Spring/Winter 2013
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Carolyn L. Ehardt - Executive Secretary Spring/Winter ‘13 Volume 37 - Numbers 1 & 2 A Message from the President... Dear ASP members, Welcome to 2014. It was a great pleasure to see so many of you at the ASP 2013 annual meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Our local hosts, led by Dr. Janis Gonza- lez, provided an amazing experience, especially for those of us who had never vis- ited Cayo Santiago before. The Program Committee provided an exceptionally strong lineup of symposia, posters, and talks, and it was all around a good time. Our next meeting, to be held in Decatur on September 12-15, 2014. Once again, we are looking forward to a vibrant and exciting meeting. One new innovation at last year’s conference was the inaugural meeting of the (ad hoc) Student Committee. This committee has come up with a num- ber of initiatives, including social activities to help integrate new student mem- bers into the Society, and discussions of material that students would like to see added to the website. Students who are interested in joining the Stu- dent Committee should contact the Chair, Josh Smith ([email protected]). 2013 has seen a lot of major events in primate research, including the announcement of the closing of the New England Primate Research Center; the new NIH guidelines on chimpanzee research; and the recent Congressional funding for the retirement of many chimpanzees to sanctuary. Our diverse membership has a variety of opinions on these subjects. However, the unifying characteristic of ASP has been our ability to come together through our mutual enthusiasm for the study of primates -- which continues unabated throughout these changes. One hopeful sign for the Society is the excellent slate of candidates provided for us by the Nominations committee. Please consider carefully, and please vote! We also are moving to establish two committees, the Primate Care Committee and the Media and Public Engagement Committee, as standing rather than ad hoc committees. This also requires a vote of the membership, which will be electronic -- and the time that you take to do this is greatly appreciated. See you in September, Karen Bales ASP President Professor and Vice-Chair of Psychology, UC-Davis Unit Leader, Brain, Mind, and Behavior, California National Primate Research Center 1 ASP American Society of Primatologists Page 2 Candidates for 2014 ASP Elections It’s time to elect officers for the American Society of Primatologists! Please go to the members portal on the ASP website to cast your vote beginning 15 February. Here is the link: https://www.asp.org/portal/index.cfm Remember: According to our Constitution, you must be an Active or Retired member of ASP to be eligible to vote (Student members are not eligible to vote). If you have not yet renewed your membership in ASP, now is a great time to do so... Voting begins on 15 February - and will conclude on 15 March 2014... Please vote!!! The Biosketches and statements for the candidates provided here (as well as on the ASP website): President Elect Kimberley A. Phillips Biosketch: Current Positions: Professor of Psychology, Trinity University and Adjunct Scientist, Southwest National Primate Research Center. Education: B.S., Wofford College; M.S., The University of Georgia; Ph.D., The University of Georgia. ASP Activities: I have been active in ASP since 1990. I have served on the Conservation Committee, first as a committee member, and then as Co-Chair (2006-2008), and Chair (2008-2010). I was elected Treasurer of the Society in 2009 and re- elected in 2011. I am an ad hoc reviewer for the American Journal of Primatology. Vision for ASP: I have studied numerous primate species – including New World Monkeys, Old World Monkeys, and Apes [unfortunately, no tarsiers or prosimians … yet] – both in the field and in the laboratory. These experiences have provided me an opportunity to understand and appreciate key concerns shared by the diverse membership of ASP – whether these concerns are those of funding, animal welfare, or increased regulatory oversight. Initiatives by recent ASP Presidents have included expanding our members in habitat countries, increasing and enhancing support of student members, and strengthening and enhancing educational outreach. These are important aspects of our Society, and I would work to continue the strong foundation laid by past Presidents. Additionally, the past few years have seen key decisions made at the national level that affect our ability to conduct research with primates. ASP is represented at several national and international organizations – including the IUCN, AAALAC, and AIBS. I feel ASP can play a larger role in both science policy and public awareness of nonhuman primate research. I would work toward strengthening our role in these arenas. Lynne Miller Biosketch: Current Position: I am the Head of the Program in Anthropology at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA. This position carries enormous teaching responsibilities but also allows me to work closely with students, instilling in them an interest in anthropology and an appreciation for learning. As head of the program, I also oversee hiring and training of new young faculty in anthropology, who are in turn inspiring the next generation of students. Unfortunately, my teaching responsibilities prevent me from doing research on a regular basis, but I have a long history of field research with capuchins in Venezuela, including experimental investigations of the impact of (model) predators on foraging decisions. Education: I earned my B.A. from Pitzer College (Claremont, CA) with a double major in anthropology and human biology, and a Ph.D. from U.C. Davis in anthropology. ASP American Society of Primatologists Page 3 ASP Activities: I have been attending ASP conferences and participating in Society activities for about 25 years. I was a proud recipient of the student award for best presentation in 1991. I went on to chair the Education Committee for four years, which was a very rewarding experience, given my focus on student success. Since then, I have served on the Program Committee and was the local arrangements coordinator for the 2009 meeting in San Diego. Vision for ASP: Primates represent a fascinating way to understand many facets of the development, ecology, and evolution of behavior. The Society plays a critical role in fostering research and education in these arenas, and thus research and education would be the central foci of my vision. In terms of research, the Society needs to continue to provide support, both financial and informational, to investigators. The AJP must continue to be a premier journal for disseminating research results, and the annual meeting must find creative ways to engage young scientists with our important endeavors. Furthermore, the Society must continue to balance its emphasis on research with natural vs. captive populations, encouraging both and increasing opportunities for synergistic interactions among colleagues from diverse fields. In terms of education, the Society must continue its efforts on behalf of outreach, not only to our emerging colleagues but also to younger enthusiasts who might discover a love of primates in the pages of our website. I would achieve these goals by establishing dialogue among the Society’s members to attract the brightest ideas for improving the things we already do well and establishing new policies to help the Society find additional ways to grow. Executive Secretary Michelle Bezanson Biosketch: Current Position: Associate Professor and Chair of Anthropology at Santa Clara University. My research has focused on ontogenetic effects on posture, locomotion, limb use, and the behavioral, arboreal, and resource-based contexts of these patterns in wild mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata) and white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) inhabiting tropical forests in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. In addition, I have recently initiated efforts to communicate natural history on Santa Clara’s campus to students and the broader community via a citizen science program called ‘SCU gone Wild’. Education: BA, 1996: University of Arizona; Ph.D., 2006: University of Arizona. ASP Activities: I first joined the ASP in 2004 as a graduate student and have just recently served on the Conservation Committee (2013-present) and on the Fund Raising subcommittee. Justin A. McNulty Biosketch: My current position is that of the Sr. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) & Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) manager at The University of Texas at Austin. In addition, I am the Founder and President of LabDog Consulting, LLC. Education: B.S. Biology, University of Washington, 2004; B.S. Psychology, University of Washington, 2004; M.L.A.S. (Master in Laboratory Animal Science), Drexel University, expected May 2014. ASP Activities: I have been a member of ASP since 2001; this includes three years as a student member and over 10 years as a full member. My service with ASP has encompassed over 10 years now. This has included multiple years on the Education Committee (2004-2005), Membership & Finance Committee (2006-current), and the Media & Information Committee (2012-current). I was organizer for the 2011 annual meeting in Austin, Texas, in 2011. Treasurer Cory Ross Biosketch: I am currently an Assistant Professor of Biology at Texas A & M University San Antonio. I also am an adjunct scientist at Southwest National Primate Research Center and the Department of Cellular and Structural Biology at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. My research focuses on marmoset reproductive physiology and the development of obesity. Education: B.S. Cornell University1997, M.A. University of Nebraska at Omaha 1999, PhD. University of Nebraska Lincoln 2005. ASP activities: I have been a member of ASP since 1999 and have attended every annual meeting since I joined (with the exception of the Boulder meeting in 2000, since I was due to deliver my son that weekend).