Committee on Awards Meeting

American Academy of Microbiology Committee on Awards

Minutes of the Meeting of June 6, 2005 Atlanta, Georgia

Present: Randall Holmes (Chair), King-Thom Chung, Caroline Harwood, Kelly Hughes, Jeffrey Miller, Eugene Nester (Chair, Board of Governors), Angelo Bouselli (Staff), Carol Colgan (Staff) and Peggy McNult (Staff).

Invited Guests: Toby Eisenstein (Chair, ASM Membership Board), Anne Morris-Hooke (Chair, International Committee), Marie Pezzlo (International Membership Committee), Burton Wilke (Past-Chair, Division Y), and Lorna Kent (Staff).

I. Introduction

A. Welcome and Roll Call. Dr. Holmes called the meeting to order, and welcomed all participants.

B. Approval of Agenda. The meeting agenda was unanimously approved.

C. Approval of Meeting Minutes of May 24, 2004. Upon a motion by Dr. Nester, seconded by Dr. Chung, the Committee unanimously approved the meeting minutes of May 24, 2004.

II. Action Items

A. Procter & Gamble Award. Procter & Gamble has supported the applied and environmental microbiology award since 1993. They had agreed to support the award 2008. ASM has been informed that, due to budget cuts, Procter & Gamble will not support the award after 2005. The Committee recommended writing a letter to the President of Procter & Gamble to encourage future support. 2

The Committee identified two other potential sponsors and appropriate contacts:

 DuPont, Dr. Sima Sariaslani  Diversa, Dr. Melvin Simon

The Committee also suggested contacting bioremediation, chemical, and petroleum companies.

B. Carski Foundation Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award. ASM’s Division W, Microbiology Education, requested that the Carski Award Lecture serve as the Division W Divisional Lecture and that the Divisional Officers serve as the selection committee. The Committee unanimously approved both requests; both are effective beginning in 2006.

C. Gen-Probe Joseph Award. ASM’s Division Y, Public Health, requested establishment of the Gen-Probe Joseph Award. The award is to honor a distinguished microbiologist who has exhibited exemplary leadership and service in the field of public health. The award laureate will present the Division Y Divisional Lecture.

Upon a motion by Dr. Harwood, seconded by Dr. Chung, the Committee unanimously approved the establishment of the award. It will be administered at the 2006 General Meeting. A complete award description is attached.

III. New Busines

A. GSK International Member of the Year Award. ASM’s International Committee has requested establishment of the GSK International Member of the Year Award. This award honors a distinguished international microbiologist who exhibited exemplary leadership in the international microbiological community. The award laureate will deliver the International Member of the Year Award lecture at the ASM General Meeting. The award selection committee will consist of the Chair and two members of the International Membership Committee and two Academy Fellows. The Chair of the International Membership Committee will chair the award selection committee.

Upon a motion by Dr. Hughes, seconded by Dr. Miller, the Committee unanimously approved the establishment of the award. It will be administered at the 2006 General Meeting. A complete award description is attached.

B. Women’s Career Development Grants. ASM’s Membership Board has received an anonymous endowment for development of grants that encourage the careers of women with outstanding accomplishments and potential to carry out research in the area of microbiology. The Committee had several questions about eligibility and nomination procedures. The Committee supports the grants in principle but has requested a revised description. The Committee will vote on approval after review of the revised description.