversity Committee Members as of October 1 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLANT BIOLOGISTS President’s Letter On Your Mark, Time to Speak Up Get Set . Get JULIAN SCHROEDER Nominating! University of California, San Diego It Will Soon Be Time to Recognize Our Fellow t is an honor to be elected For the plant biology Plant Scientists your new president and to community to provide its Iwork in support of our com- most effective contributions mon goals. It has been a produc- to ensure a sustainable future, he 2015 Call for ASPB award nomina- tive year as president-elect, and basic research into underly- tions will be sent to all members on it is a pleasure to share timely ing plant mechanisms and TJanuary 5, and nominations will be due thoughts with you here. networks should not be short- by Monday, February 16. ASPB encourages No question: This is an excit- changed, unless we want to you to participate in the 2015 awards pro- ing time to be a plant scientist. reach these goals more slowly. gram by nominating deserving individuals. There are numerous unanswered The “war on cancer” is a Please watch for the Call for Nominations in but important fundamental prime example, where initially your e-mail inbox and on our website. In the Julian Schroeder research questions and diverse rapid solutions were sought— meantime, please visit ASPB’s awards pages new and powerful research tools at our and over four decades later, the community (http://my.aspb.org/?page=AF_Awards) so disposal. Furthermore, plant research is has come to realize that any substantial gains that you can see who among your colleagues having, and will play, an ever-growing role in that have been made are derived directly has received these awards in the past and addressing sustainable solutions for our plan- from basic scientific insights. I would argue determine who might be most deserving et. Goals that were once considered lofty are that on a global scale plant biology research in the future. All that is required to make a now being pursued with a vengeance, even cannot afford to lose much time, given the nomination for ASPB’s awards is a one- to if some will take time to deliver. Examples growing world population; the continu- two-page letter of nomination and a detailed include developing C4 photosynthesis in C3 ing increase in incomes in many countries CV of the nominee. However, nomina- plants, enhancing biotic and abiotic stress requiring increased resources; and the tion committees may opt to go back to the tolerance, nitrogen fixation—you name it. expected climate change–linked stresses nominator to ask for additional information if But make no mistake: addressing these seem- on food, fiber, and bioenergy production. they deem it necessary. Nominations should ingly applied questions will require in-depth Advances in the plant sciences will not only be submitted electronically as a single PDF understanding of the underlying fundamen- be key to addressing these challenges, but (https://awards.aspb.org). The names of the tal principles and mechanisms of plant life. continued on page 3 continued on page 5 Contents ASPB staff are dedicated to serving our members. We welcome your questions and feedback. For quick response, e-mail us at [email protected] or visit our FAQ at www.aspb.org/faq. ASPB Executive Committee 1 President’s Letter President Julian Schroeder Immediate past president Alan M. Jones 1 On Your Mark, Get Set…Get Nominating President-elect Rick Dixon Secretary Karen Koch 4 ASPB Officers Assume Posts for 2014–2015 Treasurer Karen Koster Chair, Board of Trustees Rob McClung 5 2014–2015 Awards Committees Chair, Publications Committee Neil Olszewski Chair, Women in Plant Biology Committee Marisa Otegui Chair, Minority Affairs Committee Adán Colón-Carmona Plant Biology 2015 Chair, Education Committee Kathleen Archer Chair, International Committee Tuan-hua David Ho 7 YOUR Plant Biology Meeting Chair, Membership Committee David Horvath Chair, Science Policy Committee Patrick Schnable 9 Call for Abstracts Elected members Elizabeth (Lisa) Ainsworth Joe Kieber MariaElena B. Zavala People Sectional Representatives Midwestern Ed Cahoon 11 Exploring the Rich History of Plant Science Northeastern Om Parkash Dhankher Southern Rebecca Dickstein 13 Around the Web Mid-Atlantic Hemayet Ullah 14 Andrew Benson Honored on Birthday No 97 Western Camille Steber ASPB Staff Membership Corner Executive director Crispin Taylor, [email protected] 15 Mohammad Salehin Director of finance and administration Kim Kimnach, [email protected] Executive and governance affairs administrator Sylvia Lee, [email protected] Accounts receivable and payable specialist Stephanie Liu-Kuan, [email protected] Science Policy Senior staff accountant Jotee Pundu, [email protected] Director of meetings and events Jean Rosenberg, [email protected] 17 ASPB Issues Position Statements on Genetically Director, digital strategy and member services Susan Cato, [email protected] Engineered Plants and Diversity Manager, Member Services Shoshana Kronfeld, [email protected] Meetings, marketing, and membership assistant Melanie Binder, [email protected] 19 Policy Update Legislative and public affairs director Tyrone Spady, [email protected] Education coordinator Katie Engen, [email protected] Director of publications Nancy A. Winchester, [email protected] Education Forum Publications assistant Diane McCauley, [email protected] Subscriptions manager Suzanne Cholwek, [email protected] 22 ASPB and PlantingScience: A Perennial Partnership Subscriptions assistant Linda Palmer, [email protected] 25 New Higher Education Journal: CourseSource Launches Managing editor Patti Lockhart, [email protected] December 1! Science writer, Plant Physiology Peter Minorsky, [email protected] Production manager, Plant Physiology Jon Munn, [email protected] 26 Planting Seeds: Teacher Development for Engaging 21st Manuscript manager, Plant Physiology Ashton Wolf, [email protected] Century Learning and Inspiring Careers Senior features editor, The Plant Cell Nan Eckardt, [email protected] Features editor, The Plant Cell Mary Williams, [email protected] Production manager, The Plant Cell Susan Entwistle, [email protected] 27 DC Teachers’ Night at the U.S. Botanic Garden Manuscript manager, The Plant Cell Annette Kessler, [email protected] 29 Outreach Is a Hybrid: What Transpires When Scientists The ASPB News is distributed to all ASPB members and is also available online. It is pub- lished six times annually in odd-numbered months. Its purposes are to keep membership Reach Out? informed of ASPB activities and to reinforce the value of membership. The ASPB News is edited and produced by ASPB staff from material provided by members and other 30 Engaging Students and the Public interested parties. Copy deadline is the 5th day of the preceding even-numbered month (for example, December 5 for January/February publication). Contact: Nancy A. Winchester, Editor, ASPB News, 15501 Monona Drive, Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA; [email protected]; 301-296-0904. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists 2 ASPB NEWS | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 PRESIDENT’S LETTER tists and newly started compa- GPC and is working closely with address to Tyrone Spady, ASPB’s continued from page 1 nies already going full bore. The the GPC in supporting this goal on director of legislative and public they also will be the drivers of powerful solutions to our present behalf of ASPB members around affairs ([email protected]). Tyrone future economic growth. and future problems will come in the world. The GPC’s blog (http:// will then be able to alert you of One of the questions affect- large part from discovery research, blog.globalplantcouncil.org) is an new developments and provide ing plant biologists while also which will include, among others, increasingly rich source of informa- you with helpful information on vexing funding agency managers gene discovery, targeted mecha- tion, and its Twitter feed (https:// possible actions. ASPB will inform and political representatives in nistic research, omics revolution- twitter.com/GlobalPlantGPC) is you of federal budget decisions many countries is, “What is the based systems biology, and active and well-populated. In the and other relevant congressio- best mix of fundamental research quantitative genetics illumination following, I would like to propose nal activities and ask for your and applied research for creat- of trait improvements. a first step at how we can assist rapid response to help influ- ing a better future and a stronger Investment in research, whether our U.S. membership to make our ence Congress’s thinking before economy?” Not a simple question, discovery or applied, is also critical voices heard. decisions are made. In the past, to be sure. Given the importance for maintaining a strong training With a new Congress set to ASPB has communicated new of innovative discovery research, platform for young scientists who convene in the United States in developments to a smaller group certain funding agencies in some will be the future leaders and inno- January 2015, now is an excellent of the ASPB membership, and I countries have the mission to vators. A recent opinion piece in time for the ASPB community to am enthusiastic about enabling support basic research and have The Scientist by ASPB past presi- stay informed and get involved to engagement of our broader been the drivers of the modern- dent Alan Jones has summarized influence key congressional deci- membership now. You may decide day global economy using this the need for increased training of sions such as funding for federal to write an op-ed piece for your approach (for example, the NSF in the next generation of plant and research agencies (NSF, DOE, local newspaper, meet with your the United States, JSPS in Japan, agronomic scientists (http://tinyurl.
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