January/February 2011

ASPB News THE NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLANT BIOLOGISTS Volume 38, Number 1 January/February 2011

ASPB Members Among Those Honored by

Inside This Issue President Obama

President’s Letter

Save the Date! Plant Biology 2011

Call for Abstracts: Plant Biology 2011

Susan Singer to Edit New ASPB–Wiley-Blackwell Book Series

Jim Carrington Next President of Danforth Plant Science Center President Barack Obama poses for a group photo with the recipients of the Presidential Early The Plant Cell’s Teaching Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in the South Court Auditorium of the White House on Tools Garners Gold December 13, 2010. Among the awardees are ASPB members Dominique Bergmann and Award! Magdalena Bezanilla. (See page 9 for full coverage.) Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy.

Honoring Those Who Serve the Mission of ASPB

As outlined in our established mission, the Ameri- scientist you’re thinking of served as a mentor who can Society of Plant Biologists was founded to pro- instilled in you a lifelong ambition and dedication mote the growth and development of plant biology, to our science. Or perhaps you envision a rising star to encourage and publish research in plant biology, who already demonstrates excellence early in his or and to promote the interests and growth of the plant her career. ASPB strives to recognize these individu- science discipline. Our members work in aca- als in many ways. One way is a call to service to the demia, government laboratories, and industrial and Society by nomination to ASPB’s Executive Com- commercial environments. Over the decades, the mittee as elected member, secretary, or president, Society has evolved and expanded; our membership or to accept a president-elect’s invitation to serve on now spans six continents, and we play a key role in one of the Society’s many committees. uniting the international plant science community. ASPB also honors excellence in research, educa- Every one of our ASPB members knows some- tion, outreach, and service through its numerous one whose unwavering dedication to this mission awards. In this new year, I’d like to encourage our is truly inspiring. Perhaps the inspirational plant continued on page 6 The ASPB News is delivered online as well as in print. Members will be alerted by e-mail when a new issue is posted. The ASPB News welcomes member feedback. Contact the editor at [email protected]. ASPB Executive Committee & Staff CONTENTS

President Nicholas Carpita 765-494-4653 President-elect Steven C. Huber 217-265-0909 Immediate Past President Tuan-hua David Ho 314-935-4632 1 Honoring Those Who Serve the Mission of ASPB Secretary Judy Callis 530-752-1015 Treasurer Jonathan Monroe 540-568-6649 Chair, Board of Trustees Mary Lou Guerinot 603-646-2527 4 Welcome, Newest Members! Chair, Publications Committee Sally Mackenzie 402-472-6997 Chair, Women in Plant Biology Committee Marta Laskowski 440-775-6596 7 President’s Letter Chair, Minority Affairs Committee MariaElena B. Zavala 818-677-3342 Chair, Education Committee Erin Dolan 540-231-2692 Chair, International Committee Leon V. Kochian 607-255-2454 9 ASPB Members Honored by Chair, Membership Committee Mel Oliver 573-882-9645 President Obama Chair, Committee on Public Affairs Richard Sayre 314-587-1437 Elected Members Gloria Muday 336-758-5316 10 ASPB and Wiley-Blackwell Partner Katherine W. Osteryoung 517-355-4685 on New Book Series; Susan Singer Marguerite Varagona 636-737-6394 Named Editor Sectional Representatives Midwestern John Kiss 513-529-5428 Northeastern Estelle Hrabak 603-862-0716 11 Save the Date! Plant Biology 2011 Southern Timothy D. Sherman 251-460-7529 Mid-Atlantic Zhongchi Liu 301-405-1586 12 Plant Biology 2011 Call for Abstracts Western David Logan 306-966-4409

13 People Executive director Crispin Taylor, ext. 115 [email protected] Executive and governance affairs manager Donna Gordon, ext. 131 [email protected] Assoc. director of finance & administration Kim Kimnach, ext. 140 [email protected] 17 Women in Plant Biology Accounts receivable specialist Stephanie Liu-Kuan, ext. 143 [email protected] Junior accountant Jotee Pundu, ext. 144 [email protected] 19 Membership Corner Director of meetings, marketing, & membership Jean Rosenberg, ext. 110 [email protected] Manager of marketing and web services Wendy Sahli, ext. 123 [email protected] Membership, meetings, & marketing specialist Shoshana Kronfeld, ext. 122 [email protected] Public Affairs 21 Subscriptions manager Suzanne Cholwek, ext. 141 [email protected] Subscriptions assistant Linda Palmer, ext. 142 [email protected] 23 Public Affairs Update Director of public affairs Adam Fagen, ext. 114 [email protected] Education foundation assistant Katie Engen, ext. 116 [email protected] Director of publications Nancy A. Winchester, ext. 117 [email protected] 25 ASPB Education Forum Publications assistant Diane McCauley, ext. 133 [email protected] Managing editor John Long, ext. 119 [email protected] 34 ASPB’s Teaching Tools in Plant Biology Science writer, Plant Physiology Peter Minorsky, 845-878-4570 [email protected] Receives Gold Award Production manager, Plant Physiology Jon Munn, ext. 130 [email protected] Manuscript manager, Plant Physiology Leslie (Ash) Csikos, ext. 125 [email protected] Senior features editor, The Plant Cell Nancy Eckardt, 970-495-9918 [email protected] Deadline for May/June 2011 Features editor, The Plant Cell Mary Williams, +44-141-339-4960 [email protected] ASPB News: April 5, 2011 Production manager, The Plant Cell Susan Entwistle, ext. 118 [email protected] Manuscript manager, The Plant Cell Annette Kessler, ext. 120 [email protected]

ASPB News is distributed to all ASPB members and is published six times ASPB News annually, in odd-numbered months. It is edited and prepared by ASPB staff from material provided by ASPB members and other interested Headquarters Office parties. 15501 Monona Drive Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA Copy deadline is the 5th day of the preceding even-numbered month Phone: 301-251-0560 (for example, December 5 for January/February publication). Submit Fax: 301-279-2996 copy by e-mail whenever possible; submit all other copy by mail, not by fax. [email protected] Contact: Nancy A. Winchester, Editor, ASPB News, 15501 Monona Drive, Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA; [email protected]; 301-296-0904. © 2011 American Society of Plant Biologists Philips GreenPower LEDs make your light recipes work • Improve growth and save energy • Exactly tune light level and spectrum to growth conditions • Goldbio now offers Philips LED technology for multilayer cultivation • Call 1.800.248.7609 or go to goldbio.com for more information

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Pierre Abad Narciso Campos Timothy P. Eberle Joel W. Gray Muhammad M. J. Jamshed Joseph A. Abbott Petronia Carillo Cornelia Eisenach Dennis J. Gray Marianne Jaubert Eri Adams Gaelle I. Cassin Sanam Salimi Elizei Felix Grewe Dhileep Kumar Jayaraman Joshua Adams Igor Cesarino Dorothea Ellinger David S. Gronwall Eunhee Jeon Amirhossein Ahkami James M. Chandler Reem Elteriefi Anil Grover Rae-dong Jeong Yeh-Jin Ahn Chi-Chen Chang Maria A. Equiza Chen Gu Ajay K. Jha Tomoyoshi Akashi Men-Chi Chris Chang, Sr. Fabiana D. Espasandin Qiang Gu Kun Jiang Sulieman Alfaifi Alexandra A. Chanoca Michelle R. Facette Sarika Gupta Nan Jiang James Alfano Daiyin Chao Ling Fan Gustavo Habermann Yuannian Jiao Salem Alghamdi Chen Chen Bertrand Faurie Barbara Ann Halkier Jose C. Jimenez-Lopez Konstantinos A. Aliferis Hsi-Chuan Chen Vicente Febres Pamela K. Hall Suchit A. John Doug K. Allen Iris Chen Kevin Fedkenheuer Ruiming Han Cory L. Johnson Julio C. Amezcua-Romero Jun Chen Frank Feltus Daniel T. Hand Craigh G. Jones Veronique Amiard Junfang Chen Pedro Fernandes Pubudu P. Handakumbura Ricarda Jost Betsy B. Ampofo Sheng-Huang Chen Carlos M. Figueroa Robert S. Harbert Hail Jung Chuanfu An Xudong Cheng Giuseppe Forlani Kayley Harlow Hake Jyoti Kajla Ajith Anand Yi-Sheng Cheng Michele Frick Smadar Harpaz-Saad Mary Kalogerakis Kaori Ando Wing Y. Cheung Diana E. Friedland Felix T. Hauser Hunseung Kang Shajahan Anver Jer-Ming Chia Jiri Friml Chris Hawes Lin-Woo Kang Andrej A. Arsovski Prakitchai Chotewutmontri Giovanna Frugis William Hay Parawee Kanjanaphachoat Joseph Arul Pratibha Choudhary Fuyou Fu Anne Helfer Prasanna Kankanala Muhammad Ashfaq Hanya Chrispeels Paulina A. Fuentes Elizabeth Henry Yun-Ting Kao Tomeka Renese Ashford Matthew J. Christians Oliver Gailing Clemence Henry, Jr. Ichiro Kasajima Jihad Attieh Damian Cirelli Eliana Gaitan-Solis Jessica L. Henty Rajninder Kaur Evgenia L. Auslender Bernadette Clabeaux Ivan Galis Shelley Hepworth Tsutomu Kawasaki Sajjad Z. Awan Bruno Clair Thomas F. Gallagher Michel Hernould Brian D. Keppler Fernanda S. Baena Maureen Clancy Lina M. Gallego-Giraldo Elizabeth Hessom Sandra Mae-lin Kerbler Shaheen Bagha Sebastian S. Cocioba Melinda Gammon Uwe Hilgert Albert O. Kertho Ling Bai Claudia F. Contreras Qing-Ming Gao Lindsay A. Hilldorfer Mamoona Khan Conny Bartholmes Oliver R. A. Corea Veder J. Garcia Maria N. Hindt Parul Khurana Debarati Basu Jenny B. Cornell Amelie Gaudin Barbara G. Hoberman Shahryar Kianian Elena Batista Marcela Hernandez Coronado Christine M. Gault Theresa Pearl How-Yew-Kin Ah-Ram Kim Ulku Baykal Justin Cragin Sheena R. Gayomba Miya D. Howell Changsoo Kim Jaqueline M. Benson Deborah K. Crist Shujun Ge Yu-Yun Hsiao Jeongsik Kim Kishor K. Bhattarai Christian Croisetiere Christopher Wright Gee Tsai-Hung Hsieh Soo Young Kim Patrick J. Bigelow Weier Cui Helga L. George Yang-Ting Hsieh Yangseon Kim Kurt Boudonck Catherine Curie Laura Georgi Chia-Chi Hsu Lori M. King Stephanie Bourget Sayan Das Koen Geuten Hsin-Yun Hu Martha Kirouc Roxane Bouten Ashita M. Dave Farhad Ghavami Hao-Yu Huang Tomoko Kita Shelly N. Boyer Celine Davoine Kulvinder S. Gill Shih Hong Huang Peter B. Kitin Katharina Braeutigam Janice de Almeida-Engler Juan Pablo Giraldo Hashmath Hussain Kappei Kobayashi Ilka Braumann Frederic Delmas Laura J. Gleeson Heba M. Ibrahim Ayumu Kondo Hans-Peter Braun Laurent G. Deluc Alyssa M. Gleichsner Hidetoshi Iida Danyu Kong Natalie W. Breakfield Kirandeep Kaur Deol Stephen A. Goff Takato Imaizumi Farzaneh Kordbacheh Georgette C. Briggs Ann Depicker David M. Goodstein Hitoshi Inoue Karl A. Kremling Craig Brodersen Rachelle Desroches Jin-Ying Gou Jonathan W. Isley Srirama R. Krishnareddy Natalia V. Bykova Aaron E. Devries Marie-Claire Goulet Michiho Ito Yee-Shan Ku Jose L. Caballero Fei Ding Venkatesan Senogoda Anjali S. Iyer-Pascuzzi Ameya Kulkarni Alice Cai Christoph Dockter Gounder Yuki Izawa Sandeep Kumar Hilary S. Callahan Loic D’Orangeville Stephen C. Grace Terry L. Jackson Yukie Kumeta Elsa Camadro Kate Dreher Emmanuelle Graciet Sarita Jaiswal Roderick Kumimoto

4 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 Alvina G. Lai Brigitte Mauch-Mani Ryan N. Phillippe Ron R. Sederoff Barbara Valent Norris Lam Avery McCarthy Bryan T. Piatkowski Michael F. Seidl Soniya E. Vasudevan Michela Landoni Leah McHale Gabriella Piro Anushree Sengupta Felipe A. Vazquez-Flota Viviane Lanquar Sarah M. McKim Jarmila Pittermann Yong Weon Seo Prasad B. R. Venugopal Shari L. Laprise Frederick Meins Julie Plet Azita Shabrangi Wayne K. Versaw Amanda Leafgren Shimon Meir, Sr. Manuel Adrian T. Ponce Dilip M. Shah Francisca M. Villar Mickael Leclercq Marisa I. Melas Zoe A. Popper Manoj K. Sharma Kelly Vining Ah-Young Lee Mary D. Melis Sabine Posch Oren Shelef Steven D. Vitosh Changsu Lee Eve M. Mellgren Angela R. Possinger Jennifer M. Shemansky Nina C. Von Numers Jessica H. Lee Christiane Menard Bishun D. Prasad Lihua Shen Wim Vyerman Lisa Lee Naama Menda Madhulika E. Prasad Xinhui Shi Baohua Wang Arnaud Lehner Roeland M. H. Merks RoseMary Puhr Xiuling Shi Jack P. Wang Michele E. Leslie Tony A. Millar Xingyun Qi Milton M. Shimizu Sheng Wang Michael J. Levy Rebecca E. Miller Hua Qin Jinwoo Shin Siqun Wang Jia-Han Li Ayumi Minoda Jie Qu Ilana Shtein Trevor L. Wang Jodie R. Lia Anjali Misra Truyen Quach Mikel Shybut Ya-Ying Wang Yan Liang Ranya R. Mohamed Christina R. Quinn Elan Silverblatt-Buser Yanwen Wang Harmuth K. Lichtenthaler Adriana Moreno-Crispin Divya Rajagopal Richard F. Simmerman Yechun Wang Chih Ching Lin Khaled Moustafa Pulikesi Chittu Rajangam Alicia B. Sivitz Richard E. Wiemels Jeng-Shane Lin Shalini Mukherjee Carlos H. Ortiz Ramirez, Sr. Alastair W. Skeffington Aubree Wilke Li Lin Aurelie Munger Gulab D. Rangani Anna Skylar Keith Williams Jennifer F. Lind Shirin Munshi Asieh Rasoolizadeh Rebecca A. Slattery Rinukshi Wimalasekera C. Randal Linder Andrew M. Mutka Krishna Ray Kristina M. Slivinski Heejong Woo Christophe Liseron-Monfils Paul D. Nabity Morgan T. Reitmeyer Prestina Smith Rongmei Wu Chun-Ming Liu Maryam Nadimi Mauricio A. Reynoso Soha Sobhanian Yan Wu Donlong Liu Rachel Naegele Ann-Julie Rheaume Sameh Soliman Andrew Wycislo Hongxia Liu Ferenc Nagy Jeffrey T. Richards Vilmos Soos Yajun Xi Lijing Liu Moon Sik Nam Jeff E. Ritter Iben Sorensen Fuyu Xu Xiaomei Liu Ashis K. Nandi Stephanie Robert Jeffrey A. Sparks, Jr. Jannai T. Yafuso Yang Liu Utpal Nath Aleah Rodriguez Shannon M. Squires Hua-Wen Yang Yi Liu Cristell S. Navarro Eleazer J. Rodriguez Suma Sreekanta Jian Yang Yu-Ting Liu Rebecca J. Nelson Lorraine Rodriguez James C. Stangoulis Shuhua Yang Zhan-Bin Liu Sarah E. Nemeth Cecilia I. Rodriguez-Furlan Elizabeth A. Steidle Xiaohua Yang Karin Ljung Nicole L. Nichol Maria J. Rodriguez-Maza Aaron B. Stephan Shan-Hsueh Yao James R. Lloyd Christos Noutsos Eric D. Rogers Robert Stupar Wan Kin Au Yeung Anna M. Locke Stephen J. Novak Beata Romanowska-Duda Zhao Su Miho Yoshioka Mark Loewen Maria Josefa Lopez Nunez- Rebecca L. Roston Akifumi Sugiyama Peng Yu Joe Louis Flores Owen Rowland Eun-Jung Suh Cetin Yuceer Yingzhi Lu Danielle A. Nunnelly Gourgopal Roy Haiyue Sun Yuk-Lin Yung J. Luce Ngozi Nwaokoro Matthew T. Rutter Qiang Sun Zetty Norhana Balia Yusof Claudia V. Luna Yoshimi Oshima Melanie Sacco Jessica A. Taft Pablo A. Zamora, Sr. Wendy Lyzenga Sara P-Behnami, Sr. Michael Saghbini Markus Teige Enric Zelazny Yi Ma Sean Padden Sangita Sahni Michael P. Thelen Xin Zeng Katja M. Machemer Juilio Paez, Sr. Rosalinda Sajari Kannan P. Thirumulu Baichen Zhang Srilakshmi Makkena Sreenath R. Palle Arnold M. Salazar Stephane Tholl Chang Zhang Charles Maliti Yinghong Pan Kelly Salmon Yukio Tosa Wei Zhang Anish Malladi SangRyeol Park Ashley Sanchez Crucita Treadwell Yucan Zhang Mihir K. Mandal Swapneel J. Patel Subramanian Diwaker Tripathi Yuelin Zhang Sankaranarayanan Shrinivasrao Mane Barunava Patra Wen-Chieh Tsai Bingyu Zhao Heather H. Marella Stefano Santabarbara I-Chieh Tseng Gopal K. Pattanayak Jian Zhao Julia Marrs Giovanna Sassi Swathi A. Turlapati Chanyarat Paungfoo- Yichen Zhao Amanda C. Martin Lonhienne Samanta Saucedo Richard Uline Bo Zheng Frederico Martin Margaret A. Paxson Pratixaben Savalia James Umen Lei Zhu Alma Y. Martinez-Rendon Teresa Penfield Robert J. Schaffer Martin Umhang Mengmeng Zhu T Monica L. Mathias Kayla K. Pennerman Ortrun Mittelsten Scheid Chandrama Prakash Upadhyay Kenji Matsumura Laetitia Perfus-Barbeoch Diana C. Schultz Bjorn Usadel

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 5 Honoring Those Who Serve mentoring, or teaching by plant scientists at interests range from desiccation tolerance continued from page 1 the beginning of their career. This award is in mosses to investigations of dormancy entire international community of mem- made for demonstrated commitment by a mechanisms in seeds, was our most recent bers to turn their attention to nominations member of the Society who is not more than recipient. for the many ASPB awards we offer. As a five years postdoc on January 1 of the year of The Martin Gibbs Medal was established major international society cognizant of its the presentation. It also provides a one-year in 1993 to honor Martin Gibbs, the lon- global attention and responsibilities, none of membership to the Society. gest serving editor of Plant Physiology. The these awards is restricted to plant scientists Among the other awards to be presented Gibbs Medal is presented biennially to an residing in the United States, and up to three this year is the Stephen Hales Prize, one individual who has pioneered advances that Corresponding Memberships are given each of our Society’s oldest and most prestigious have served to establish new directions of in- year specifically for noteworthy accomplish- awards. This award, established in 1927, was vestigation in the plant sciences. The winner ments by influential plant biologists residing named for Reverend Stephen Hales, who will receive the medal and will be invited to outside the United States. is considered to have created the field of convene a Martin Gibbs Medal Symposium However, these individuals may never be plant physiology in the publication of the at the annual meeting the following year. recognized unless you step up and take the book Vegetable Staticks 200 years earlier. The John Ohlrogge was the 2009 winner for his initiative to nominate them! annual award honors scientists for lifelong pioneering work in understanding fatty acid The selection committees rely heavily on service to the science of plant biology. The metabolism in plants. receiving nominations from our member- recipient of the award is invited to address The Excellence in Education Award was ship, and so it is up to all of you to help us the Society on a subject in plant biology at initiated in 1988 to honor outstanding teach- recognize plant biology’s most deserving the subsequent annual meeting. Our most ing, mentoring, and/or educational outreach adherents. The nomination process is quite recent recipient was Sakis Theologis, for his in plant biology. This award is made annu- simple. Please visit the Society’s website for fundamental discoveries relating to the phys- ally in recognition of excellence in teaching, a detailed description and history (http:// iology of fruit ripening, the mechanism and leadership in curricular development, or my.aspb.org/?AF_Awards) of each of these regulation of ethylene synthesis and action, authorship of effective teaching materials in awards and to obtain the details of the nomi- and the molecular basis of auxin action. the science of plant biology. Jane Ellis is our nation process (http://www.aspb.org/awards/ The Charles Albert Shull Award was cre- most recent winner, for her long history as nominate.cfm). The online nomination form ated in 1971 to honor the Society’s founding an outstanding plant science educator, pilot- opened January 3, 2011, and will close March father and the first editor-in-chief of Plant ing outreach programs such as the inquiry- 1, 2011. Recipients of the awards will be noti- Physiology. This annual award is designed to based activities to illustrate the 12 Principles fied in advance of our annual meeting. recognize young researchers, given for out- of Plant Biology for middle school and high For a list of the awards that ASPB will standing investigations in the field of plant school teachers around the country. offer this year, please see the description in biology by a scientist who is under 45 years The Corresponding Membership the previous issue of the ASPB News (http:// of age on January 1 of the year of presenta- Award, first given in 1932, honors up to www.aspb.org/newsletter/novdec10/ tion, or who is fewer than 10 years from the three distinguished plant biologists residing 02nominate2011.cfm). For information granting of the doctoral degree. The recipi- outside the United States and provides life about last year’s awardees, please see the ent is also invited to address the Society at membership and Society publications. This article in the September/October 2010 issue the annual meeting the following year. Last award requires the approval of the entire of the ASPB News (http://www.aspb.org/ year’s recipient was Dominique Bergmann; Society by ballot. Last year’s winners were newsletter/septoct10/06awards.cfm). she was recognized for her work on under- Sudhir K. Sopory, Hartmut Lichtenthaler, I am pleased to announce that a new standing cell polarity and asymmetric cell and Geoffrey Fincher. award, the Eric E. Conn Young Investiga- division and their relationship to cell fate. TheEarly Career Award was instituted tors Award, will be given for the first time in The Charles Reid Barnes Life Member- in 2005 to recognize outstanding research 2011. For a description of the Eric E. Conn ship is ASPB’s oldest award, established by scientists at the beginning of their career. Young Investigators Award, please see a sec- through the generosity of Dr. Charles A. This award is made annually for exception- ond article in the September/October 2010 Shull at the first annual meeting of the ally creative, independent contributions by a issue of the ASPB News (http://www.aspb. Society in 1925. It honors Dr. Charles Reid member of the Society who is not more than org/newsletter/septoct10/07ericconn.cfm). Barnes, the first professor of plant physiol- five years postdoc on January 1 of the year The award honors Eric Conn’s contribu- ogy at the University of Chicago. It is an of the presentation. Our most recent winner tions to plant biology by recognizing young annual award for meritorious work in plant was R. Keith Slotkin, a newly appointed scientists who will be inspired to follow in biology; it provides a life membership in the assistant professor already recognized for his footsteps. It recognizes demonstrated Society to an individual who is at least 60 his significant contributions in the field of excellence in outreach, public service, years old. J. Derek Bewley, whose research continued on page 9

6 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 President’s Letter The Department of Defense and the National School Lunch Program

In 2010, more than 100 retired were guaranteed a substantial avoidable problems, affecting intellectual generals, admirals, and senior market for their commodities. capacity, educational performance, and hu- leaders of the U.S. Armed Forces Except for an austere cost- man potential long before a child steps into issued a summary report stat- cutting downturn in funding in a classroom. Although improving the health ing that more than one in four the 1980s (older ASPB members of the populations of developing countries young Americans were unfit for may recall when ketchup was is a long-standing mission of a great many military duty as a result of being declared to be a vegetable…), the developed nations, private foundations, in overweight or clinically obese program has grown steadily to particular the Bill and Melinda Gates Foun- (1). They made several straight- the point at which it now gives dation (6), have focused world attention on forward and concrete recom- 31 million children a daily meal. the premise that improving health and local Nick Carpita mendations to solve the problem Although nutrition pro- agriculture go hand in hand. of young Americans being “too fat to fight,” grams for school children are available in What constitutes a lunch in the United an epidemic regarded as a threat to national most developed countries, food security in States has changed radically over the de- security: (a) get junk food and high-calorie developing countries is another matter. In cades. The USDA reports that U.S. children beverages out of our schools; (b) increase fact, two former political foes, Bob Dole and are overfed yet malnourished—one in four funding for the school lunch program; and (c) George McGovern, teamed up in a common children suffer hunger—while at the same support the development, testing, and deploy- cause to bring the idea of a school breakfast/ time, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control ment of proven public health interventions. lunch program to developing countries and Prevention (CDC) reports that as a This is not the first time that the Depart- where, as in the United States in the 1930s result of obesity and poor nutrition, one in ment of Defense (DoD) has sounded an alarm and 1940s, malnourishment had to be ad- three U.S. children will develop Type II dia- about the endangered health of our nation’s dressed as a prerequisite to effective learning. betes in their lifetime, one in two if they are youth. In fact, it was the testimony of Major Their international school lunch program African-American or Hispanic (7). Although General Lewis B. Hershey, then head of the had another bonus by including girls, who a fast-food culture, our insatiable appetite U.S. Selective Service Administration, and were too often left out of the education loop. for sugar, and a failure to battle these trends work with the U.S. Department of Agricul- Widely successful in Africa, the program has within the confines of a schoolyard contrib- ture (USDA) that won passage of legislation spread to 41 countries worldwide and now ute greatly to childhood obesity, the success that inaugurated the national school lunch benefits an estimated 22 million children. In of large-scale agriculture and the trajec- program in 1946 (2). Individual states and the fact, the program has been so successful that tory of our commodity markets indirectly USDA had first responded in the early 1930s McGovern and Dole were awarded the 2008 contribute as well. In the 1960s, Secretary to the growing problem of malnutrition, World Food Prize for global commitment to of Agriculture Earl Butz reconfigured price largely a result of food shortages and distribu- the idea that educating a mind must begin supports that, in effect, ended subsidies for tion problems during the Great Depression, with a healthy body (4). idle lands and replaced them with a guaran- by establishing regional school breakfast and However, there is a long way to go. In tee of a floor price—a policy that encouraged lunch programs (3). However, these programs announcing the “1,000 Days: Change a Life, farmers to grow corn and soybeans “fen- declined during WWII, and by 1946, the Change the Future” initiative, the United Na- cepost to fencepost,” maximizing produc- DoD reported that a shocking four in five tions Millennium Development Program and tion to create new markets (8). Since 1970, Americans were unfit for military service, the its partners aim to guide action to address average U.S. corn yields have risen from 97 primary cause being malnutrition. In signing the problem that 200 million children around bushels per acre (6.1 metric tons per hectare) the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch the world suffer from chronic malnutrition, a to about 165 bushels per acre (10.4 metric Program legislation, President Harry Tru- situation that results in 3.5 million prevent- tons per hectare). Last year, it is estimated man commented that “In the long view, no able maternal and child deaths annually as that the United States produced a little over nation is healthier than its children, or more well as stunting of the growth and intellec- 13 billion bushels (335 million metric tons) prosperous than its farmers.” America’s youth, tual capacity of one-half of all children (5). of corn (9). Where does it go? About 43% regardless of family income, were assured Moreover, child malnutrition before the age will go to animal feeds, 32% will be convert- at least one healthy meal a day, and farmers of two is one of the world’s more serious yet continued on page 8

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 7 President’s Letter while ending world hunger, improving nutri- 4. The World Food Prize. (2008). Robert Dole, continued from page 7 tion, ending child obesity, and improving George McGovern named 2008 World Food ed to ethanol (and animal feed by-products), food safety. Even special programs in foods, Prize laureates. http://www.worldfoodprize. 16% will be exported, 5% will be converted nutrition, and health, such as the Specialty org/index.cfm?nodeID=24667&audienceID to high-fructose corn syrup and sweeteners, Crop and the Organic Agricultural Research =1&action=display&newsID=8047. and 2% will be consumed directly by humans initiatives, touch on plant biology, genetics, 5. U.S. Department of State. (2010). 1,000 in products such as cereal, corn meal, and and genomics (16). Days: Change a life, change the future. corn starch (10). That’s right: a market was In the long view, plant biologists are at the http://www.state.gov/r/pa/scp/fs/2010/ created in which 2.5 times more corn goes foundation of the food revolution. Much is 147435.htm. to making corn sugar than actual corn food already being done through basic research by 6. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. products. ASPB members to enhance nutritional yield, http://www.gatesfoundation.org. An impending health epidemic is driv- vitamin quality, and even disease-mitigating 7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ing change. The U.S. National Institutes of traits of crop plants through advanced genet- (2010). Overweight and obesity. http:// Health (NIH) have announced two programs ics. But so much more could be done with a www.cdc.gov/obesity. amounting to over $70 million to prevent reprioritization of funding. Echoing Benja- or treat downstream consequences of the 8. Pollan, M. (2006). The omnivore’s dilemma. min Franklin’s adage “An ounce of prevention obesity epidemic and to study community New York: Penguin Books, 52. is worth a pound of cure,” the $70 million efforts to reduce incidence (11). Meanwhile, 9. National Agricultural Statistics Service. that NIH now devotes to the downstream the $25 million Childhood Obesity Preven- (2010). USDA crop production 2009 sum- health consequences of obesity, a mere 0.25% tion Program at USDA’s National Institute mary. http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/ of its research budget, added to the USDA of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) aims to MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo. competitive research budget could pro- generate knowledge about behavioral and do?documentID=1047. foundly impact advances needed not only to environmental factors that influence exces- 10. National Corn Growers Association. sive weight gain by children and to develop solve our own epidemic, but also to provide (2010). U.S. corn usage by segment, 2009. means of intervention (12). The NIFA pro- the varieties and technologies that mitigate http://www.worldofcorn.com/statistics_ gram also aims to develop effective means to malnutrition worldwide. A significant change uscornconsumption.html. in the funding structure in these vital areas increase nutritious foods, decrease high fat 11. U.S. Department of Health and Human could come in 2011 when hearings begin on and high sugar intake, and alter the obesity Services. (2010). NIH-funded studies aim culture. Private individuals and foundations the new Farm Bill. Not to underplay the com- to prevent, treat childhood obesity. NIH have been doing their part as well, from the plexities inherent in the formulation of this News. http://www.nih.gov/news/health/ Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, whose bill, but when the dust settles, surely a path sep2010/nhlbi-09.htm. can be constructed to significantly change key missions are to improve American health 12. USDA National Institute of Food and and support the basic and applied research and end childhood obesity (13), to British Agriculture. (2010). Agriculture and food chef Jamie Oliver’s private Food Revolution and agricultural programs that encourage the research initiative: Childhood obesity campaign that offers a far-reaching edu- local production of healthy and nutritious prevention. http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/ cational platform that teaches good eating food crops—and make them less expensive africhildhoodobesityprevention.cfm. habits within affordable budgets (14). than high-fructose corn syrup. T 13. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Almost lost in the news of all the Nick Carpita (2010). Childhood obesity. http://www.rwjf. congressional actions this past December org/childhoodobesity. was the strong bipartisan support for the References 14. Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. http:// Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, a program 1. Mission: Readiness. Military leaders for www.jamieoliver.com/foundation. strongly championed by First Lady Michelle Kids. (2010). Too fat to fight. http://cdn. Obama and signed into law on December missionreadiness.org/MR_Too_Fat_to_ 15. The White House. (2010). President Obama 13, 2010 (15). This legislation reinforces Fight-1.pdf. signs Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 into law. http://www.whitehouse.gov/ USDA authority to restructure and expand 2. U.S. House of Representatives. (March 23– the-press-office/2010/12/13/president- coverage of school breakfast, lunch, and May 24, 1945). Committee on Agriculture. obama-signs-healthy-hunger-free-kids- after-school programs to provide more Hearings on H.R. 2673, H.R. 3143 (H.R. act-2010-law. healthy and nutritious foods as well as to 3370 Reported). Bills relating to the school educate children about healthy food choices. lunch program. Testimony of Major General 16. USDA National Institute of Food and Long in advance of its passing, the USDA Lewis B. Hershey. 49th Cong., 1st Sess. Agriculture. (2010). Food, nutrition and has developed several competitive grant 3. USDA Food and Nutrition Service. (2010). health overview. http://www.nifa.usda.gov/ programs that emphasize basic research into National school lunch program. http:// nea/food/food.cfm. keeping American agriculture competitive www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch.

8 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 ASPB Members Receive Honors from President Obama

Two ASPB members are celebrating a White ence and Technology Policy (OSTP) House honor. Dominique Bergmann and within the Executive Office of the Magdalena Bezanilla are among the 85 re- President. Awardees are selected for searchers named by President Barack Obama their pursuit of innovative research as recipients of the Presidential Early Career at the frontiers of science and tech- Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the high- nology and for their commitment to est honor bestowed by the U.S. government on community service, as demonstrated science and engineering professionals in the through scientific leadership, public early stages of their independent research ca- education, or community outreach. reer. They received their awards in a ceremony Recognized scientists and engineers at the White House on December 13, 2010. have received research grants for up Dominique is assistant professor of biolo- to five years to further their studies gy at Stanford University. Her laboratory has Magdalena Bezanilla and Dominique Bergmann in support of critical government made notable contributions to elucidating missions. the development of plant stomata as well as studying plant tip growth, which is integral The awards are conferred annually at the to our understanding of cell fate and pattern- for processes such as fertilization and the White House following recommendations ing in plants and other multicellular organ- absorption of water and minerals by plant from participating agencies. Dominique was isms. She earned her PhD at the University roots, and has made significant contributions selected following her receipt of a research of Colorado at Boulder and conducted post- establishing molecular links between the actin grant from the National Institutes of Health, doctoral research at the Carnegie Institution cytoskeleton within plants and cell growth. and Magdalena was selected on the basis for Science’s Department of Plant Biology. She earned her PhD from the Johns Hopkins of a Faculty Early Career Development Dominique was the 2010 recipient of ASPB’s University School of Medicine and conducted (CAREER) Award from the National Science Charles Albert Shull Award, which is made postdoctoral research at the Salk Institute for Foundation. annually for outstanding investigations in Biological Studies and Washington University As quoted in a release from OSTP, President the field of plant biology by a scientist who is in St. Louis. Magdalena has also been honored Obama said, “Science and technology have younger than 45 years of age or who is fewer as the 2010 recipient of the American Society long been at the core of America’s economic than 10 years from the granting of the doc- for Cell Biology’s Women in Cell Biology Ju- strength and global leadership. I am confident toral degree. In conjunction with her receipt nior Career Recognition Award, which honors that these individuals, who have shown such of the 2010 Shull Award, Dominique will be exceptional scientific contributions to cell biol- tremendous promise so early in their careers, speaking as part of the awards symposium at ogy and demonstrated potential for continued will go on to make breakthroughs and discov- ASPB’s Plant Biology 2011 meeting. scientific achievement and leadership. eries that will continue to move our nation Magdalena is associate professor of biology The Presidential Early Career Awards forward in the years ahead.” T at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. were established by President Bill Clinton in Adam P. Fagen, PhD Her laboratory pioneered a model system for 1996 and are coordinated by the Office of Sci- ASPB Public Affairs Director

Honoring Those Who Serve for nomination. The Fellow of ASPB honor tant commodity crops. Each nominee must continued from page 6 may be granted to no more than 0.2% of the be a PhD candidate, attend a U.S.-accredited plant epigenetics and transposable element current membership each year. A complete college or university, and demonstrate inter- silencing. list of the Fellows of ASPB by year can be est in the study of plant biology or a related Finally, the Fellow of ASPB, estab- found online at http://my.aspb.org/?AF_ discipline. Ashley Galant is the 2010 recipient lished in 2007, is granted in recognition of Awards#fellows. of the award. She studies oxidative stress distinguished and long-term contributions In addition to these awards, we also offer in soybean, an important crop plant that is to plant biology and service to the Society the ASPB–Pioneer Hi-Bred Graduate especially sensitive to ozone. T by current members in areas that include Student Fellowship. This fellowship is made Nick Carpita research, education, mentoring, outreach, possible by the generosity of Pioneer Hi-Bred [email protected] and professional and public service. Current International and recognizes and encourages members of ASPB who have contributed to innovative graduate research and innovation http://www.aspb.org/ awards/nominationform.cfm the Society for at least 10 years are eligible in areas of plant biology that relate to impor-

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 9 ASPB and Wiley-Blackwell Partner on New Book Series Susan Singer Named Series Editor

Nearly 10 years ago, ASPB joined We are delighted to customize cutting-edge plant biology courses forces with John Wiley & Sons in announce Professor Susan for today’s students.” the marketing and distribution Singer of Carleton Col- of the Society’s groundbreak- lege as series editor. Susan Be Involved! ing textbook, Biochemistry & brings with her a wealth of We would like to hear from ASPB members Molecular Biology of Plants, edited experience in plant biol- with ideas for this prestigious new series, and by Bob B. Buchanan, Wilhelm ogy teaching and research, in particular anyone interested in being an Gruissem, and Russell L. Jones as well as in writing major author. If you teach a course for which you and first published in July 2000. undergraduate textbooks. have labored over notes but can’t find a suit- Now Wiley-Blackwell and ASPB Having won the ASPB Excel- able textbook, or if you feel there is a need for will copublish a long-anticipated Susan Singer lence in Teaching Award and a book to bring new researchers up-to-date second edition, updated and refreshed to having served on a wide range of education with the very latest developments, why not reflect the latest advances in the field. The and research committees, currently including get in touch and propose the topic for the second edition is expected to publish in 2012 the National Research Council’s Board on series? The involvement, ideas, and feedback in both print and electronic formats. Science Education, Susan is very well placed of the ASPB membership will be vital in help- to develop the series into a key resource ing shape the series to meet the needs of plant An Engaging New Resource for for students and teachers alike. As series biologists today and tomorrow. For more Students and Teachers Alike editor, she is looking forward to commis- information about the series, including how Building on the success of Biochemistry sioning and developing books that address to contribute and a promotional discount on & Molecular Biology of Plants, ASPB and state-of-the-art topics in plant biology: “The books for ASPB members, please visit http:// Wiley-Blackwell are pleased to announce an Wiley-Blackwell partnership will leverage the www.wiley.com/go/aspb. Don’t forget to exciting new joint venture: a series covering vast research expertise of the membership check back for updates as the series develops. core topics in plant biology. Focusing on with ASPB’s excellence in and commitment We look forward to hearing from you! T key themes for undergraduate and graduate to education in furthering plant biology Rachel Wade, PhD studies, the series will cover a wide range of teaching and learning. Faculty will be able to Commissioning Editor for Plant Sciences topics of interest to the ASPB membership. select texts and resources from the series to John Wiley & Sons

ASPB–Pioneer Hi-Bred Graduate Student Fellowship Nominations Due by Tuesday, March 1

The ASPB–Pioneer Hi-Bred Graduate Student Fellowship, made possible by the generosity of Pioneer Hi-Bred, recognizes and encourages innovative graduate research and innovation in areas of plant biology that relate to important commodity crops, including corn, soybeans, rice, wheat, or canola. One $22,000 fellowship will be given annually from 2010 through 2013, with an additional $1,000 awarded for the recipient to attend the ASPB annual meeting in the year of their award. Each nominee must attend a U.S.-accredited college or university and must demonstrate interest in the study of plant biology or a related discipline. Each nominee must be a PhD candidate (have successfully passed their preliminary examinations), must demonstrate an excellent academic record (e.g., have achieved undergraduate and graduate GPAs of 3.5 or greater), and must be a member of ASPB. An individual may receive this fellowship only once. T

Applications now being accepted. For more information, see http://aspb.org/awards/nominate.cfm.

10 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 PlantBiologyMinneapolis • August 6-10 2011

PlantBiologyMinneapolis • August 6-10 2011 Plant 2011 PlantBiologyMinneapolis • August 6-10 Biology 2011 Minneapolis August 6-10

http://aspb.org/PlantBiology2011 PlantMinneapolis Biology• August 6-10 2011

PlantBiologyMinneapolis • August 6-10 2011 Plant Biology 2011 Call for Abstracts CATEGORIES Abstract Submission Opening January 2011 Applied Plant Biology

Read How ASPB Minisymposia Are Selected at Biochemical Processes and http://www.aspb.org/meetings/pb-2011/abstracts/selectionprocess.cfm Macromolecular Structures

The abstracts and program details will be available for viewing and searching online in April Cell Biology 2011. The website will make it possible for you to prepare and print out a personal itinerary to guide you at the meeting. Development Travel Grant Applicants: please submit your application abstract through the Travel Grant Application process online. Submitting for Plant Biology 2011 will not automatically submit Education and Outreach you for a travel grant. The Plant Biology format will include six major symposia and up to 30 minisymposia based Environmental Stress and primarily on the abstracts submitted under the topic categories listed in the sidebar. The Pro- Adaptation to Stress— gram Committee determines the titles and contents of the minisymposia after reviewing the Subcategories: submitted abstracts. Oral presentations are required for those abstracts selected for minisym- • General posia. Suggestions for minisymposia topics are welcomed and should be submitted online. • Metal In addition to the scientific abstract submission, there is a field on the form titled “Broader • Cold Impacts.” Please use this field to describe novel education outreach activities. This submission • Heat (600-character limit) will serve as the basis for selection of a special Education and Outreach • Salt minisymposium. • Light Categories are purposely broader than in previous years. Keyword selections are added to • Nutrient the submission process to assist with the selection of minisymposia and searching of abstracts. • Drought There will be no printed abstract book this year. Instead, memory sticks with the full abstracts will be provided to attendees. Titles and authors only will be printed in the program book. Gene Regulation and Molecular Biology GUIDELINES • A member of ASPB may submit or sponsor only ONE abstract. Genetics, Genomics, and • A $50 fee will be required for each abstract and will be refunded as a rebate within 30 Molecular Evolution days of receiving paid registration for the abstract submitter or the registrant designated by the submitter. Hormone Biology • Registration is required by the last day of preregistration: June 24, 2011. Otherwise, your abstract will be deleted from the online listing, and no poster space will be reserved. New Model Systems and • The body of your abstract cannot exceed 1,800 characters (including spaces). Technological Advances • DO NOT include any graphics or tabular material in the body of your abstract. • Follow the online instructions for inserting special characters, superscripts, or subscripts. Plants and Human Health • Proofread your abstract, double-checking any special characters. • Select a topic category from the list in the sidebar. • If you wish your abstract to be considered for a minisymposium or talk, please indicate so Plants Interacting with on the online form. Other Organisms

SUBMISSION DEADLINES Signal Transduction • Abstracts must be submitted via the web* at http://www.aspb.org/abstract. Systems and Computational • To be considered for inclusion in a minisymposium, submit abstract by March 11, 2011. Posters may be submitted at any time abstract submission is open. Biology and Bioinformatics • For inclusion in the memory stick abstract listings, submit by May 27, 2011. Whole Plant and * The online submission form provides an author the opportunity to request that an abstract Ecophysiology be presented only by poster.

12 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 People

Members in the News

Maarten Chrispeels has been elected a Russell Jones was awarded the Berkeley foreign corresponding member of the Citation on November 19 in honor of his Academia Chilena de Ciencias (the Chilean distinguished service to the University of Academy of Sciences). He also recently California, Berkeley. Russell is professor received the 2010 International Plant of plant biology and former chair of the Nutrition Award from the International Department of Botany and the Lawrence Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Hall of Science Advisory Committee. He Tropics. studies how plants respond to environmental In addition, Maarten was named direc- signals, especially hormones and other regu- tor of ScienceBridge, an organization that latory molecules; his research has focused brings research from the University of Cali- on the biochemistry and molecular biology fornia, San Diego (UCSD) to San Diego– of seeds, in particular seed dormancy and area high schools. Among the Science- germination. Russell was ASPB president Bridge programs is Socrates, which engages from 1993 to 1994 and was Maarten Chrispeels UCSD PhD students in working with local an associate editor for Plant high school teachers and students and in Physiology. He was coeditor of learning to be better science communica- the textbook Biochemistry & tors. His appointment was profiled in an Molecular Biology of Plants and October 24 article in North County Times will be an academic editor on (http://bit.ly/f4XCTJ). the forthcoming second edi- Maarten is distinguished professor tion and a coauthor on a new emeritus of biology at UCSD and a member title due off press later this year of the National Academy of Sciences. He was called Molecular Life of Plants. on the editorial board and served as associ- Both are copublished by ASPB ate editor and later editor-in-chief of Plant and John Wiley & Sons. Physiology. He was the 1996 recipient of “Teaching with Tomatoes,” ASPB’s Stephen Hales Prize and was named an educational program dean inaugural Fellow of ASPB in 2006. veloped by Gloria Muday and Erin Dolan Russell Jones Erin Dolan is the new editor-in-chief of Hanya Chrispeels (Maarten’s CBE–Life Sciences Education (http://www. daughter) in collaboration lifescied.org), a peer-reviewed journal of life with education professor Mi- science education research and evidence- chelle Klosterman and biology based practice across all areas of the life professor Carole Browne, was sciences. This online, open access journal is featured in the September 9 published quarterly by the American Society issue of the Winston-Salem, for Cell Biology and funded, in part, by the North Carolina, The Chronicle Howard Hughes Medical Institute. In her (http://bit.ly/f8c6XZ). With first editorial, Erin mentioned her interest support from the ASPB Educa- in publishing research and evidence-based tion Foundation, this program practices to help overcome “institutional uses the familiar tomato plant and cultural barriers that prevent wide- to teach K–12 students basic spread employment of effective instructional principles of genetics. Gloria is Gloria Muday Hanya Chrispeels practices.” Erin is associate professor of professor of biology at Wake Forest Univer- biochemistry at Virginia Tech, where she sity and an elected member of the ASPB Ex- serves as outreach director of the Fralin Life ecutive Committee; Hanya is a postdoctoral Science Institute. She is also current chair of researcher at Wake Forest. the ASPB Education Committee. continued on page 14

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 13 People

Members in the News continued from page 13 Share Your Moment Pamela Ronald, professor of plant pathology at the University of California, Davis, in the Spotlight with was a guest on The Dr. Oz Show on December ASPB Members! 7, talking about plant genetics. She was also a participant in an online debate hosted by ASPB would like to high- The Economist about whether biotechnology light news coverage about and sustainable agriculture are complemen- tary. Pam blogs at Tomorrow’s Table (http:// plant science. If you or your scienceblogs.com/tomorrowstable) and is the research is being highlighted coauthor of Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farm- in newspapers, magazines, ing, Genetics, and the Future of Food (Oxford television, radio, movies, University Press, 2008). Pamela Ronald online, or other sources, Richard Sayre and Robert please let us know! Just send Blankenship were guests on a quick note, URL, and other St. Louis Public Radio’s relevant information to November 29 St. Louis on the ASPB’s public affairs director, Air program (http://bit.ly/ Adam Fagen, at etsPG9). They discussed the [email protected]. contributions of plant science research to addressing the nation’s energy challenges. Rich- ard is director of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, and Robert is the Lucille P. Richard Sayre Robert Blankenship Markey Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences and director of the Photosynthetic Antenna Research Center at Washington University in St. Louis. Kay Walker Simmons has been appointed as deputy administrator for crop production and protection at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), effective November 22, 2010. In this role, she will provide program planning and coordination leadership for ARS’s large national portfolio of crop science, production, and protection research. Kay was previously national program leader for plant genetics and grain crops at ARS. Kay Walker Simmons In her own research, she identified new molecular processes regulating wheat seed germination and seedling tolerance of cold and drought stress. T

Compiled by Adam P. Fagen, PhD ASPB Public Affairs Director

14 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 People

Jim Carrington Named as Next President of Danforth Plant Science Center

ASPB member Jim Carrington has been knowledge to vital societal needs around selected to serve as the next president of the the world,” citing examples of improving the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. Jim nutritional quality of cassava, an impor- has been a member of ASPB since 1996 and tant staple crop in sub-Saharan Africa, and served on the editorial board of The Plant enabling new sources of renewable fuels. The Cell from 1996 to 2003. He will assume his work of the Danforth Center spans the path- position at the Danforth Center on May 1, way from fundamental discovery through taking over for Phil Needleman, PhD, who product and safety testing to implementa- has been acting president since the Danforth tion and dissemination of novel plants with Center’s founding president emeritus, Roger desirable characteristics. Jim expects the Beachy, was named inaugural director of the long-term legacy of the center will focus on National Institute of Food and Agriculture at taking “those basic discoveries made at the the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2009. Danforth Center and other places and plug- The Danforth Center is the world’s largest ging them in to address big problems that independent research institute dedicated serve humanity.” to plant science. With a $20 million annual Jim is currently distinguished professor budget, it employs more than 200 people, of botany and plant pathology and direc- including 80 PhDs, at its St. Louis research tor of the Center for Genome Research and and training facility and enjoys collabora- Biocomputing at Oregon State University. He tions around the world. The center will also is well known for his research on small RNA be looking to hire additional scientific staff molecules, gene silencing, and interactions and will focus on those who are highly inte- between viruses and their host. grative and can work across a broad range of ASPB member Steve Kay, dean of the

Jim Carrington in front of the Danforth plant science. This expansion will be helped Division of Biological Sciences at the Plant Science Center. Photo courtesy of the by a $70 million grant the center recently University of California, San Diego, char- Danforth Plant Science Center. received from the Danforth Foundation, one acterized Jim’s contributions, saying that he of the foundation’s last major grants before “is recognized worldwide for his leadership shutting its doors in mid-2011. in plant genomics and virology. His work ASPB President Nick Carpita said, “The on identification of small RNAs and their Danforth Center has made an excellent roles in plant development have had a major choice for its new president. Jim’s research impact in science across all fields.” background and leadership experience make Former ASPB President Ralph Quatrano, him particularly well qualified to carry dean of the School of Engineering and forward the Danforth’s fine tradition of ad- Applied Science at Washington University dressing the grand challenges we face today.” in St. Louis, welcomed Jim to the “very In fact, in an interview with ASPB, Jim strong plant community” in St. Louis, say- mentioned that the four challenge areas ing that Jim is a “terrific choice” because identified in the National Research Coun- of the high quality of his research, the cil’s 2009 report A New Biology for the 21st importance of his research, and “his abil- Century—environmental protection, sustain- ity to build further the next decade of the able fuels, nutritious foods, and improving Danforth Plant Science Center.” T

human health—“have their solutions firmly Adam P. Fagen, PhD rooted in plant science.” ASPB Public Affairs Director Jim described the unique role of the Danforth Center in “applying fundamental

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 15 People

This article was originally published in the Chronicle Online and is reprinted here with permission.

Electrons Can’t Exceed the Speed of Light—Thanks to Light Itself, Says Biologist

When resolving why electrons can never vents electrons from exceeding the speed of tive forces, biophysical cell biologists have beat the speed limit set by light, it might be light, according to Randy Wayne, associate a unique perspective in discovering the best to forget about time. Thanks to insight professor of plant biology. viscous forces that cause moving particles to from studying movement inside a biological Wayne’s research, “Charged Particles respond to an applied force in a nonlinear cell, it seems that light itself—not the relativ- Are Prevented From Going Faster Than the manner,” he explained. “Consequently, light ity of time—may be the traffic cop, according Speed of Light by Light Itself: A Biophysi- itself prevents charged particles from mov- to a Cornell biologist. cal Cell Biologist’s Contribution to Physics,” ing faster than the speed of light.” Any space with a temperature above appears in the November 2010 issue of Acta Wayne will publish a related paper, “The absolute zero consists of photons. As a result Physica Polonica B. Relativity of Simultaneity: An Analysis Based of the Doppler effect, the moving electron On determining whether electrons can on the Properties of Electromagnetic Waves,” experiences the photons crashing into the surpass the speed of light, Albert Einstein’s in a forthcoming volume of the African Physi- front of it as being blue-shifted, and the special theory of relativity contends that cal Review, which is a juried publication. T photons colliding with the back of it as being electrons are prevented from exceeding the Submitted by Randy O. Wayne red-shifted. Since blue-shifted photons exert speed of light as a result of the relativity of Associate Professor of Plant Biology more momentum than red-shifted photons, time. But Wayne contends that Einstein Cornell University the photons themselves exert a counterforce didn’t take the environment through which on the moving electron, just as the cyto- the electrons move into account. plasm in a cell exerts a viscous force on the “Given the prominence of viscous forces moving organelles. The viscous force that within and around cells and the experience arises from the Doppler-shifted photons pre- of identifying and quantifying such resis-

You Spoke and We Listened: Plant Physiology Eliminates Surcharges

Beginning in January 2011, all article pages in Plant Physiology will cost the same—the extra fee for each page over 10 will be elimi- nated. The surcharge was originally instituted in 2006 to encourage tightly written manuscripts and discourage significant repetition between the Results and Discussion sections. However, after speaking with many of you, it has become apparent that concise writing is not enough; the amount of information necessary to report research of high quality has increased, and the average length of an article in Plant Physiology is now 13 pages. Although we still believe that tightly written papers improve the impact of what we publish and encourage concise manuscripts, we want you to be able to tell your story without being constrained. We thank you for submitting your best work to Plant Physiology. T

16 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 Women in Plant Biology

Lessons from the Path Less Traveled by Robyn M. Perrin, PhD Patent Agent, Casimir Jones, S.C.

When I was asked by the ASPB thinking. And there look them in the eye, and gauge whether it Women in Plant Biology Com- are times when a will be a good fit is indispensable. There is a mittee to write this article, I broad viewpoint gut level of trust that no amount of cur- thought of all the wise women is advantageous. riculum vitae reading will replace. So when of ASPB that I have had the As a patent agent, there is an existing connection between the privilege of knowing. After it’s not unusual for parties, it’s more likely that a licensing agree- glancing over past articles in me to spend a day ment will come to fruition. the series (http://www.aspb. working on patent It is also incredibly helpful for academic org/newsletter/wipb.cfm), I applications for a researchers to understand the minefield- wondered how best to com- Robyn Perrin. Photo by Clint Thayer. medical device, a strewn path to commercialization. Believe pose my thoughts. cancer drug, and it or not, whether a technology makes it to A biographical or career advice article new biofuel technology, capped off with market has only an indirect relationship seems premature. At age 35, I still have abso- writing an argument regarding patentability with how well it works. Issues relating to the lutely no idea what I want to be when I grow of a diagnostic assay. Being able to shed in- competitive landscape, cost and logistics of up. I hope that remains the case for many hibitions quickly is key. When approaching manufacturing, intellectual property, regula- more years. new inventions, I must have the humility to tory approval, and investor backing all come Since earning my PhD in 2001, I have question (sometimes repeatedly), “What is into play. Don’t know where to begin? Read had the good fortune of embarking on a it? How does it work?” blogs or trade magazines for the biotech and random career walk that has involved time Boundaries that constrain interpersonal ag biotech industries. Join a local business well spent in academia (two postdocs), interactions are even more limiting. How networking group. You might even consider technology transfer (an internship at the often do you see colleagues at conferences taking a limited-term contract or internship Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation), talking only with scientists in related re- with a company. the corporate world (technical writer), and search specialties, with analogous jobs, and private legal practice (registered patent even of similar age? Try this: at your next Everything Living Needs to Sleep, Eat, agent), as well as moonlighting as a coentre- conference, find the person in the room who and Move—Including Scientists preneur. That said, I cannot offer a blueprint you think you have the least in common An article by Morgan Giddings (http:// for replicating the experience—nor would it with. Then introduce yourself, sit down, and blog.the-scientist.com/2010/10/19/avoid- be relevant to anyone else even if I could. So have a conversation. It may well be the most the-career-virus) published online by The much of what happens in one’s profession is engaging discussion of the day. Scientist describes a “mind virus” sum- sheer serendipity. Cross talk between industry and aca- marized as, “Science is a real struggle. It’s But here are three pieces of advice that demic or government professionals may a dog-eat-dog endeavor, and if you aren’t have served me well so far, so I’d like to pass be particularly beneficial. Sometimes the hyper-competitive, super smart, and work- them along. cultural differences yawn like an impass- ing 80 hours a week, you won’t succeed.” able chasm. I recall a conversation with an Central to this view is that working past the Break Free from Comfortable Niches academic colleague who had patented one point of exhaustion and ignoring one’s health In other words, ignore boundaries. Any of her inventions and was hoping to find is somehow a badge of honor. boundaries. Scientific boundaries, for exam- a licensing partner. She was mystified by It’s not. As you dedicate yourself to ple, keep researchers trapped within narrow a question from the university technology studying biology, do not neglect your own fields of specialties, unaware of a relevant transfer office asking for her recommenda- biology. While dedication and drive are technique or piece of information from other tions of good potential contacts. “Aren’t they admirable qualities, there are physical limits. areas. Time may seem too scarce to attend already supposed to know who to talk to?” Sleep and exercise are not frivolous pursuits a seminar on a subject well outside the re- she asked. Well, yes . . . and no. In business, for scientists; they are needed for clar- search project at hand, but staying within the personal relationships are everything. Being ity of thought. Ruth Berggren, a physician well-traveled path can lead to well-traveled able to shake the hand of a licensing partner, continued on page 18

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 17 WIPB continued from page 17 considering having children, I will repeat Our youngest daughter is now a year old. practicing in New Orleans in 2005, wrote advice from a speaker (whose name, sadly, I They are, simply, our deepest joy. about her harrowing experiences provid- no longer recall) at a luncheon organized by ing care while trapped at Charity Hospital the ASPB Women in Plant Biology Com- Cultivate Wonder after Hurricane Katrina (http://www.nejm. mittee several years ago: the biological clock Finally, always, always make certain that you org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp058239). When is real, and it doesn’t have a snooze button are continuing to kindle the feeling of awe hopes of quick rescue faded, the nurses or an off switch. It’s not wise to wait forever that drew you to science in the first place. organized into 12-hour shifts and efficiently to have kids, even considering options such Biology is resilient and fascinating, inspiring cared for patients. She wrote, “In contrast, as adoption (many U.S. and international and beautifully messy. There will always be the doctors were terrible about sleep. Except adoption agencies have an age limit for funding to pursue, experiments that fail, and in the emergency department, there was no parental applicants) or assisted reproductive workplace politics. Never let them eclipse delineation of shift work. After 48 hours, technology. The advice mentioned at that the wonder of discovery. T a dedicated and respected colleague was ASPB luncheon truly hit home, as it was still already displaying word-finding difficulty, relatively rare for the topic of parenting to be About the Author and the problem continued to worsen.” No discussed in such a forthright and encourag- Robyn M. Perrin, PhD, is a registered patent one thinks clearly when exhausted, and in ing manner within a professional scientific agent at the law firm of Casimir Jones, S.C. a laboratory, a sleep-deprived scientist can society. My thoughts on starting a family She lives in Madison, Wisconsin. When not be anything from inefficient to downright shifted from the nebulous “someday” realm drafting patents, doing freelance writing, or dangerous. toward the “OK, when?” realm. Some time spending time with her family, she writes for Additionally, let’s be plainspoken: don’t later, my husband and I welcomed our first Focal Flame Photography, a business she owns neglect reproductive biology. For those daughter, born during one of my postdocs. with her husband.

The Arabidopsis Book The American Society of Plant Biologists has published The Arabidopsis Book (TAB) as a free online compendium since 2002. ASPB is providing funds for the production of TAB as a public service. Founded by Chris Somerville and Elliot Meyerowitz, TAB now has more than 80 chapters online and received over 82,000 full-text downloads in 2010. The current editorial board is working hard to continue TAB’s ongoing expansion:

Rob Last (chair) Rob McClung Michigan State University Dartmouth College Caren Chang Harvey Millar University of Maryland University of Western Australia Georg Jander Keiko Torii Boyce Thompson Institute University of Washington Dan Kliebenstein Doris Wagner University of California, Davis University of Pennsylvania

The board is overseeing all new content development as well as updates to existing chapters to keep TAB the most comprehensive and current work on Arabidopsis.

All chapters are hosted in partnership with BioOne (www.bioone.org) in HTML and PDF formats.

Photos courtesy of The Arabidopsis Information Resource and the RIKEN Plant Science Center.

18 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 Membership Corner

ASPB members share a common goal of promoting the growth, development, and outreach of plant biology as a pure and applied science. This column features some of the dedicated and innovative members of ASPB who believe that membership in our Society is crucial to the future of plant biology. If you are interested in contributing to this feature, please contact ASPB Membership at [email protected].

policy related to your discipline, and 9. What advice would you give to a find research funding opportunities. plant scientist just starting out? ASPB does a great job in all these Focus on a well-defined research areas, and nonmembers will benefit problem and articulate your research by that. well. Funding success could make or break your career success. 4. Have you found a job or hired anyone using ASPB job postings or 10. What do you think is the most networking at the annual meeting? important discovery in plant biology Yes, I have used job advertisements and over the past year and why? hired people using ASPB job postings. Within the past several years, crop genomes (poplar, corn, and soybean, Name: Bala Rathinasabapathi 5. Do you still read print journals? If etc.) have been sequenced, opening Title: Associate Professor so, where do you usually read them: the door to novel possibilities to Place of Work or School: Horticultural work, home, library, in the car, on improve these species. Sciences Department, University of Florida the bus, or somewhere else? Research Area: Stress physiology and Yes. I usually read them at home. 11. What do you think is the next “big thing” in plant biology? functional genomics are my areas of 6. Have there been any issues in plant Application of the genomic sciences specialty. My program focuses on under- biology in which you thought ASPB and technologies to understand some standing how plants adapt to environ- should be involved or that led you to of the agriculturally valuable traits, mental stress. We have been studying an consider becoming active in the such as hybrid vigor, grain yield, unusual fern species (Pteris vittata) that governance of the Society, and if quality, flavor, and so on, is what I hyperaccumulates arsenic. Through this so, what were they? think will be the next big thing in work we have discovered biotechnological I think that more work needs to be plant biology. strategies to engineer plants to improve done to attract and inspire bright their tolerance to high temperature stress. young students to science, especially 12. What are you reading these days? Member since: 1990 plant science. While what is being I have been reading a new version of done by ASPB is great, more should be an old book—Biochemical Adaptation: 1. Has being a member of ASPB helped done. I have not become active in the Mechanism and Process in Physiological you in your career? If so, how? governance of the Society but would Evolution, by Peter Hochachka and The best and the brightest plant like to be involved. George Somero. This is a fascinating biologists are members of ASPB. compilation of comparative physiol- 7. What do you see as the most ASPB has given me opportunities, ogy. Another book I have been reading important role for scientific societies especially via its annual meetings, to now and then is The Plant Lover’s Com- such as ASPB? share scientific ideas. More than once, panion: Plants, People and Places, by I think that the most important role I have thought of ideas for experi- Julia Brittain. This book has interesting for a scientific society is to facilitate ments or projects after attending an stories about people (both professional professional networking among its annual meeting. and amateur) who took special interest members. 2. Why has being a member of ASPB to collect and study plants. 8. What could ASPB do better? been important to you? 13. What do you still have left to learn? I cannot think of anything ASPB does ASPB facilitates my interactions with When it comes to learning, I am not do well. However, I see that there other plant scientists. is a glut of trained people at the early always a student. T 3. What would you tell nonmembers to career level (postdocs) and fewer encourage them to join? academic positions. ASPB can play Professional societies can help you more active roles in bringing the understand contemporary scientific biotech industry to interact with ideas, identify professional collabora- universities, thus increasing the tors, gauge and shape trends in public chances for job seekers.

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 19 LI-6400XT Portable Photosynthesis System with Lighted Whole Plant Arabidopsis Chamber

Helping connect the lab to the field. LI-COR® also offers the following instruments for Arabidopsis Research:

Light 6400-40 LI-3100C Sensors Fluorometer Area Meter www.licor.com/env 402 - 467 - 3576 Public Affairs

The following article is reprinted with permission from HHMI Bulletin, November 2010, Vol. 23, No. 4.

Seeding Plant Science

Four years ago Joanne Chory been a more important time knowledge over the past decade. But the made a bold statement within in our history. Plant scientists NSF, which supports many plant scientists, the pages of the HHMI Bul- have tremendous potential to has had few dedicated programs in funda- letin that “the study of plant help us understand—and pos- mental plant science. Elsewhere in this issue genomes might contribute sibly find solutions to—some [reprinted on p. 22 of this issue of the ASPB more to human health and of the most pressing concerns News], Vicki L. Chandler, chief program well-being than the study of that face society: food produc- officer for the Moore Foundation’s science any animal genome.” As one tion, human health, protection initiatives and a noted plant researcher in of a handful of plant scientists of the environment, identi- her own right, describes the challenges and within the HHMI [Howard fication of renewable energy opportunities that face her colleagues in the Hughes Medical Institute] sources. The 2009 National Re- field. community, the investiga- Robert Tjian. PHOTO BY search Council Report, A New The collaboration between HHMI tor at the Salk Institute for Barbara Ries, via HHMI. Biology for the 21st Century and the Moore Foundation illustrates the Biological Studies has spent many an hour (http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_ extraordinary potential for targeted invest- explaining to quizzical colleagues how much id=12764), provides a much-needed ment in plant science research because our they could learn from the mouse ear cress framework for discussing these important organizations would not appear, at first (Arabidopsis thaliana)—as distinct from the issues among policy makers and academic glance, to be obvious partners. The Moore mammalian mouse (Mus musculus). leaders. Other positive Foundation, which has Chory’s carefully cultivated seeds have developments are on the “Plant scientists have tremen- long been committed to now borne fruit. Earlier this fall, HHMI horizon, including a plan dous potential to help us environmental conser- and the California-based Gordon and Betty for developing a competi- understand—and possibly vation, has focused on find solutions to—some of the Moore Foundation announced (http://www. tive grants program within most pressing concerns that supporting fundamen- hhmi.org/news/plant20100930.html) that we the National Institute of face society.” tal research in physical, would hold a joint competition to identify Food and Agriculture, part —Robert Tjian life, and information up to 15 of this nation’s most creative and of the U.S. Department of sciences. Given HHMI’s talented plant scientists (see related article Agriculture. primary focus on biomedical research with in November/December 2010 ASPB News For too long, fundamental plant science the potential to improve human health, the [http://www.aspb.org/newsletter/novdec10/ has been something of an afterthought in Institute has historically viewed much of 07howard.cfm]). When selected in 2011, the U.S.—where substantial resources are plant science research as outside its tradi- they will join the Institute as investigators dedicated to applied agricultural research— tional scope. Just as the Moore Foundation and also receive substantial grant support and represents about 2 percent of overall life sought to connect its environmental and from the Moore Foundation over a five-year sciences spending by the federal govern- scientific interests, HHMI began exploring period. We think the creation of our joint ment. A highly respected scientist like Chory potential new directions in plant science in a program underscores the importance of may succeed in receiving grants through the 2008 workshop that Chory helped organize. investing in fundamental plant science and National Institutes of Health (NIH), but she As a member of the Moore Foundation’s sci- will encourage others in the United States is an exception. At the turn of the millen- entific advisory board, I have seen first hand to make analogous commitments. We also nium, for example, of some 24,000 scientists that our organizations share a commitment believe this core group will have an outsized working with Arabidopsis as their model to supporting excellent science. impact on their fields, particularly in attract- organism, fewer than five dozen received The result is something that ecologists ing a new generation of graduate students NIH research project grants. might recognize: an example of facultative and postdoctoral researchers. The interagency National Plant Ge- symbiosis that benefits both organizations Why now? Plant research proved its val- nome Initiative—funded through NIH, the and gives the scientists we support a greater ue long ago—after all, study of the humble National Science Foundation (NSF), the chance to survive—if not flourish. T pea helped found the modern field of genet- departments of Agriculture and Energy, Robert Tjian ics—but one could argue there has never and others—has generated useful tools and HHMI President

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 21 Public Affairs

The following article is reprinted with permission from HHMI Bulletin, November 2010, Vol. 23, No. 4.

Plant Science Matters

Vicki Chandler’s research on how to having two R01 grants Over the course of 20 years, first at plants regulate their genes may from the National Insti- the University of Oregon and later at the ultimately inform studies of tutes of Health (NIH). Five University of Arizona, my lab has uncovered human diseases. She’s leading the years of support is enough some of the underlying mechanisms. They Gordon and Betty Moore time to tackle higher risk involve RNA-mediated silencing, which oc- Foundation’s partnership with the yet very important ques- curs in multiple systems. We suspect similar Howard Hughes Medical Institute tions. If that’s all we did biochemistry works in animals and humans. (HHMI) to support more of this with this program—make If so, our paramutation work may ultimately kind of fundamental plant this research possible for help us better understand certain diseases. science. 15 scientists—it would be Basic plant research—even top-notch I often say that because enough to impact a field research—falls between the funding cracks. plants don’t bleed red or run, and I’d sleep well at night. Because NIH focuses on humans and animal they get overlooked. Most Vicki Chandler. Photo by But I also have a broad- model systems, it has not traditionally sup- people don’t realize that plants Melissa Kaseman, via HHMI. er hope for more systemic ported plant science. USDA leans heavily like corn (maize) and thale cress (Arabidop- change. The fact that HHMI and the Moore toward applied science, while DOE focuses sis thaliana) are excellent model organisms Foundation are contributing a total of $75 on bioenergy. At NSF, basic plant science for key areas of biomedical science. Through million to advance a key model system will competes with other biology fields for funds. studies in plants, we’ve determined how put a spotlight on the huge research gap— Even at HHMI—with its track record of small noncoding RNA can ratchet up or and the opportunities. I hope our invest- supporting innovative, interdisciplinary dial down genes, for instance, and how gene ment, and the research it generates, becomes research across model systems—the number regulation responds differently in distinct a tool that federal agencies—including NIH, of researchers specializing in plant science environments. the National Science Foundation (NSF), the can be counted on one hand. But tight plant science funding consis- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), We all want to make progress. My role tently limits our ability to turn early theo- and the Department of Energy (DOE)—can leading the science program at the Gordon retical gains into on-the-ground advances. use to secure more support from Congress and Betty Moore Foundation is to identify Scientists doing absolutely core work in for fundamental plant science. We are send- fundamental research areas in which a foun- plant genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, ing a signal: plant science matters. dation can make a difference. We support and other areas have to vie for scant federal In my own research, I realized the varied research, from marine microbiology support—and, frankly, it holds us back. relevance of plant science as a biochemis- to the largest land-based telescope. Part of That’s about to change. HHMI and the try graduate student. I was studying gene our culture is to take smart risks because Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which regulation at the University of California, major leaps forward in science won’t happen supports basic (nonmedical) research, have San Francisco, in the late 1970s, working without them. teamed up to kick-start fundamental plant with mammalian systems. While looking for With HHMI, we’re thrilled to strategically science research with 5-year, potentially postdoc opportunities, I realized that maize grow plant science. By funding top people at renewable grants to 15 plant scientists (see is an ideal system for studying gene expres- various career stages, we’re poised to make a article in November/December 2010 ASPB sion—in particular, a remarkable phenom- real—and lasting—difference. T News [http://www.aspb.org/newsletter/ enon in gene silencing called paramutation. novdec10/07howard.cfm]). This is the first In paramutation, one parental copy (al- Interview by Kathryn Brown. Vicki Chandler time the two organizations have collaborat- lele) of a gene silences, or turns off, the other is the chief program officer for the Gordon and ed, and I have high hopes for the outcome. parental copy of that gene. This silencing Betty Moore Foundation’s Science Program. First, I hope the scientists who are select- sticks: generations of progeny “remember” ed are empowered to be more innovative and this change, dutifully expressing the gene creative because they will have resources to according to the new pattern. And, this hap- work with. The funding is roughly equivalent pens with no changes in the DNA sequence.

22 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 Public Affairs Update

This column provides just a small sample of the content in the ASPB Washington Report, which is published approximately twice per month by the ASPB Public Affairs Department and includes To keep up-to-date on ASPB’s material provided by ASPB’s legislative affairs consultants, Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC. public affairs activities, please Complete issues of the ASPB Washington Report are posted on the ASPB website at http://www. aspb.org/publicaffairs/washington.cfm. join the Public Affairs group (http://my.aspb.org/members/ Funding Opportunities tive, is coordinated by an Interagency Work- group.asp?id=68890) on the ASPB is updating its website to provide infor- ing Group on Plant Genomes of the National ASPB website and look for us on mation about selected funding opportunities Science and Technology Council. A total of Facebook and Twitter. To receive for plant biology research and education. We $101.9 million was awarded under this new an e-mail copy of the ASPB are also developing a set of background docu- announcement. Washington Report, e-mail ments about key public and private spon- The projects supported under the PGRP [email protected] and ask to be sors of plant biology research to help ASPB awards use the techniques of modern ge- added to the distribution list. members access funding opportunities, learn nomics—sequencing and analyzing genetic about the review process, and provide other material—to advance our understanding of information about these major sponsors. how plant genes function and govern plants’ seats moving into the Republican column, Check out http://aspb.org/researchfunding for interactions with the environment in eco- but were short of the 10 seats needed for a complete information. nomically important crop species, including barley, corn, cotton, rice, soybean, tomato, majority. Despite retaining a slim majority, ASPB Asks for Robust Support for Key and wheat. Each project will also incorporate Senate Democrats will be hard-pressed to Federal Funding Agencies outreach and educational activities, engaging garner the 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster of any legislation. Having experi- Over the past several months, ASPB has K–12, community college, and undergradu- enced the difficulty of this task with a caucus been active in signing on to a number of ate students and teachers—as well as the pub- of 59, expect Senate Majority Leader Harry letters to members of Congress and Obama lic—in plant-related activities. (A complete Reid (D-NV), who himself narrowly survived administration officials calling for robust list of funded projects and their principal in- a tight reelection contest, to be more selective support of key federal funding agencies. Let- vestigators is available in ASPB’s press release about bringing legislation to the floor. ters have included calls for “vigorous support on the awards at http://my.aspb.org/resource/ With many Republicans running on of basic research funding” at the National resmgr/Docs/2010-1104-NSF_PGRP.pdf.) campaigns to reduce spending, expect the Science Foundation, increased funding for next few years to be a difficult environ- basic research at the Department of Energy’s 2010 Midterm Elections Will Have ment for federal appropriations. Incoming Office of Science, highest possible levels Implications for Congressional Speaker of the House John Boehner (R- of funding for the USDA’s Agriculture and Leadership on Research and Education OH), for example, has proposed reducing Food Research Initiative, and robust support As anticipated, Republicans took back the federal nondefense domestic discretionary for the National Institutes of Health. majority in the U.S. House of Representa- tives and made considerable gains in the spending to fiscal year 2008 levels. This type ASPB Members Lead Plant Genome Senate as a result of the November 2 mid- of rollback, if implemented, would be es- Research Program Awards term elections. Republicans picked up more pecially difficult for agencies that have seen ASPB members are helping advance our un- than 60 seats in the House, many more than significant budget increases in the past few derstanding of plants and their genes, efforts the 39 they needed to reclaim control of the years, including the Department of Agricul- that in addition to furthering our fundamen- chamber for the first time since 2006. In ad- ture and the Department of Energy. tal knowledge of plant biology, will improve dition to defeating many Democrats elected The change in House leadership, election our ability to enhance agricultural productiv- in 2008, Republican candidates defeated defeats, and retirements will lead to some sig- ity, grow nutritious foods, and diminish the several powerful long-term Democratic nificant changes in the leadership of House effects of devastating plant parasites. ASPB members, such as Armed Services Commit- and Senate committees with oversight of science agencies and federal appropriations: members are leading the majority of the 28 tee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO), Budget new research awards recently announced by Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-SC), • For example, former Ranking Member the National Science Foundation (NSF) under and Transportation and Infrastructure Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX), who is the oldest its Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP). Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN). member in the House, will chair the The PGRP, which was established in 1998 In the Senate, Republicans significantly House Committee on Science, Space, and as part of the National Plant Genome Initia- cut into the Democratic advantage with six continued on page 24

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 23 Public Affairs Update continued from page 23 of each metabolite in different cells of an or- National Academies Releases Report Technology. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson ganism, which includes spatial and temporal on Underrepresented Minority (D-TX) will be the Democratic Ranking information as well as concentration. Participation in STEM Member. The committee’s previous chair, On September 30, the National Academies National Research Council Releases Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), retired at the released Expanding Underrepresented Minor- Assessment of Research Doctorate end of the last session. ity Participation: America’s Science and Tech- Programs in the United States • Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) will chair nology Talent at the Crossroads (http://bit.ly/ the Senate Committee on Agriculture, On September 28, the National Research e7ZTiU), which explores the role of diversity Nutrition, and Forestry. She is taking the Council (NRC) released the long-awaited re- in the science, technology, engineering, and place of Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), port on research doctorate programs within mathematics (STEM) workforce and its value who lost her bid for reelection. Sen. Saxby the United States (http://www.nap.edu/rdp). in keeping America innovative and competi- Chambliss (R-GA) is expected to remain The report provides an assessment based tive. Underrepresented minorities—including as Republican Ranking Member. on an unprecedented data collection effort African Americans, Hispanics, and Native and builds on previous rankings released ASPB encourages members to be active Americans—made up just over 9% of college- by the NRC in 1995 and 1982. This study in our public affairs activities, including educated Americans in science and engineer- expands the size of the programs surveyed writing letters, meeting with elected officials ing occupations in 2006, only one-third of the and the number and complexity of questions and their staff, hosting elected officials on share of minorities in the U.S. population. included in the survey to faculty at research their campuses, and so on. We especially To reach the goal of reflecting the diversity universities, as compared with previous such encourage those from states represented by within the U.S. population at large, the report assessments. The data covers 5,000 programs leaders of science and appropriations com- says higher education institutions should cre- in 62 fields at 212 universities. mittees to help in our efforts on behalf of ate programs that provide underrepresented plant biologists nationwide. The study collected data on 20 characteris- minority students in STEM with strong finan- tics of doctorate programs, including publica- cial, academic, and social support. Joint U.S.–Japan Metabolomics tions per faculty member, citations, percent In addition, the report says that K–12 for Low Carbon Society Program of faculty with grants, percent of minority STEM teachers need better preparation, and Anticipated in 2011 and female faculty, percent of interdisciplin- high school programs should emphasize col- The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) ary faculty, percent of first-year students with lege readiness. Few students who require re- medial courses beyond high school complete Directorate for Biological Sciences, in external funding and those with full support, undergraduate degrees in STEM. Secondary collaboration with the Japan Science and percent of minority and female students, per- school programs that guarantee access to ad- Technology Agency, is anticipating being able cent of international students, average comple- vanced courses and proper academic advising to offer the Metabolomics for a Low Carbon tion percentage, median time to degree, size of would ensure underrepresented minorities Society Program, pending appropriation of student workspace, student health insurance, are fully prepared for college and improve fiscal year 2011 funds. This program will and the number of student activities offered. graduation rates. The report suggests that the support basic research in the area of plant, Two rankings are used for each program, federal government, industry, and postsec- algal, and microbial metabolomics; advance one based on a faculty survey of important ondary institutions should work collabora- novel biological knowledge in metabolomics characteristics (S rankings) and the other on tively with K–12 schools and school systems in the areas of energy and the environment; the characteristics of the most highly respect- to increase minority access to and demand for and foster greater collaborative interactions ed programs within a field (R rankings). Both STEM education and technical training. between Japanese and American scientists the S and R rankings do not allow for ordinal Expanding Underrepresented Minority Par- in these priority areas. According to a Dear rankings of doctorate programs, but they do ticipation identifies best practices and offers Colleague letter from NSF Acting Assis- allow for rankings within “ranges.” a comprehensive road map for increasing in- tant Director for Biological Sciences Joann In addition to data published by the NRC volvement of underrepresented minorities and Roskoski, the key goals of metabolomics itself and publications including The Chronicle improving the quality of their education. A include: (1) chemical annotation—determin- of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed, committee chaired by Freeman A. Hrabowski the independent website PhDs.org provides a ing the chemical structure of each molecule; III, president of the University of Maryland, (2) biological annotation—connecting each user-friendly interface to the NRC’s data, in- Baltimore County, wrote the report. T metabolite to a specific enzyme, biochemi- cluding rankings specific to the plant sciences cal pathway, or biological process; and (3) (http://graduate-school.phds.org/rankings/ Adam P. Fagen, PhD metabolomic annotation—the distribution botany). ASPB Public Affairs Director

24 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 ASPB Education Forum

Minneapolis Is a Great Place! ASPB Paints the Town with Science Resources During NABT 2010

The 2010 National Association of Biology garden necklaces and 5× mini microscopes, ASPB—Anke Reinders, Mohamed Yakub, Teachers (NABT) Annual Conference (http:// to get copies of our new CDs containing Kevin Dorn, Steve Keller, and Sue Wick—all www.nabt2010.org) was held in Minneapolis the 12 Principles inquiry-based labs (http:// became very adept at showing visitors how on November 3–6, 2010, so we took the op- www.aspb.org/education/12labs), to pick to make the necklaces and mini microscopes portunity to check out the city in anticipation up a selection of helpful handouts, and to and describing our other materials. I was so of the upcoming ASPB 2011 annual meet- learn about our organization. Booth visitors impressed with their enthusiasm! We could ing. Not only was the location wonderful, expressed the need for good materials and not have done it without their help. T the food and friendliness of the city really were enthusiastic about using plants in their Jane Ellis impressed us. There are a number of terrific teaching. They really appreciated what we Presbyterian College restaurants near the convention center! had to offer. Our ASPB Education Booth was a huge As usual, we were aided by a group of success. Teachers, outreach specialists, and outstanding booth volunteers. Jan Haldeman even other exhibitors came by to make the and local plant biologists actively supporting

ASPB’s booth was crowded with educators eager to learn about teaching biology with plants.

Booth visitors are happy to make and take Lilliputian garden cup necklaces that will help them cultivate lab activities in their own classrooms.

(left to right) Booth veteran Jan Haldeman, with ASPB member-volunteers from the Minneapolis area Mohamed Yakub and Anke Reinders, and a happy booth visitor.

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 25 Education Forum

Thank you to our expert booth volunteers, exhibit hall colleagues, and many eager attendees for making this such a fun and successful event!

—ASPB Education Committee

The most interesting thing about interacting with booth visitors was seeing the children’s faces light up when they discovered that a microscope can “shrink them” to the actual size of the plant! Aren’t children great? —Thomas Hardy Assistant Professor Virginia Union University

It was a very simple project [Lilliputian Garden Cup necklace]; the children seemed to like doing it and were interested in the plants.

—Roxane Bouten Graduate Student University of Maryland BISI Program

Volunteering at the ASPB booth was both educational and inspirational. My colleagues provided much insight to the science underlying the activities, and I was able to learn a lot from listening to how they approach visitors. —Emily Lin Undergraduate Student University of Maryland

I enjoyed working with children of such a variety of ages. I suspect many of the guests had not viewed a 3-D microscope before. Consequently, we began to accumulate small crowds around the microscope.

—Gary Fleming Mathematician (and Plant Biology Fan) University of Maryland

I thought the activities were quite interesting! Kids had a great time.

—Zhongchi Liu Associate Professor University of Maryland, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics

26 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 So many people came to the booth; we were constantly busy explaining, showing, and teaching. I had a blast watching the kids’ and their parents’ expressions when they looked in the microscope and saw the Kalanchoe daigremontiana plantlets forming on the edges of the mother leaf. It sure led to some interesting discussions about cloning.

—Janet Slovin, PhD Research Scientist Genetic Improvement of Fruit and Vegetables Laboratory USDA/ARS

The hands-on aspect of the garden cup activity is great!

—Bruce McClure University of Missouri Department of Biochemistry Current Program Director at NSF

The most interesting thing I learned was that the youngsters know a lot about plants! Almost all knew that plants use carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. However, they were a little weak on what else plants provide (food, fiber, etc.), so it was fun to give them something new to think about.

—Anne Datko Emeritus Professor and Former Division Director CSREES/USDA

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 27 Education Forum

Food for Thought

The Western Maryland Science & Engineer- (right) Kristen Lennon (center of ing Festival, an official satellite event of the photo) helps students plant a food plant at the Plant-a-Plant activity USA Science & Engineering Festival, wel- table. K–12 students could plant comed more than 400 K–12 students and tomato, lettuce, or sunflower seeds and enjoy the fruits of their labor in their families to a morning filled with fun a couple of months. and educational hands-on STEM activities and demonstrations. The event was held Saturday, October 23, at Frostburg State University and the University of Maryland (below) Members of the Beta-Beta- Center for Environmental Science’s Appala- Beta Biological Honor Society chian Laboratory in Frostburg, Maryland. aided K–12 students with isolating plant DNA from bananas. This Students and presenters alike faced the cool hands-on activity allowed the and blustery October weather to celebrate students to wear the DNA they science, technology, engineering, and math- isolated as a necklace. ematics and to learn about career pathways in these disciplines. The plant sciences were well represented at the event with a set of activities focused on the theme “Where Does Your Food Come From?” The youngest plant scientists were treated to a coloring table featuring plant coloring and activity sheets provided by ASPB and Max (the soybean boy) from (above) ASPB member David Puthoff (center) the Maryland Soybean Board. serves as emcee of the Name That Plant game With more than 50 activities to en- during the Western Maryland Science & Engineer- joy, this table was also a nice spot ing Festival. Correct identification of common crop plants was rewarded with one of the 12 for toddlers and preschoolers to Principles of Plant Biology bookmarks developed settle down for a few minutes and by ASPB. learn a bit about plants while creat- ing some fantastic masterpieces. The most popular activity of the set featured the Name That Plant game, (left) Interest among the many K–12 where participants were challenged to iden- students at the Western Maryland tify common food plants (such as tomato, Science & Engineering Festival held at Frostburg State University grew as corn, wheat, oat, and soybean) after being they planted seeds of tomato, given the plant itself and a few carefully sunflower, or lettuce. Plant-related crafted hints. Everyone was a winner in this science activities were sponsored in part by ASPB. game as the 12 Principles of Plant Biology bookmarks were handed out as prizes for correct answers. From this activity featuring how plants feed the world, students were the roles that they play in a plant’s ability to on the Plants-in-Motion website (http:// ushered on to learn a bit about how plants make its own food, as well as a collection of plantsinmotion.bio.indiana.edu). Take-home feed themselves. This activity included a plants and displays that allowed participants activities, such as “How many plants does it lift-a-flap poster describing basic plant to observe living roots and leaf types and take to make a fast food burger?” and “Plants structures (leaves, stems, and roots) and watch plants in action through the videos continued on page 30

28 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 Education Forum

It’s DNA for Dinner Time!

With 2007 Education Foundation funds, we undertook what we thought would be a relatively easy task—updating a 4-H cur- Educational riculum, Biotechnology and Foods, written in displays, funded by ASPB, and 1994. The establishment of the national 4-H accompanying Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) cards in English initiative sparked this effort. 4-H currently and Spanish are available for loan. reaches nearly 6 million youth in urban, suburban, and rural communities; the new SET initiative aims to involve another 1 million young people during its five-year Additional Resources from ucbiotech.org effort—100,000 in California alone. The SET In addition to the DNA for Dinner cur- cards (above). There is a teacher guide initiative encouraged the development of riculum, Peggy Lemaux and Barbara that provides games that can be used curricula in SET topic areas—and biotech- Alonso have developed a number of with the displays and cards. These re- nology curricula were noticeably absent. other educational resources with support sources have been widely used at county After two years of intense effort—writing, from the ASPB Education Foundation and state fairs, professional meetings of updating, and revising the five lessons—we that focus on foods, educators and scien- now have completed our task. It is DNA for agriculture, genetic tists, Master Gardeners’ Dinner Time! The five lessons in the curricu- diversity, genomics, bio- gatherings, and teacher lum, designed for fifth- through eighth-grade technology, and classical conferences, as well as participants, include Dare to Be Different breeding. Two educa- in classrooms world- (organisms, genetic diversity); Language of tional displays, “Foods: wide. With 2007 funds Life (genomes, genetic code); DNA for Din- Past, Present, and Future” from the ASPB Educa- ner (genes, DNA, reproduction); Building and “Genes, Genomics, tion Foundation, Peggy Blocks to Organisms (amino acids, proteins, and Diversity,” are avail- and Barbara created enzymes); and From Bread to Biotech (classi- able for loan via http:// the GENE-ie Juice Bar cal breeding, genetic engineering, restriction ucbiotech.org/resources/ (left), which reminds enzymes). Each lesson has an introduction, display/displays.html. users that DNA and open-ended discussion questions, math Also available are genes are a natural part puzzles, and three to five activities to demon- companion English and of our lives. strate key points of the lesson. Some activities Spanish baseball-type The GENE-ie Juice Bar comes are computer-based, some are hands-on, and ready for DNA isolation (fruit not included!). some are physical activities.

continued on page 30

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 29 Education Forum

activities and curricula. Our table presented the five DNA for Dinner lessons and a hands-on genomics puzzle for volunteers to master. We distributed a USB drive that contained all five lessons and activities as PDFs, as well as a user survey. These materi-

USB drives, preloaded with PDFs als are also available for download as PDFs of the DNA for Dinner lessons, in the resources section of http://ucbiotech. were a big hit at the fair. org. In addition, we introduced the volunteers to our other ASPB-funded educational resources, such as the displays and cards. We also described the NSF-sponsored 3-D Zombie Plague game that is currently being Barbara Alonso playing the genomics developed with the University of California, game with attendees. Davis. Quite a few attendees were interested in using all of these resources. DNA for Dinner continued from page 29 Volunteers were very excited about the On November 6, 2010, we introduced curriculum, using it either in its entirety the curriculum at the State 4-H Leaders’ or as individual lessons or activities that Forum Science Fair at the Asilomar Confer- could be meshed with other activities their ence Center in Pacific Grove, California. 4-H groups were doing. While specifically The weekend retreat attracted volunteers designed for 4-H, the curriculum is also use- (right) The DNA for Dinner table at the ful for other after-school and during-school of all ages, experiences, and locations who science fair in Asilomar. came together to find new inspiration and venues, as it was designed to meet National ideas for their clubs. One notable part of Science Education Standards. the forum was recognition of volunteers, decades—30, 40, and, yes, even 50 years of Peggy G. Lemaux and Barbara Alonso which started with recognizing volunteers 4-H volunteer work! University of California, Berkeley of at least 20 years (15 such individuals in The evening ended in a science fair where attendance). They then proceeded up by some 12 groups showcased examples of SET

Food for Thought school students isolated DNA from bananas various activities were from Beta-Beta-Beta continued from page 28 (or from themselves) and took the As, Ts, Cs, Biological Honor Society and the Depart- around the house” from the ASPB education and Gs home with them on a necklace. ment of Biology at Frostburg State Univer- website, were also available. None of the activities would have been sity. For more information on these activities As a grand finale to the themed set, kids possible without the generous support or to have copies sent to you, please contact of all ages visited the “Plant-a-plant, take it of ASPB, Fisher Scientific, the Maryland Kristen Lennon ([email protected]) or home, watch it grow . . . then eat it!” table, Soybean Board, the Allegany County Public David Puthoff ([email protected]). at which they decorated their own plant pot Schools, a grant from the Frostburg State David Puthoff and planted a tomato, lettuce, or sunflower University Foundation, and the support Frostburg State University seed to take home. In a related activity, spon- of the Department of Biology at Frostburg sored by Fisher Scientific, middle and high State University. Volunteers who staffed the

30 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 Education Forum

ASPB Education Foundation Grants Promoting Plant Biology Education and Outreach

The ASPB Education Foundation seeks multimedia educational resources such as Each eight-page grant proposal should proposals from ASPB members to support radio or video pieces, websites, and include the following: education and outreach activities that ad- animations 1. Cover Page vance knowledge and appreciation of plant • development of and support for educa- • project title biology. The Foundation was established in tion and outreach collaborations between • project manager’s name 1995 with the main goal of enhancing public plant biologists and educators. • address, phone, e-mail, and fax awareness and understanding of the role The Foundation especially seeks projects • coinvestigator name(s) and institutional of plants in all areas of life. To this end, the that will produce resources that can be wide- affiliation(s) (if any) Foundation supports education and outreach ly shared and disseminated and programs or 2. Project Description: The project descrip- projects (i.e., NOT science research projects) relationships that can be sustained over time. tion is limited to five pages, including that enrich and promote youth, student, and Proposals are encouraged from members references, figures, and images. Text general public understanding of the both within and outside the United States, should be single-spaced, 12-point font, • importance of plants for the sustainable and projects may serve communities from with at least 1-inch margins. production of medicine, food, fibers, and any country. Proposals that leverage funds The project description should be fuels from the ASPB Education Foundation with divided into six sections: • critical role plants play in sustaining support from other sources are encouraged, a. Goals and Objectives: For example, functional ecosystems in changing particularly for proposals that request a full what is this education/outreach proj- environments $30,000 budget. ect trying to achieve? Why is the • latest developments in plant biotechnolo- project important? What previous Sources that may be helpful in preparing gies, including genetic modifications that education/outreach work has been successful proposals include enhance the disease and stress resistance done by the investigator(s) or others • project summaries from previously of crops that lays the groundwork for the proj- funded projects, which are available at the • contributions of discoveries made in ect? In what ways do the project goals Education Foundation section of the plants to discoveries that improve human and objectives align with the goals of ASPB website at http://www.aspb.org/ health and well-being the ASPB Education Foundation? educationfoundation • range of careers related to plant biology b. Methods and Approaches: For • project managers from winning or available to plant biologists. example, how will the project be imple- Education Foundation Grants who can mented? Who will be involved? What The types of projects that fit the Founda- advise future applicants who seek their is the target audience(s)? What activi- tion’s goals include but are not limited to consultation on developing winning ties will take place? What is the antici- • development and use of instructional proposals. pated timeline for the project? How are materials in K–12 schools, undergraduate the proposed activities aligned with the Apply for a Grant courses, science centers and museums, project’s goals and objectives? after-school science clubs, and other Please note: The application format changed as c. Anticipated Outcomes: For example, settings of 2011; previous formats will not be accepted. what is expected to happen as a result • professional development about plant Proposals must be submitted to the Educa- of the project? How many participants biology for educators (e.g., teachers, tion Foundation by June 3, 2011. No forms will be involved? What should they museum educators, 4-H agents) are needed. Send proposals by e-mail to the know, appreciate, or be able to do as a • professional development about education Education Foundation Assistant at katie@ result of participating in the project? and scientific communication for plant aspb.org. Include your full name in the body d. Evaluation Plan: For example, what biologists and plant biologists in training of the submitted e-mail. Attach documents as evidence will be collected that will be • development and implementation of edu- PDF files or Word documents (.doc exten- useful for determining whether goals cational exhibits or displays in science sion). Proposal reviews will begin after the or objectives are achieved? How will museums, science centers, libraries, and closing date. project outcomes be documented (e.g., other public venues number of target audience members Questions? Contact [email protected]. • development and dissemination of continued on page 32

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 31 Education Forum

ASPB Grants experiences and expertise of those 2. No indirect costs (overhead) will be cov- continued from page 31 involved in the project. ered by the Foundation for project awards. reached; knowledge or skill gains; • Statements should include, if appro- 3. No funds may be requested for endow- changes in interests, attitudes, or inten- priate, brief descriptions of previous ments or granting programs. tions)? Who will be responsible for education and outreach projects, 4. Although projects may be implemented executing the evaluation plan? including project outcomes and with a small audience for initial develop- e. Dissemination Plan: For example, how impacts. ment and pilot testing, the Foundation will project products and outcomes • If appropriate, relevant references that expects that project products and results (e.g., instructional materials, profes- provide evidence for the qualifications will impact a broader audience and gen- sional development materials, exhib- of the investigator(s) should be erally reach beyond a single institution. its, evaluation results) be shared with included (e.g., URLs for the investiga- 5. ASPB expects to have the right to the use others who may be interested in using tors’ education/outreach websites, of projects, materials, and results devel- them (e.g., conference posters or publications). (Background on the oped with grant funding. presentations, peer-reviewed publica- proposal itself should be contained 6. Funding is awarded for a period of one tions, newsletter articles)? within the project description.) year. The Foundation will consider f. References: Include citations for any 4. Itemized Budget: This section is limited requests for extension of time if received books, journal articles, websites, or to one page. before the award expiration date. other resources cited in the project • The budget limit is $30,000, including 7. All recipients agree to advise future appli- description. salary, benefits, materials, equipment, cants who seek their consultation on developing winning proposals. 3. Statement of Education/Outreach travel, and other costs. Experience and Expertise: This section is • Each cost should be justified. Awardees will be notified by e-mail. T limited to one page. Other Guidelines • The investigator(s) should describe 1. The project manager must be a current previous education and outreach member of ASPB.

Plant Physiology® 2009 “Updates” Collection Now Available

The ﬁrst Annual Update Collection brings together all the front-section Updates published in Plant Physiology in 2009, along with the prologue editorials written by the guest editors of that year’s three Focus Issues. Updates review recent progress in the thematic areas covered by the Focus Issues (and more) and are written to be accessible and interesting for people reading them as an introduction to a particular topic, preparing for a lecture, or making classroom assignments. The 2009 collection covers • Grasses • Plant Interactions with Bacterial Pathogens • Legume Biology • Five additional Updates The Annual Update Collection 2009 is available in a convenient printed format for only $35 (shipping included). To order, visit http://tiny.cc/utqiy.

32 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 Education Forum

12th Annual ASPB Education Booth Competition for Innovative Instruction Apply Now to Present at Plant Biology 2011

The Education Committee seeks to highlight Proposal Requirements DVD player, monitor, Internet connec- new and creative techniques, technologies, Include a project title. List the name(s) of tion). Indicate what you will provide and or strategies developed by ASPB members presenters and their complete contact infor- what you would like ASPB to provide. We for teaching and learning plant science in the mation, including e-mail. Proposals, which will make every effort to meet your needs, laboratory, the classroom, or other venues. are limited to four double-spaced pages, subject to cost and space limitations. Have you developed effective curricula or must address the following: (Please note that the list of equipment activities you’d like to share? The Education 1. State a clear rationale for the exhibit. requested from ASPB cannot be changed Committee invites you to present them at the Innovations in teaching plant-oriented after the proposal is submitted.) Plant Biology 2011 Education Booth through sustainability topics are encouraged but 5. Submit your exhibit proposal to the Plant Biology Education Booth Competi- not required. Education Committee member Chad tion for Innovative Instruction. Exhibits em- 2. How are the materials or strategies fea- Jordan ([email protected]) as an phasizing plants and sustainability in celebra- tured in the exhibit exciting and new? e-mail attachment (Microsoft Word or tion of the International Year of Sustainability Highlight the use of innovative techniques, PDF) no later than March 11. Winners (2011) are welcome but not required. pedagogies, instructional materials, and/ will be notified by April 15. Each winning project will receive one or technologies. This is an ideal opportunity to showcase cash grant of $500 and full conference regis- 3. Provide a clear, detailed summary of how your instructional innovations for your plant tration costs (not including ticketed events) the exhibit will function and how visitors science colleagues. We hope that you will for up to three presenters at Plant Biology will interact with the exhibit. A diagram consider submitting a proposal so that your 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Winners or picture would be helpful. Exhibits work can be a part of the exciting exhibits at will exhibit their materials and methods to should take up no more than eight feet of Plant Biology 2011! T the ASPB membership as part of the Educa- table space. Final layout will be coordi- The ASPB Education Committee tion Booth at the conference. Awardees nated with Chad Jordan, the booth are expected to staff their exhibit during a organizer. predetermined schedule when the Education 4. Include a specific and complete list of Booth is open. equipment required for the exhibit (e.g.,

ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 • 33 ASPB’s Teaching Tools in Plant Biology Receives Gold Award Top educational program in Association TRENDS 2010 All-Media Contest

ASPB and The Plant Cell are used off-the-shelf or easily custom- as professor of biology at Harvey celebrating a Gold Award in the ized by the instructor, who can pick Mudd College. Additional informa- Association TRENDS 2010 All- and choose from among approxi- tion about Teaching Tools in Plant Media Contest for Teaching Tools mately 100 slides on a topic each Biology can be found at http:// in Plant Biology, which received month. Teaching Tools are peer www.plantcell.org/teachingtools/. top honors in the educational reviewed by experts so that each The TRENDS All-Media program category. Tool incorporates the most recent Contest is an annual competition Teaching Tools in Plant Biology knowledge, and they are reviewed held exclusively for associations, is designed to make it easy for annually to ensure that the content recognizing the most creative and educators to use current scientific remains current. effective communication vehicles information in their classrooms. “Everyone at The Plant Cell is developed in the industry over the Published monthly in an online- thrilled to have been awarded the prior year. The 2010 competition only format by The Plant Cell—the Gold Award for Teaching Tools in included more than 470 entries in top-ranked research journal in Plant Biology,” said Cathie Martin, 27 categories of association com- plant biology and one of the two editor in chief of The Plant Cell. munications. Association TRENDS journals published by ASPB—each “We are proud to have developed a is the national newspaper for as- Teaching Tool consists of sets of wonderful and innovative publish- sociation executives and suppliers, PowerPoint slides with accompa- ing feature that brings research spotlighting the latest news, infor- nying lecture notes, designed for on plants to the classroom and mation, and trends in association use by teachers of undergradu- provides current, peer-reviewed management for the professional ate students. Teaching Tools in materials for busy educators. It is a staff of international, national, Plant Biology links education and tremendous honor to receive rec- state, regional, and local voluntary research, emphasizing that experi- ognition for the quality of Teach- organizations. mental data are the fundamentals ing Tools in Plant Biology from Teaching Tools in Plant Biology upon which our scientific knowl- a professional organization like will be honored at February’s 32nd edge is based. By linking directly to Association TRENDS.” Annual Salute to Association Ex- research articles, these educational Teaching Tools in Plant Biology cellence and featured in the Janu- materials help instructors and is developed by Mary Williams, ary issue of Association TRENDS students delve more deeply into the now features editor for The Plant and online. T subject matter. The Tools can be Cell following a 14-year career

34 • ASPB News, Vol. 38, No. 1 Yes, we’ve got you covered... There are many types of plant stress that defy easy, reliable, and fast field measurements. Opti-Sciences provides solutions for almost every type.

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ASPB News (ISSN 1535-5489; Online ISSN 1544-9149) is published bimonthly by the American Society of Plant Biologists, 15501 Monona Drive, Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA, telephone 301-251-0560, fax 301-279-2996. Members’ dues include a subscription price of $2 per year to ASPB News. Subscription price to nonmembers is $30 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Rockville, MD, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send address changes to ASPB News, 15501 Monona Drive, Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA.