May/June 2019 • Volume 46, Number 3

p. 10 p. 14 p. 15 Join the Synthetic James Birchler Will Julian Schroeder Biology Revolution Receive Prestigious Awarded Khalifa at Plant Biology Barbara McClintock International 2019 and Plant Prize in 2020 Award August 7–9, 2019 Synthetic Biology San Jose, CA 2019

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLANT BIOLOGISTS

President’s Letter ASPB Announces Into the Second Century: ASPB 2024 BY ROB LAST 2019 Award Michigan State University Winners We continue the minitradition Nobel laureate Barbara Each year, ASPB honors excel- of publishing the President’s McClintock received lence in research, education, Letter as part of a collection of her doctorate from outreach, and service through essays and other resources re- Cornell, and the birth its numerous awards to indi- lated to the topic (http://bit.ly/ year of neutral theory secondcentury). Please have a look population geneticist viduals who promote the at the previous two collections on Motoo Kimura. A long mission of our Society. We are member security (http://bit.ly/ time has passed, with proud to announce this year’s SecuringFuturePlantBiologist) and unprecedented social, award recipients. future careers (http://bit.ly/ technological, and continued on page 5 NextGenerationCareers), and political changes. The send your feedback about these intent of this letter is to topics and collections to challenge each of us— [email protected] or both as individuals and @Biokid001 on Twitter. as members of an international community of 3,000+ members—to think about what makes ASPB relevant, and what will make it embers of ASPB will celebrate the continue to serve science and education in the organization’s 100th anniversary next decade and century. Min 2024. Pause for a moment to let the idea wash over you. ASPB was founded Why Is ASPB Critical to Thousands in 1924, a few months after Vladimir Lenin’s of Plant Biologists? death and early in the Jazz Age, when the ASPB provides members with goods and telegraph was the dominant method for rapid services that have great value to the commu- communication. It was five years before the Great Depression, three years before future continued on page 3 Contents Council members highlighted in blue ASPB Council also serve on the Board of Directors.

President Rob Last Immediate Past President; Chair Harry Klee President-elect Judy Callis Secretary Andrew Bent 1 President’s Letter Treasurer; Chair, Board of Trustees Rick Vierstra Elected Members Christine Foyer 1 ASPB Announces 2019 Award Winners Maureen McCann Chair, Membership Committee Jill Deikman Chair, Minority Affairs Committee Gustavo MacIntosh 4 Six ASPB Members Elected to 2019 National Academy Chair, Publications Committee Neil E. Olszewski of Sciences Class Chair, Women in Plant Biology Committee Laura Wayne Chair, Education Committee Sarah Wyatt 10 Join the Synthetic Biology Revolution at Plant Biology Chair, International Committee Anja Geitman 2019 and Plant Synthetic Biology 2019 Chair, Science Policy Committee Nathan Springer Sectional Representatives 12 Rebuild, Recruit, Reenergize: An Update on Ambassador Mid-Atlantic Section Hua Lu Midwestern Section Gustavo MacIntosh Activities from 2018 Northeastern Section Carolyn Lee-Parsons Southern Section Ashlee McCaskill 13 PSRN Updates: Inclusivity in the Plant Sciences and Plant Western Section Kulvinder Gill

Summit 2019 Environmental and Ecological Plant Physiology Section Andy VanLoocke Primarily Undergraduate People Institutions Section Leeann Thornton 14 James Birchler Will Receive Prestigious Barbara ASPB Staff McClintock Prize in 2020 Chief executive officer Crispin Taylor, [email protected] Director of finance and administration Clara Woodall, [email protected] 15 Julian Schroeder Awarded Khalifa International Award Executive and governance affairs administrator Sylvia Lee, [email protected] for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation Accounting manager Teressa Leath, [email protected] Senior staff accountant Jotee Pundu, [email protected] 16 Nikki Forrester, 2019 ASPB/AAAS Mass Media Fellow, Senior staff accountant Francky Rakotomanana, [email protected] Director of meetings and events Jean Rosenberg, [email protected] Spending Summer at St. Louis Post-Dispatch Conference coordinator Teresa Myers, [email protected] Manager, member services Shoshana Kronfeld, [email protected] 16 Becky Mackelprang Awarded 2019 AAAS Ralph W. F. Meetings, marketing, and membership assistant vacant Hardy Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship Web systems manager Mark James, [email protected] Legislative and public affairs director Tyrone Spady, [email protected] 17 Meet the 2019 Ambassador of the Year, Arif Ashraf Executive coordinator, Plant Science Research Network Natalie Henkhaus, [email protected] Education coordinator Winnie Nham, [email protected] Science Policy Director of publications Nancy A. Winchester, [email protected] Publications assistant Diane McCauley, [email protected] 19 Policy Update Subscriptions manager Suzanne Cholwek, [email protected] Subscriptions assistant Linda Palmer, [email protected] 22 2019 Spring Science Policy Committee Congressional Managing editor Jennifer Regala, [email protected] Visit Day Science writer, Plant Physiology Peter Minorsky, [email protected] Production manager, Plant Physiology Jon Munn, [email protected] Manuscript manager, Plant Physiology Ashton Wolf, [email protected] New Staff Senior features editor, The Plant Cell Nan Eckardt, [email protected] Features editor, The Plant Cell Mary Williams, [email protected] 24 Welcome New ASPB Staff Member Teressa Leath Production manager, The Plant Cell Susan Entwistle, [email protected] Manuscript manager, The Plant Cell Annette Kessler, [email protected]

The ASPB News is distributed to all ASPB members and is also available online. It is published Tributes six times annually in odd-numbered months. Its purposes are to keep membership informed of ASPB activities and to reinforce the value of membership. The ASPB News is edited and produced by ASPB staff from material provided by members and other interested parties. 27 William P. Jacobs Copy deadline is the 5th day of the preceding even-numbered month (for example, April 5 for May/June publication). Contact: Nancy A. Winchester, Editor, ASPB News, 15501 Monona Drive, Rockville, MD 28 Bob Rabson 20855-2768 USA; [email protected]; 301-296-0904. © 2019 American Society of Plant Biologists

2 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 President’s Letter

PRESIDENT’S LETTER the high standard of review and experience with commercially paid for by sponsors. It would be continued from page 1 editorial services provided, and published journals—even those challenging to coordinate with nity. Four that are broadly valued charge your grants the additional with strong name recognition. other organizations, such as in by members are as follows: nonmember publication and open Even if you disagree that our triennial collaboration with access charges. Most of the content society journals provide added the Canadian Society of Plant 1. three journals that collectively on Plantae is freely available. value, it is unarguable that the Biologists, because a commer- publish 600+ articles each Many nonmembers around the profits from our journals are cial entity would be involved. year—Plant Physiology, estab- world can get the full contents of the major source of revenues Innovating with new meetings lished in 1926; The Plant Cell, our journals because institutions that fund the infrastructure for such as Phenome and the Plant celebrating its 30th anniver- pay for subscriptions and ASPB our conferences, conference Synthetic Biology conference sary; and Plant Direct, an open makes all content freely avail- travel awards, and education and would be challenging for at access sound science journal able 12 months after publication. outreach activities. Our commu- least two reasons: community 2. an annual Plant Biology Nonmembers can attend the Plant nity would lose the ability to fund members are less likely to be Meeting that provides an Biology annual conference by Summer Undergraduate Research motivated to serve a commercial average of 1,500+ attendees paying a couple of hundred dollars Fellowships; Plant Biology enterprise, and a company would exposure to great science and extra. Finally, many of our awards Learning Objectives, Outreach need to make a profit, even on a career information and diverse are available to nonmembers. Materials, & Education (Plant fledgling conference. education and career develop- BLOOME) grants; Transforming Future-Proofing ASPB ment opportunities What Would the Plant Education in Plant Biology I hope the last few paragraphs 3. Summer Undergraduate Biology Community Look awards; and booths at educator convince you that ASPB is worth Research Fellowships awarded conferences. We would be forced Like Without ASPB? your support and, at a community each year to more than a to give up these activities or Why should ASPB and other level, is too important to fail. As dozen undergraduate students find other funding mechanisms. long-lived professional organiza- we approach the 2024 centenary, working with ASPB member However, even if funds were tions exist? As social, political, we have plans to strengthen the mentors found to maintain these activi- and economic systems evolve, is it ties, we would lose the profes- Society’s finances and mission in 4. dozens of travel awards for inevitable that scientific organiza- sional staff who collaborate with preparation for the next hundred early career professionals, tions will perish as a result of the community members to make years. What can you do to make women, and members of “tragedy of the commons”—the these programs successful. ASPB a resource for the 22nd underrepresented minority mismanagement of a resource The annual meeting could be century? groups from around the world that does not specifically belong run by a commercial organiza- You can support ASPB by to attend the Plant Biology to anyone? What would be the tion, but this scenario is a poor participating: be a member, and meeting each year. outcomes of such a scenario? cousin to our current system. help bring in new members. Talk Consider a world in which the I have gone to a few for-profit to your friends about why you are Providing a Public Good major functions of ASPB are filled conferences and never found a member, and tell them about Does Not Ensure Longevity by commercial entities, starting them to be of high enough qual- what they are missing. Participate Despite the success of these and with the journals. What would ity to merit attending a second in the Plant Biology conferences other programs, our membership happen if Plant Physiology and The time. The conferences would be (do you know the way to San numbers have declined by 40% Plant Cell were sold to a commer- more expensive to attend because Jose 2019? DC 2020? Pittsburgh over the past few years, finally cial publisher and no longer had we aim only to break even on our 2021?) and regional meetings. Tell appearing to stabilize in 2018. ASPB community involvement? It meetings, and when a conference us what we can do to support you Other professional organizations is possible that the current model loses money, it is subsidized with and those in your professional are also dealing with membership of high-quality voluntary peer journal revenues or endowment. network. Apply to participate attrition; although this indicates review guided by expert editors The program would not include in our fantastic Ambassador, that our community is not alone would persist, although many as many early career present- Conviron Scholars, and Plantae in this respect, we should be able commercial journals use full-time ers; speakers with broad name Fellows professional development to do much better than average. professionals to assign and evalu- recognition tend to be favored programs. Make nominations for Membership is not required ate peer reviews and thus do not when large registration revenue is awards and elected offices on a to get many of the benefits that benefit from expert oversight. My sought. And there would be rela- regular basis, and vote every year. ASPB offers. You can publish in author experience with society tively few networking and career If a president-elect invites you to our excellent journals, enjoying journals is far superior to my development activities unless continued on page 4

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 3 President’s Letter

PRESIDENT’S LETTER journals continues and members of increases in author processing and grants, and more funds mean continued from page 3 the broader community push more charges (publication fees) and more opportunities for good serve on a standing governance or forcibly for changes in academic the possibility of bankrupting works. Former ASPB president award committee, please accept, publishing. I am a strong propo- or drastically reducing services Brian Larkins spearheaded a very and bring your energy and ideas. nent of voluntary open access provided by professional societ- successful initial Legacy Society Support journals published and posting of preprints, but I ies, including ASPB. Let policy fundraising effort, and he is work- by ASPB and other not-for-profit am steadfastly opposed to Plan S makers, librarians, and colleagues ing with former presidents Debby organizations by submitting manu- (https://www.coalition-s.org/) and know your views on the future of Delmer and Ralph Quatrano to scripts to, reviewing for, and serv- other models that would force publishing. increase the endowment substan- ing on the editorial boards of these immediate open access publishing. We are in the early days of tially by active fundraising. If you journals. Society journals directly Much of the enthusiasm for imme- planning major fundraising are contacted, please respond, and serve our mission of promoting diate open access is prompted efforts to recognize the 2024 contact one of us if you are ready and disseminating high-quality by real concerns about the profit centenary and support the future to talk about donating. research and nurturing the next model of commercial publishers. of ASPB: this is a great time to I look forward to celebrating generation while funding the good Unfortunately, not-for-profit soci- think about providing financial the 100th anniversary of ASPB works we do. Thus, we must focus ety journals would be imperiled by support at a level that you can with you and the new members on keeping our journals strong, these initiatives, and the collateral afford. We use endowment dollars who join our community over the even as competition from newer damage could include dramatic to support awards, fellowships, next five years! ¢

Six ASPB Members Elected to 2019 National Academy of Sciences Class

Gloria Coruzzi Carroll and Milton Petrie Professor of Biology, Department of Biology, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Maria Harrison William H. Crocker Research Chair, Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York Jane Langdale (foreign member) Senior research fellow, Queen’s College, and professor, Department of Plant Development, University of Oxford, United Kingdom Steve Long Gutgsell Endowed Professor and Ikenberry Endowed University Chair, Departments of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign Pam Ronald Director of Grass Genetics, Joint BioEnergy Institute, and distinguished professor, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Genome Center, University of California, Davis Dan Voytas Director, Center for Genome Engineering, and professor, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, St. Paul

The full article will appear in the July/August 2019 issue of the ASPB News.

4 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 Maarten Chrispeels David J. Mackill Siobhan Brady Bob B. Buchanan James Schnable

ASPB AWARD WINNERS submergence-resilient rice and its approaches to define the tran- election to the National Academy continued from page 1 distribution to millions of farm- scriptional regulatory networks of Sciences. In addition, as Adolph E. Gude, Jr. Award ers in Asia. At the International involved in root vascular develop- president of the (then) American Rice Research Institute and the ment and nitrogen metabolism. Society of Plant Physiologists, Maarten Chrispeels USDA in Davis, Dave identified In addition to her groundbreak- Bob made many outstanding con- University of California, San Diego the SUBMERGENCE1 (SUB1) ing research, Siobhan has been tributions via his service to the Maarten Chrispeels is the 2019 locus that led, through collabora- recognized as an outstanding field, including leading the devel- recipient of the Adolph E. Gude, tion, to recognition of SUB1A adviser and mentor to students at opment of the successful textbook Jr. Award in recognition of his as the submergence-tolerance UC Davis, and she has provided Biochemistry & Molecular Biology outstanding service to the sci- determinant and knowledge of generous service to the wider of Plants. Bob is among a handful ence of plant biology. Maarten is its function. Dave developed a plant biology community and of plant biologists who helped de- awarded for his elucidation of the molecular breeding strategy using ASPB, serving most notably on fine their own generation of plant plant endomembrane and secre- farmer-preferred varieties that ac- the editorial board of The Plant biologists while launching the tory systems, vacuoles, and water- celerated the acceptance of Sub1 Cell since 2015. next generation of scholars. transport proteins; his advocacy of rice and other improved varietals plant biology and biotechnology in by governments and farmers. Charles Reid Barnes Life Early Career Award international agriculture as author Membership Award James Schnable of three textbooks and as science Charles Albert Shull Award Bob B. Buchanan University of Nebraska ambassador, most notably in the Siobhan Brady University of California, Berkeley Americas; his improvement of The ASPB Early Career Award is University of California, Davis the editorial and peer-review pro- Bob Buchanan has made extraor- bestowed upon James Schnable, cesses as editor-in-chief of Plant Siobhan Brady, associate profes- dinary contributions to plant assistant professor in the Physiology from 1992 to 2000; and sor in the Department of Plant biology through his research Department of Agronomy & his tireless promotion of diversity Biology and the Genome Center and service. Bob’s seminal work Horticulture at the University and education in plant science. at the University of California, uncovered the central regulatory of Nebraska. James obtained Davis, is the 2019 recipient of role of thioredoxin in linking his PhD from the University of ASPB Innovation Prize for the Charles Albert Shull Award. the activity of critical enzymes California, Berkeley, and split his Agricultural Technology Siobhan is a leader in using sys- of the photosynthetic carbon re- postdoctoral training between the tems biology to understand the duction cycle to light. This work Donald Danforth Plant Science David J. Mackill gene regulatory networks that resulted from his discovery of a Center and the Chinese Academy University of California, Davis, control plant root development new pathway of carbon fixation of Agricultural Sciences. and Mars, Inc. and function. She pioneered re- in bacteria that involved a direct Expertise in the Schnable labora- The 2019 ASPB Innovation Prize search on cell type–specific gene role for reduced ferredoxin gener- tory focuses on quantitative and for Agricultural Technology is expression profiling in roots, and ated through the light reactions functional genomics across grass awarded to David J. Mackill for she has integrated cutting-edge of photosynthesis. These ground- species, as well as automated his leadership in the breeding of experimental and computational breaking discoveries led to his continued on page 6

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 5 ASPB AWARD WINNERS continued from page 5 plant phenotyping. James’s work has shed light on the evolution, expression, and function of the multiple subgenomes of paleo- polyploid crops. James has accu- mulated a truly impressive track record of collaborations, publica- tions, funded research projects, editorial positions, companies cofounded, and community re- sources developed. Robert T. Furbank Yi-Fang Tsay Andreas P. Weber Enid MacRobbie Corre- sponding Membership C4 photosynthesis, characterizing this process with expression of tively engaged in the research of Award why these plants perform better solute transporters to drive cell membrane transport, and she Corresponding Member status is than the traditional crops wheat elongation. This work became the has made outstanding contribu- conferred by election on the an- and rice. He established Australia’s basis for many years of research in tions in this important research nual ballot. This honor, initially first Plant Phenomics Centre, al- cotton fiber improvement based field. Her discoveries provided given in 1932, provides life mem- lowing exploration of plant perfor- on this mechanism of fiber elonga- new leads for the sustainable bership and Society publications mance from the leaf to the field. In tion. Robert established the Plant development of agriculture and to distinguished plant biologists C4 photosynthesis, early ground- Phenomics national facilities in have led to patents in Taiwan outside the United States. breaking publications have been in Australia with high international and the United States. Among defining the size and composition profile in whole plant systems her outstanding achievements is Robert T. Furbank of the bundle sheath CO2 pool biology and developed tools to the discovery of the first nitrate Australian National University and modeling efficiencies of the nondestructively measure the pho- transporter in plants; this was Robert Furbank is director of the C4 CO2 pump. His recent impact tosynthetic performance, growth, subsequently shown to also func- Australian Research Council Centre on the field is evidenced by many and yield of plants under a range tion as the nitrate sensor, giving of Excellence for Translational invited reviews, such as in Science of environmental conditions. The rise to the new term “transcep- Photosynthesis, Australian National on C4 rice engineering, an invited technologies and approaches he tor” describing a protein that University. Prior to that, he was editorship of Current Opinion in developed are now widely adopted has both transporter and recep- director and chair of the Executive Plant Biology, a Darwin Review by the scientific community to tor functions. These important Management Committee of High for the Journal of Experimental allow researchers to rapidly phe- breakthroughs enabled Yi-Fang Resolution Plant Phenomics Botany to mark 50 years since notype photosynthetic traits and to rewrite the theory of nitrate Centre (2008–2014). Robert has the discovery of the C4 pathway, determine the impact of photo- transport, introducing innovative been a member of ASPB since a commissioned “In Retrospect” synthetic performance on growth ideas on how nitrate is delivered 1980 and has been active in re- article in Nature on “50 Years of and yield in the laboratory and the to various parts of the plant. Of viewing for Plant Physiology and C4 Photosynthesis,” and a com- field. He has an impressive record particular note, Yi-Fang trans- The Plant Cell, as well as publish- mentary in Nature Plants. He was of publications, and his work is lated basic research to applica- ing in these journals. He is an the first to clone and manipulate highly cited. tions by designing new strategies internationally recognized pioneer sucrose transporters from rice and for improving the nitrogen use ef- Yi-Fang Tsay of multiscale or “systems” plant wheat and to demonstrate their ficiency of crops to help alleviate biology, with major contributions importance in controlling grain Academia Sinica the environmental hazards of over spanning from gene discovery filling and germination rather than Yi-Fang Tsay is a distinguished application of nitrogen fertilizers. to plant growth and field photo- phloem loading. His exploration of research fellow and acting direc- Yi-Fang has actively participated synthetic performance aimed at the path of sugar import to cotton tor at the Institute of Molecular in international academic com- piecing together components of fiber was the first demonstration Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei. munities. She has been an editor yield in crops. He has been at the of reversible gating of plasmo- Yi-Fang is an internationally of Plant Physiology for nine con- forefront of our understanding of desmata and the coordination of renowned plant nutritionist ac- secutive years, and she also au-

6 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 He has been among the world’s Excellence in Education top scientists in the area of plant Award research for more than 20 years Tara Phelps-Durr and has authored more than 200 Radford University peer-reviewed publications, many of them in top journals. In addi- This year’s Excellence in Education tion, Andreas has been an elected Award winner is Tara Phelps-Durr. member of the Review Board Tara has an outstanding record for Plant Biology of the German of teaching, mentoring, and out- Research Foundation (DFG) reach. She was instrumental in since 2016. Since 2009, he has leading her department to infuse been the spokesperson of a DFG- the curriculum with concepts funded International Research derived from NSF’s Vision and Craig A. Schenck Tara Phelps-Durr Training Group, through which Change initiative . Tara has in- well-regarded early career scien- cluded computational biology in tists receive their PhD degrees. her courses and has disseminated thored a chapter in Biochemistry responding transport processes. Thus, Andreas has great personal her courses through various ven- & Molecular Biology of Plants, From 2002 to 2007, he was associ- merit in the development of the ues, including CourseSource and Second Edition, published by ate professor for plant biology at academic field through both his a Gordon Research Conference on Wiley and ASPB. She has also the Department of Plant Biology, research and his support for edu- Undergraduate Biology Education. been invited by F1000 as a con- Michigan State University. cation. Tara led the application to the tributing member. As a matter of Andreas discovered early on puta- Howard Hughes Medical Institute recognition, she was invited by tive limitations and, for further Eric E. Conn Young for a project fostering inclusive Nature in 2014 to write a “News & progress, introduced biochemical, Investigator Award excellence, and the project was Views” account on the structure forward- and reverse-genetics, funded. As one of her students of the nitrate transporter, and she and bioinformatics approaches. Craig A. Schenck stated in the application, “She goes has been invited twice by Annual Thus, he has developed and Michigan State University out of her way to make sure her Review of Plant Biology to write applied tools for comparative Craig Schenck is recognized for students are able to succeed in her reviews. These distinct honors (cross-species) transcriptomic ap- his important contributions to the class and during their time in col- clearly indicate that Yi-Fang is proaches in a phylogenetic frame- field of plant specialized metabo- lege. It creates a permanent, posi- highly valued by the international work. This work led to the first lism and his commitment to stu- tive impact on us students when community. Her leadership is also quantitative comparison of related dent mentoring, public outreach, we know our professors want us evident as she is acting director plant species at the transcriptomic and service to the profession. to succeed by how they treat us, of her institute and cochair of the levels, which allowed both the Craig’s research has generated which helps motivate us to work organizing committee for Japan– identification of a large number an impressive body of publica- even harder.” Taiwan Plant Biology 2019. of candidate genes required for tions and patents focused on the C4 photosynthesis and in-depth Fellow of ASPB Award Andreas P. Weber discovery, characterization, and understanding of photorespira- evolution of novel pathways of Heinrich-Heine University James Carrington tion in higher plants. Moreover, specialized metabolism in multiple Donald Danforth Plant Science Andreas P. Weber is a full Andreas became an acknowledged plant species. In addition to his Center professor of plant biochemis- expert on algal biology and land- dedication to teaching, mentoring, Jim has made substantial contri- try, Department of Biological plant evolution. More recently, he and service at his home institu- butions to ASPB and to the plant Sciences, at the Heinrich- has introduced approaches from tion, Craig has contributed to the community at large while per- Heine University Düsseldorf in synthetic biology into his research mission of the Society by serving forming outstanding research in Germany. Andreas started his ca- aimed at the improvement of as an ASPB Ambassador and as the areas of viral and RNA biol- reer in the lab of Ulf-Ingo Flügge plant productivity and directed the early career representative on ogy. He served as a member of the in Würzburg (later Cologne), and crop breeding. Andreas is head of the Publications Committee. He editorial board of The Plant Cell, his focus at that time was already a large research group, and since has received numerous honors for and he is currently serving on on the characterization of chlo- 2012 he has served as speaker his research and service, includ- ASPB’s Science Policy Committee. roplast development, primary of the Cluster of Excellence on ing an NSF Postdoctoral Research plastid metabolism, and cor- Plant Science (http://ceplas.eu). Fellowship in Biology. continued on page 8

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 7 James Carrington Jill Deikman Karen Koster Scott Peck Doris Wagner

ASPB AWARD WINNERS sat on grant panels at USDA, Affairs Committee (2004–2007) Doris Wagner continued from page 7 DOE, NSF, and NASA, and she and the Summer Undergraduate University of Pennsylvania Since 2011, he has been president has been involved in organizing Research Fellowship Committee Doris pioneered the field of epi- of the Donald Danforth Plant and chairing scientific meetings. (2011–2012). Karen is actively genetic regulation of plant devel- Science Center, helping the cen- It is notable that some of Jill’s involved in the leadership of the opment, with specific emphasis ter raise a large endowment and research for BASF, and previously International Molecular Moss on the role of chromatin remodel- building strong relationships with for Monsanto, has been published Society and the International ing. In a series of influential sci- neighboring universities, thus in scientific journals accessible to Society of Seed Science. Karen entific reports over the past two providing their graduate students the public; she is also named on was an associate editor of the decades, her group has demon- the opportunity to be trained several patents and many patent American Journal of Botany strated the direct role of the SWI/ at the center. Jim also serves on applications. (2013–2018). SNF complex, as well as other numerous other editorial boards elements, in regulating key tran- Scott Peck and scientific committees. His Karen Koster scription factors specifying shoot University of Missouri research publications have been University of South Dakota and floral development. Doris has cited more than 30,000 times, Karen is an internationally rec- Scott served as a coeditor of The served as a monitoring editor for and in 2011 he was elected to the ognized expert in the physiology Plant Cell for 10 years and has Plant Physiology, as an associate National Academy of Sciences in and biophysics of membranes been serving on the editorial editor for The Arabidopsis Book, recognition of his superb scien- during desiccation, particularly boards of several other journals. and on many other editorial tific achievements. in regard to seed storage and He has sat on multiple grant boards; she is currently serving as plant freezing stress. Three of panels in the United States and editor-in-chief of Current Opinion Jill Deikman her seminal papers, published abroad. He is noted for doing in Plant Biology. She has also Bayer Crop Sciences in Plant Physiology, that defined pioneering work in phosphopro- served on numerous grant panels Jill works as a scientist and has a the role of soluble sugars and teomics, with emphasis on biotic and has been involved in organiz- long history of contributions to other solutes in desiccation toler- and abiotic stress, particularly ing multiple conferences. She is ASPB, as well as to other endeav- ance have received nearly 1,200 in the roots. Scott was elected known for her mentoring efforts, ors in the plant community. She citations. Karen has made major AAAS fellow in 2018 in recogni- with one notable project being an currently serves as chair of the contributions in service to ASPB tion of his contributions to the advanced undergraduate research Membership Committee and as at the section and national levels field of plant–microbe interac- course in which students engage a member of the ASPB Council. during her 34 years of mem- tions and disease resistance in in highly sophisticated plant Jill’s guidance of the Membership bership in the Society. At the plants, with major contributions research and even publish their Committee has been particu- national level, Karen served as to proteomics technologies. He results in prestigious scientific larly noted for helping expand ASPB treasurer from 2012 to 2015 has been commended for his in- journals, such as The Plant Cell. the reach of ASPB. Previously, and chaired the Society’s Board terest and success in mentoring Jill served on numerous other of Trustees during that time; students at all levels, particularly ASPB committees. She has also she also served on the Minority undergraduates.

8 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 Martin Gibbs Medal Robert A. Martienssen Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Robert A. Martienssen is awarded the 2019 Martin Gibbs Medal for his groundbreaking research on the role of small RNAs in chromatin and DNA modifica- tions, heterochromatin formation, transposable element control, and developmental processes. After receiving his PhD in 1986 from the University of Cambridge, U.K., Robert A. Martienssen Rick Vierstra Rob spent two years as a post- doctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, before fully applied aspects of this work cantly to the broadening recogni- munity through his many activities moving to the Cold Spring Harbor in the areas of leaf development tion of the preeminent role played in ASPB and the International Laboratory as assistant profes- and floral architecture in maize by regulated protein degradation Society of Plant Molecular Biology. sor in 1989. He was promoted to and oil yield and heterosis in oil in a diverse spectrum of cell sig- Rick’s innovative research and full professor in 1996. Rob has palm. Because of the consistently naling pathways, including mul- outstanding service make him a been a Howard Hughes Medical high impact of his contributions tiple hormones, stress, and light. worthy recipient of the Stephen Institute Gordon and Betty Moore to plant science, Rob is a most Rick has made outstanding contri- Hales Prize. ¢ Foundation Investigator in Plant deserving recipient of the Martin butions to the plant science com- Biology since 2012. Rob’s research Gibbs Medal, which honors “an has transformed our thinking individual who has pioneered about the role of small RNAs in advances that have served to estab- plants and beyond. His work has lish new directions of investigation laid the foundation in many areas in the plant sciences.” of epigenetics involving the func- 2019 ASPB tions of small RNAs, the estab- Stephen Hales Prize lishment of heterochromatin, the control of replication, the modifi- Rick Vierstra Election Results cation of histones, the control and Washington University Many thanks to those members who took the time to vote this inheritance of transposable ele- Rick Vierstra is an exceptional spring, and hearty congratulations to our new Board members! ments, the establishment of DNA scientist who has a career of They will begin their service to ASPB on October 1, 2019. Look methylation, and the roles of small achievement and service to the for more information about our new leaders in the next issue RNAs in plant development. Many plant biology community. Rick of the ASPB News. of his publications are viewed as is the George and Charmaine Incoming President-elect classics. Two examples are his Mallinckrodt Professor in discovery that RNAi is responsible the Department of Biology at Maureen McCann for heterochromatic silencing Washington University. He has Purdue University and methylation of histone H3, made seminal and sustained Incoming Elected Member described in a paper that was her- contributions to two major areas Clint Chapple alded by Science magazine as the of biology: the role of protein Purdue University Breakthrough of the Year in 2002, degradation by the ubiquitin- and his discovery of the DDM1 proteasome system in plant signal- Congratulations, too, to the newly elected ASPB Enid mutation in Arabidopsis that af- ing, and the structure, function, MacRobbie Corresponding Members, Robert Furbank, fects the DNA methylation status and evolution of the phytochrome Yi-Fang Tsay, and Andreas Weber! of multiple areas of the genome. family of red light photoreceptors. Furthermore, Rob has success- His work has contributed signifi-

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 9 Plant Biology 2019

Join the Synthetic Biology Revolution at Plant Biology 2019 and Plant Synthetic Biology 2019

magine a world in which create novel pathways and genetic plants are designed, almost circuits for specific functions Ifrom the ground up, for spe- in optimized hosts. Andrew cific traits that could range from described synthetic biology as “an increased yield, through chemical earthquake that transforms biolo- biosensing, to drug production. gy from descriptive into prescrip- This is the world of plant syn- tive, analytical, and synthetic. thetic biology, where plant biolo- This is not how we used to do gists, biochemists, and engineers biology, and it’s not how we’re apply the principles of engineer- going to do it for the rest of time.” ing to plants, the bacteria they as- ASPB is highlighting this sociate with, and photosynthetic emerging field in two ways. First, microbes. Andrew Hanson, from Plant Biology 2019 (http:// the University of Florida, asked, plantbiology.aspb.org), August plantsyntheticbiology.org/), views (https://community.plantae. “How is SynBio going to affect ev- 3–7, in San Jose, California, August 7–9, immediately follow- org/organization/synthetic- eryday plant bioscience research? includes a symposium on synthet- ing Plant Biology 2019 and biology) and a Twitter account It might be easier to say what ic biology. Major Symposium 5, at the hotel attached to the @plantsynbio2019. won’t be affected in the long run. “The Future of Plant Synthetic San Jose convention center. The sessions at Plant Synthetic SynBio is to plant science today Biology,” will feature talks from Incorporating talks from 10 Biology 2019 are “The SynBio what recombinant DNA was in four global leaders in synthetic Revolution,” “Desirable Traits the 1980s. Can you name an area biology: Pamela Silver (Harvard university and industry scientists, (Primary and Specialized of plant science that recombinant University), June Medford Plant Synthetic Biology 2019 will Metabolism),” and “Cool Tools/ DNA hasn’t impacted?” (Colorado State University), showcase state-of-the-art work in Industry.” Speakers will include He further described two Tobias Erb (Max Planck Institute plant synthetic biology as well as the following: applications of synthetic biology for Terrestrial Microbiology), the technologies enabling it—a • Aileen Mastouri (Joyn Bio) that he wants every plant biologist and Sean Cutler (University of field that was recently featured in will give an “Introduction to to know about: “One is directed California, Riverside). a Focus Issue of Plant Physiology the Use of Synthetic Biology to evolution, which opens up Second, ASPB is holding (http://www.plantphysiol.org/ Improve Microbial Products protein ‘design space’ that plants the inaugural Plant Synthetic content/179/3) as well as in an for Agriculture,” describing the have never accessed. The other Biology conference (https:// ongoing series of Plantae inter- (and it’s an enabling technology, work of Joyn Bio in using syn- rather than SynBio proper) is thetic biology to engineer ben- cheap DNA synthesis. It’s rapidly eficial microbes that improve making cloning skills redundant. key agricultural processes such As Twist Bioscience CEO Emily as nitrogen fixation. Leproust puts it, ‘Friends don’t let • Nicola Patron (Earlham friends clone.’” Institute, U.K.) will speak on Synthetic biology aims not “Recoding Regulation,” de- just to optimize metabolic path- scribing “bioinformatic and ways in existing organisms, but experimental approaches to to eventually develop entirely decode the intrinsic properties new enzymes and other proteins of plant regulatory sequences as biological components that enabled by nanoscale, auto- can be mixed and matched to mated workflows that have

10 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 Plant Biology 2019

informed the rational design community.plantae.org/ of synthetic genetic regulatory organization/synthetic-biology/ elements for plants.” dashboard). Attendees interested • Karsten Temme (Pivot Bio) in giving a 15-minute talk at Plant Dates to Remember will discuss “Sustainable Synthetic Biology 2019 should Nitrogen Production” and de- submit their abstracts by June 14. Ongoing scribe the work at Pivot Bio “to Each attendee selected to present Registration for Plant Biology 2019 (https://bit.ly/2MFicgk), develop a robust biological ni- a talk will receive a $1,000 travel registration for Plant Synthetic Biology 2019 (https:// trogen fixation platform for ce- award covering registration and plantsyntheticbiology.org/), and hotel bookings (https://bit. reals, leveraging crop–microbe two nights in the conference hotel. ly/2SsRnRL) interaction data to rationally There is plenty of time left to June 14 develop a diazotroph capable register for Plant Biology 2019 Deadline for abstract submission (https://plantsynthetic of fixing agriculturally relevant and Plant Synthetic Biology biology.org/) to be considered for a talk at Plant Synthetic quantities of nitrogen for corn 2019, and if you register for both Biology 2019 to serve as an alternative to meetings, you get a discount. current fertilizer practices.” For more information and August 3–7 • Vincent Martin (Concordia conference updates, follow @ Plant Biology 2019 in San Jose, California University, Canada) will de- PlantSynBio and #PlantSynBio19 August 7–9 scribe work on engineering mi- on Twitter, and join the Plantae Plant Synthetic Biology 2019 in San Jose, California crobes to produce high-value Synthetic Biology network benzylisoquinoline alkaloids. (https://community.plantae.org/ For more on Plant Synthetic organization/synthetic-biology/ Biology 2019 speakers, join the dashboard). ¢ network on Plantae (https://

The Plant Cell Is 30! Commemorative T-shirt will be the Plant Biology 2019 tee

Place your order for the Plant Biology 2019 meeting T-shirt (https://my.aspb.org/store). This year the meeting celebrates 30 years of The Plant Cell, which blossomed in January 1989. The design was created by Nan Eckardt, senior features editor of The Plant Cell. It features nine outstanding images from the thousands of beautiful photos published in the journal over the years. The T-shirt also commemorates Plant Biology 2019 with the meeting logo featured on the sleeve. Men’s and women’s styles are available.

#ThePlantCellebration30

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 11 Rebuild, Recruit, Reenergize: An Update on Ambassador Activities from 2018 BY SUNIL K. KENCHANMANE RAJU Michigan State University, Vice Chair of the Ambassador Alliance

he ASPB Ambassador Plant Biology annual meeting, Program (http://bit.ly/ and at ASPB sectional meetings TASPBambassador) pro- and organizing outreach activi- vides a platform for early career ties at their home institutions researchers, including students, and local museums. Most ambas- postdocs, and industry employ- sadors were active on online and ees, to engage in communicating social media platforms, spreading the mission of ASPB to fellow the message of ASPB through scientists and the general public articles in the ASPB News, through outreach activities. Since including contributions to the its initiation, ASPB ambassadors Luminaries column, and posting have been actively spreading the or blogging on Plantae. Stephanie Klein Sunil K. Kenchanmane Raju vision of ASPB through science With guidance from the communication and outreach ac- Membership Committee, the tivities within their campuses and Ambassador Program is now local communities. In recognition self-governed by an ad hoc of the success of the program and committee, the Ambassador to further strengthen it, 17 new Alliance. The founding members ambassadors from around the of the Ambassador Alliance are world were recruited in March Stephanie Klein (chair), PhD 2019, bringing the total number candidate at Penn State University; of ASPB ambassadors to 36, rep- Sunil K. Kenchanmane Raju resenting seven countries. Among (vice chair), postdoc at Michigan them are 26 graduate students, State University; Katy McIntyre eight postdoctoral fellows, and (secretary), PhD student Katy McIntyre Rishi R. Masalia two industry employees. Each and NSF fellow at Colorado year, new ambassadors will be re- State University; and Rishi cruited through an open call dur- R. Masalia (representative to Along with the addition of new This award carries free registra- ing November and December. the Membership Committee), ambassadors, the revised program tion and a $575 travel stipend to Ambassadors are required to director of Bioinformatics at will provide additional leadership attend the Plant Biology meeting. complete two outreach or science LeafWorks. The Ambassador training and career development Arif Ashraf, from Iwate University, communication activities aligned Alliance is responsible for roll- opportunities, with enhanced Japan, was selected as the inaugu- with ASPB’s mission of commu- ing out the revised program, features including discounted ral AOTY (see article on page 17). nicating the importance of plant recruiting and orienting new registration to the annual Plant science and to submit a detailed ambassadors, creating resources Biology meeting, free registration year-end report describing their to support ambassador activities, to sectional meetings, seed grants Acknowledgment: The Ambassador participation and plans for the and increasing the involvement of for outreach activities, and the Alliance thanks the ASPB Member­ next calendar year. In 2018, ASPB early career researchers in ASPB. Ambassador of the Year (AOTY) ship Committee for their support, ambassadors were involved in at Each officer will serve a one-year award. The AOTY will be selected particularly Jill Deikman. The least 20 unique outreach activi- term, and future officers will be for exceptional contributions to Alliance also expresses its gratitude ties, including volunteering in elected by ambassadors annually the program on the basis of the to Shoshana Kronfeld for helping Fascination of Plants Day, at the in September. ambassador’s year-end report. with program activities. ¢

12 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 PSRN Updates: Inclusivity in the Plant Sciences and Plant Summit 2019 BY NATALIE HENKHAUS Executive Coordinator for the Plant Science Research Network

n early 2019, the Plant Science Research Network (PSRN) Iheld two strategic planning meetings. The PSRN is an NSF- supported Research Coordination Network whose members are research councils and scientific societies, including ASPB. Among the participants at both workshops were early career researchers and scientists from the public and private sectors across the plant science research community. The participants were selected to repre- sent diverse research backgrounds, including plant pathology, crop and soil sciences, ecology, genetics, molecular biology, and other areas of plant science. These events were Plant Summit 2019 attendees outside Biosphere 2 in February 2019. the most recent in a series of con- goals and the workforce vening events that used scenario and infrastructure planning to stretch participants’ components necessary thinking about the future. Previous to achieve our decadal meetings addressed postgraduate vision. training and cyberinfrastructure A summary of each resources. meeting and other The Inclusivity in the Plant Sciences meeting was held information about the January 8–11, 2019, at the PSRN are available Howard Hughes Medical Institute online in our network in Maryland. About 40 partici- on Plantae (plantae. pants were selected through a org/PSRN). We invite competitive application to attend. you to join the network Through the facilitated workshop, to hear about PSRN participants identified strategic activities and to access recommendations to support and Inclusivity in the Plant Sciences attendees at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in workshop reports (to promote equity, diversity, and January 2019. be available in fall inclusion in the plant sciences. 2019). Please contact The Plant Summit 2019 meet- through a competitive application decadal vision (2020–2030) docu- Natalie Henkhaus (nhenkhaus@ ing was held February 10–13, 2019, to attend the summit. The PSRN is ment to communicate outcomes aspb.org) or reach out on Twitter at Biosphere 2 in Arizona. About now working with stakeholders to from the summit. The report will @PlantSciResNet to share ques- 50 participants were selected develop a 10-year strategic plan or present the plant science research tions and comments. ¢

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 13 People

The following article is adapted with permission from the University of Missouri. This article first appeared on the University of Missouri website on March 16, 2019 (http://bit.ly/BirchlerReceivesMcClintockPrize). James Birchler Will Receive Prestigious Barbara McClintock Prize in 2020

he Maize Genetics Executive Faculty Fellow in the Department Committee has announced of Agronomy at the University of Tthat University of Missouri Wisconsin and a member of the Professor James Birchler will re- committee that selected Jim for ceive the 2020 Barbara McClintock the prize. Prize for Plant Genetics and Previous recipients of the Genome Studies. McClintock Prize are David The announcement was made Baulcombe (University of in St. Louis, Missouri, on March Cambridge), Susan Wessler 15 during the 61st annual Maize (University of California, Genetics Conference. Riverside), Jeffrey D. Palmer Barbara McClintock is recog- (Indiana University at nized as one of the greatest Bloomington), Michael Freeling geneticists of the 20th century. (University of California, In 1983, she became the first Berkeley), Rob Martienssen woman to win a solo Nobel Prize (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), in Physiology or Medicine for Jim Birchler and Detlef Weigel (Max Planck discovering genetic transposition, Institute of Developmental or so-called jumping genes that Biology). move from one chromosome to gene and chromosome levels Of particular relevance to this The award and medal will be another. The Barbara McClintock in both corn and fruit flies. His award, his research has provided conferred during a ceremony at Prize for Plant Genetics and research has been at the fore- novel insights into several of Dr. the 2020 Annual Maize Genetics Genome Studies was established front of understanding how McClintock’s discoveries, includ- Conference in Hawaii. by the Maize Genetics Executive dosage, or copies, of genes work ing the breakage–fusion–bridge Jim joined the University of Committee to memorialize her together and sometimes fail. A cycle, a phenomenon that can Missouri faculty in 1991. He is an contributions by honoring the common example of a change in occur during cell division that elected member of the National discoveries of the world’s leading gene dosage in humans is Down leads to chromosomal instability. Academy of Sciences, and an plant geneticists. syndrome. Together with Reiner “Jim Birchler’s work on chro- elected fellow of the National “I am humbled by this Veitia (University of Paris), mosome structure and function Academy of Inventors, AAAS, recognition,” said Jim, who is a Jim proposed the gene balance has revolutionized our under- and ASPB. In 2017, he was award- Curators’ Professor of Biological hypothesis, which posits selection standing of gene regulation and ed the Southeastern Conference’s Sciences in the College of Arts on proteins involved in regulation its effect on phenotypes, including Professor of the Year Award. and Science. “It is especially in response to changes in dosage. hybrid vigor, and genome evolu- The Maize Genetics Executive humbling to be associated with In other work, his lab developed tion. This recognition is especially Committee is a professional Dr. McClintock’s name because the first synthetic chromosomes significant given the beautiful organization for scientists and I have studied her work for all of in plants as well as a method intersection of his work with that researchers working in the field of my career, and I am still learning for microscopically visualizing of Barbara McClintock herself. He maize genetics. ¢ from it.” plant chromosomes, two inven- is an exceptionally worthy recipi- Jim is recognized for his tions that have had broad scien- ent of this award,” said Natalia de studies of gene expression at the tific and industrial applications. Leon, professor and H. I. Romnes

14 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 People

The following article is adapted with permission from the Univerity of California, San Diego. This article first appeared on UC San Diego’s website on March 11, 2018 (http://bit.ly/SchroederKhalifaAward). Julian Schroeder Awarded Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation BY MARIO AGUILERA University of California, San Diego

ulian Schroeder has been and regulate water loss in response A member of the Section of awarded a prestigious in- to the continuing rise in atmo- Cell and Developmental Biology, Jternational prize for his spheric carbon dioxide. Julian was elected to the National research achievements in plant His laboratory’s research on Academy of Sciences in 2015. drought and salt tolerance, and heavy metal stress led to the codis- In 2017 he was elected to the in improving the water use ef- covery of key genes encoding German National Academy of ficiency of plants. Julian received central heavy metal transporters Sciences Leopoldina. the Khalifa International Award and detoxification enzymes in Julian served as president of for Date Palm and Agricultural plants. Such basic research can ASPB in 2014–2015. He directed Innovation during a March 10 provide tools for engineering plants the Plant Systems Biology award ceremony in Abu Dhabi, for environmental remediation, or Graduate Training program at UC United Arab Emirates. “bioremediation,” to remove heavy San Diego and the Salk Institute The award was established “in metals from soils. His laboratory for Biological Studies. He received recognition of the outstanding has conducted outreach activities the Charles Albert Shull Award efforts and contributions made by Julian Schroeder in disadvantaged areas such as from ASPB, a Presidential Young both individuals and institutions Southeast San Diego to test edible Investigator Award from the NSF, in the field of agricultural innova- of Biological Sciences at the plant tissues at urban garden sites, a Deutsche Forshungsgemeinshaft tion and date palm and to encour- University of California, San and some were found to be at risk Heinz-Maier-Leibnitz Research age and motivate them to exert Diego, pioneered the charac- for heavy metal consumption. Prize, and the Blasker Award further efforts towards upgrading terization of ion channels in Led by Keith Pezzoli, a teaching in Environmental Science and the agricultural sector and date higher plants. His laboratory professor with the Urban Studies Engineering. He is a fellow of palm tree.” Award winners are also conducted groundbreaking and Planning Program, contami- AAAS. ¢ selected by an international scien- research in identifying the basic nated soils were replaced by clean tific committee. molecular mechanisms by which soils and crops retested as part of Julian, Novartis Chair in plants respond to and mount resis- community efforts to reduce expo- Plant Sciences in the Division tance to drought and salinity stress sure to such risks.

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 15 People

Nikki Forrester, 2019 ASPB/AAAS Mass Media Fellow, Spending Summer at St. Louis Post-Dispatch

ikki Forrester has been During her graduate expe- ences as a freelance writer based selected to represent rience, Nikki participated in in Davis, West Virginia. Her work NASPB as the 2019 ASPB/ various science communica- has appeared in Science, Nature, AAAS Mass Media Science & tion and outreach activities. She the ASPB News, and other media Engineering Fellow. She will pioneered an invasive species outlets. In addition, Nikki is asso- spend 10 weeks this summer awareness program for rock ciate editor of Highland Outdoors, training as a science journalist at climbers in West Virginia and West Virginia’s only independent the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in St. designed an ecology and evolu- outdoor magazine. She is particu- Louis, Missouri. tion workshop for local high larly passionate about linking ecol- Nikki received a BA in school teachers in Pittsburgh. ogy, conservation, and recreation anthropology from the College After attending a workshop led opportunities to promote the of William and Mary and recent- by the Plant Science Research amazing places and people of West ly earned a PhD in ecology and Network, Nikki developed a Virginia. Nikki can’t wait to start evolutionary biology from the science communication training working as a science writing intern University of Pittsburgh. Her course on Plantae with several at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch this Nikki Forrester dissertation research explored workshop attendees, the PSRN, summer and is grateful to ASPB how plant polyploidy enhanced and ASPB. for this opportunity. ¢ interactions with mutualistic Now Nikki tells stories about bacteria. science for broad public audi-

Becky Mackelprang Awarded 2019 AAAS Ralph W. F. Hardy Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship

ecky Mackelprang, Becky received a BS in biology outreach. She regularly volun- from the University of from the University of Utah. Her teered in elementary and middle- BCalifornia, Berkeley, has interest in plant responses to biot- school classrooms. She joined The been selected as a 2019 AAAS ic stress took her to UC Berkeley CLEAR Project (Communication, Ralph W. F. Hardy Mass Media for graduate school. She joined Literacy, & Education for Science & Engineering Fellow. She the lab of Mary Wildermuth, Agricultural Research), led by will spend 10 weeks this summer where she studied the regula- Lemaux, and has helped CLEAR training as a science journalist at tion of salicylic acid, an essential develop outreach efforts in vari- Ensia in Minneapolis, Minnesota. hormone for plant responses to ous venues and settings, such as Her fellowship is being supported microbial pathogens. She was an local farmers markets and high by funds honoring the late Ralph NSF Graduate Research Fellow, schools. She enjoys the chal- W. F. Hardy, a biochemist and and since graduating she has lenge of writing about science for founder of the North American worked as a postdoctoral scholar general audiences and hopes that Agricultural Biotechnology with Peggy Lemaux researching her experiences this summer will Committee who advocated for agricultural biotechnology. help her work toward a career in Becky Mackelprang transparency and informed public During graduate school, Becky science communication. ¢ discourse about biotechnology. was actively involved in science

16 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 People

Meet the 2019 Ambassador of the Year, Arif Ashraf

We are happy to announce that State University to continue my Why,” and yearly plant science this year’s Ambassador of the Year research in plant science as a research highlights. It has more award is presented to Arif Ashraf, postdoc. MSU is a great hub for than 32,000 reads so far from all who is currently in Japan but will plant scientists. I’m expecting to over the world. be moving to Michigan shortly. broaden my horizons as a plant The ASPB Ambassador Learn more about Arif, in his own biologist in the coming days. Program opened up many oppor- words. Apart from the hard-core tunities for me. It’s a large family research, I have been involved consisting of a diverse group of am Arif Ashraf. I gradu- with ASPB since the beginning people. I could use my passion ated from the Department of of 2015. I was selected as the first for scientific writing in the ASPB Biochemistry and Molecular I graduate student ambassador and Plantae platforms to reach a Biology, University of Dhaka, of ASPB from Japan. During wider reader group. Because of Bangladesh. I developed my pas- my time as ambassador, I trans- my involvement with ASPB, I’ve sion for plant science research lated My Life as a Plant into had opportunities to work, collab- during my undergraduate years. Bengali and contributed to the orate, and communicate with It’s easier to get plant samples Luminaries section of the ASPB amazing plant biology graduate and play with them in the lab News, presenting interviews with students, postdocs, and faculty. I all year round if you work with Arif Ashraf Philip N. Benfey and Eric Schaller believe this engagement will help model plants. I started working in the September/October 2016 me in the future. in the Plant Biotechnology Lab at temperature and (2) identifying and July/August 2018 issues, I wish to continue my research the University of Dhaka, and the potassium-independent cesium respectively. work in plant science and contri- initial research focus was abiotic transporters (Fukushima, site I organized a student seminar butions to ASPB and Plantae into stress, mostly salinity and submer- of the 2011 tsunami disaster, is the future. I strongly recommend at Iwate University in 2018 via gence stress. I worked on identify- nearby). I identified GNOM as a that plant biology students become satellite to connect plant biol- ing stress-inducible promoters cold-responsive regulator from ASPB members to be part of this ogy students from three other from a bioinformatics perspec- the former project and character- network. It’s been a pleasant and universities (Hirosaki University, tive and functionally validated ized two potassium-independent productive journey with ASPB so Yamagata University, and Obihiro one stress-inducible promoter, cesium transporters for the far, and I’m looking forward to University) from northern Japan. ADH1 (alcohol dehydrogenase latter one. During my four and working on more exciting projects I wrote summaries of more than 1), under salt and submergence half years as a PhD student, I in the upcoming years. 60 articles for Plant Science stress. I had been awarded the received the Iwate University You’ll find me and my work at Research Weekly in Plantae; I National Science and Technology President’s Award for Academic the following links: Fellowship for this project. Excellence (2016–2017), won the also was guest editor for a few • [email protected] My research interest in plant best poster presenter award in weeks. Recently, I was appointed science took me to the next the first conference of the United a Plantae fellow and started an • Twitter: @aribidopsis step with the help of a MEXT Graduate School of Agricultural interview series (“Faculty Job: • Blog: www.aribidopsis.com scholarship from the Japanese Sciences in 2017, was selected as Myths and Realities”) about early • Google scholar: https:// government in 2014. I moved a summer intern at the University career plant biology faculty in scholar.google.com/citations?u to Iwate, in the northern part of of Saskatchewan, secured an Plantae. ser=HgVJx4gAAAAJ&hl=en Japan, from Bangladesh. I started individual research grant ($2,000) Apart from contributing to • ResearchGate: https://www. working in the Cryobiofrontier as a graduate student, and was ASPB and Plantae, I maintain a researchgate.net/profile/Arif_ Research Center. This insti- awarded a travel grant fellowship plant science blog www.aribidopsis. Ashraf5 ¢ tute focuses on local problems ($575) for Plant Biology 2017. com (Arif + Arabidopsis = in a global perspective. I had Now that it is 2019, I will Aribidopsis!) to share stories. I’ve two major projects as a PhD have my doctorate and will put together 70+ blog posts in the student—(1) understanding move from Japan to the United past four years, including “Mutant plant growth and response at low States. I’ll move to Michigan Series” and “Why Arabidopsis

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 17

Science Policy

The information in this article was Policy Update accurate at the time of writing. BY MICHAEL BUSE Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

NIFA and ERS Relocation USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue proposed relocation would have see a 25.6% reduction compared Update did not attend the hearing, and a negative impact on NIFA’s with the FY2019 enacted level. Amid continued criticism from Kristi Boswell, a senior adviser, ability to maintain interagency Meanwhile, the Agriculture and the community, USDA released testified on his behalf for the collaborations, retain institu- Food Research Initiative (AFRI) a “middle list” of more than 60 first panel. She emphasized that tional knowledge, attract quali- would see an $85 million increase, locations for the relocation of the the relocation process was ongo- fied personnel, and interact with for a total of $500 million. Economic Research Service (ERS) ing and that a “shorter” list of researchers and constituents and Congress is expected to reject and the National Institute of Food potential sites was expected to be would disrupt the overall integrity the majority of these cuts, as and Agriculture (NIFA). USDA released in the upcoming weeks, of the research. These testimonies they have the past two years. The intends to narrow this list further with a final decision made in May. echoed their previous statements following are relevant highlights: to 30, with site visits to five or six She talked about the five criteria in a September webinar hosted • NSF would be funded at $7.1 and a final decision sometime in for proposal evaluation based on by the Association of Public Data billion in FY2020, a 13% or $1 May. According to NIFA Director mission operations for both NIFA Users (APDU). billion cut below the FY2019 and ERS as well as internal agency enacted level. The Research Scott Angle, roughly 20 NIFA Sources and Additional Information personnel will remain in DC to input that informed resources for and Related Activities account • The letter from House support the institute’s mission. employees’ families and spouses. would see a 13.1% cut. All NSF Republicans can be found at On March 27, the House Boswell indicated that the reloca- directorates would face cuts https://tinyurl.com/yxoqpv34. Agriculture Appropriations tion is part of a lengthy process from 8.1% to 16.5% below FY • The press release from USDA Subcommittee hosted a partisan, that will require further discus- 2018 levels. NSF continues to two-part hearing on the proposed sions, negotiations, site visits, and can be found at https://tinyurl. prioritize the Ten Big Ideas for relocation of NIFA and ERS. additional qualitative analysis. com/y44gtudh. Future Investment and pro- Republicans supported the reloca- Boswell said that 76 ERS • The Agriculture poses funding levels for these tion, while Democrats, including employees and 20 NIFA employ- Appropriations Subcommittee initiatives similar to those in subcommittee chairman Sanford ees will remain in DC to ensure hearing can be viewed at the FY2019 budget request. Bishop (D-GA), criticized the lack continued interagency collabora- https://tinyurl.com/y6njwrzk. • DOE would receive $31.7 bil- of data to support the move and tion and engagement with both • The September webinar from lion, a $4 billion reduction the general lack of transparency policy makers and constituents. APDU can be found at https:// from the FY2019 enacted level. by USDA throughout this process. She also stated that the proposed tinyurl.com/y7kxx8pv. The budget request would once again eliminate the He went further to state that the relocation was not intended to be Administration’s FY2020 a reduction in force but an oppor- Advanced Research Projects move was a “bad idea.” Ranking Budget Request Cuts Re- member Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) tunity to better serve stakeholders Agency–Energy and cut the search Overall, Raises AFRI remained neutral on the reloca- and their communities. Chairman Office of Science by $1.04 bil- tion but indicated there was still Bishop questioned the proposed The Trump administration’s lion, or 16% compared with work to be done in convincing cuts to ERS in the fiscal year (FY) FY2020 budget request, released the FY2019 enacted level. Cuts the subcommittee. Immediately 2020 budget request, but Boswell on March 11, called for drastic are proposed for all six major after the hearing, 30 Republicans, declined to answer any questions cuts to many of the nondefense Office of Science programs. including all House Agriculture on the budget. discretionary research programs. The most significant reduction Committee Republicans, sent The second panel consisted of Under the proposal, NSF would would be for climate change a letter supporting the move prior USDA leadership, includ- see a cut of 13%, or approximately research under the Office of to the House Agriculture ing former undersecretaries $1 billion; the EPA Science and Biological and Environmental Appropriations Committee. for Research, Education, and Technology account would be Research, which would be re- This is the first formal support Economics (REE) Gail Buchanan funded at a level of $440.1 mil- duced by $211 million, or 30%. by members since the move was and Catherine Woteki. Both lion, or 37.7% below the FY2019 The Office of Basic Energy proposed in August 2018. provided insights into why the enacted level; and ARS would continued on page 20

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 19 Science Policy

POLICY UPDATE quickly than they did in the previ- benefits of fundamental research manage national climate change continued from page 19 ous session. These nominees are in engineering biology to numer- risks. This is not the first time Sciences would receive $1.86 currently in a deputy role at their ous fields, including agriculture, GAO has included climate change billion, a decrease of 14.2%, or respective agencies. computer science, advanced manu- risk factors in its report, but GAO’s $308 million. Sources and Additional Information facturing, and energy. Chairwoman assessment of the federal govern- • The discretionary programs Johnson, ranking member Frank ment’s performance in monitoring • A list of all the confirmed within USDA’s NIFA would re- Lucas (R-OK), and subcommittee the nation’s climate change risks nominees is available at ceive $1.391 billion, a decrease ranking member Jim Baird (R-IN) has decreased. https://tinyurl.com/yb3rate3. of $80 million compared with also offered opening remarks echo- The report details that as the • USDA’s press release an- the FY2019 enacted level. ing the importance of coordinat- federal government, specifically nouncing the appointment of NIFA’s competitive research ing engineering biology research the Trump administration, has Hutchins and others to their program, AFRI, would receive and development activities. The continued to either rescind past deputy posts can be found at a significant increase of $85 witnesses praised the benefits of policies or ignore recommenda- https://tinyurl.com/yb49qgr4. million, or 21% above the engineering biology research but tions for new policies on climate • An ongoing list of pending FY2019 enacted level. noted that the technology comes resilience, the financial risk to nominations can be found at • The budget request also pro- with some issues, specifically a lack the government as a result of https://tinyurl.com/y2ssv3yk. poses to cut NIH by $4.7 of data on the bioeconomy and climate change–related activities billion for a top-line funding House Science Committee uncertainty surrounding effective will only increase. GAO criticized level of $34.4 billion, a 12% Looks to Increase Invest- governance of the industry. Overall, the administration for lacking a decrease from FY2019. ment in Engineering the hearing reflected bipartisan “cohesive strategic approach with support for further investments in Sources and Additional Information Biology strong leadership and the author- engineering biology research and ity to manage climate change • The president’s FY2020 budget On March 12, the House Science, the Engineering Biology Research risks across the entire range of request can be found at https:// Space, and Technology Subcomm­ and Development Act. federal activities.” The cost to the tinyurl.com/yb5p6t6y. ittee on Research and Technology federal government will grow as • Lewis-Burke’s full analysis of held a hearing on “Engineering Sources and Additional Information communities and states rely more the president’s budget request Our Way to a Sustainable Bio­ • The Engineering Biology heavily on the federal government can be found at https://tinyurl. economy.” In her opening state- Research and Development for recovery and cleanup efforts, com/y2kjfccy. ment, subcommittee chairwoman Act can be found at https:// which will become more frequent Haley Stevens (D-MI) lamented tinyurl.com/y5rcz9fr. and more expensive with the Nominations Update: the lack of coordination among • A recording of the full hearing, increasing frequency and severity Senate Republicans Go federal agencies that fund biotech- along with written testimony of extreme weather events. Nuclear nology research and expressed the and copies of opening state- Senate Republicans, under the importance of a national strategy ments, can be found at https:// Source and Additional Information leadership of Mitch McConnell to steer investment in the topic. tinyurl.com/yyyuzbtf. • The full GAO report, entitled (R-KY), have instituted a series In her remarks, Stevens endorsed Substantial Efforts Needed of dramatic rule changes in an ef- the Engineering Biology Research Report Recommends Ways to Achieve Greater Progress fort to expedite the confirmation and Development Act, which was Federal Government Can on High-Risk Areas, can be process for remaining Trump ad- first introduced by full commit- Better Manage Climate found at https://tinyurl.com/ ministration nominees. This move tee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Change y5jqy5qn. will reduce the number of neces- Johnson (D-TX) in 2015 and On March 6, the Government sary hours for debate from 30 to reintroduced by Johnson late last Accountability Office (GAO) re- Federal Agencies two. In the context of USDA, this year. The measure would create a leased its biennial “high-risk list” Announce New Initiative could mean that Mindy Brashears, national strategy for investment report that details areas of the fed- for Addressing Gaps in nominee for undersecretary for in engineering biology and direct eral government most susceptible Bioeconomic Technology food safety; Naomi Earp, nominee a coordinated, cross-agency effort to waste, fraud, abuse, and mis- A coalition of members across for deputy assistant secretary for to advance U.S. leadership in the management. Of note, the 2019 multiple federal agencies known civil rights; and Scott Hutchins, space. high-risk list report includes rec- as the Biomass Research and nominee for undersecretary for The leadership of the full ommendations for the federal gov- Development (BR&D) Board re- REE, could see their confirma- committee and the subcommit- ernment to limit its financial risks leased a new initiative that details tion processes move much more tee emphasized the cross-cutting by creating policies that better a government-wide strategy for

20 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 Science Policy

bioeconomics, broadly defined as “convergent research that com- and Intelligent Systems (IIS) Eligibility the global transition toward use of bines methods in agricultural, Information Integration and These programs are open to in- renewable terrestrial and marine biological, and computer and Informatics (III) program, stitutions of higher education biomass for economic applications. information science and engi- and the Smart and Connected and nonprofit and nonacademic This initiative aims to maximize the neering to address pressing chal- Communities (S&CC) program. organizations including indepen- results of federal investment in new lenges and opportunities in digital These projects support integra- dent museums, observatories, re- agriculture and forest markets to agriculture.” The letter steers pro- tive research that addresses the search labs, professional societies, foster a more economically stable posals toward three solicitations fundamental technological and and similar organizations in the industry by bolstering research in and seeks to advance research at social science dimensions of United States associated with edu- a range of new technologies, from the nexus of agricultural science, smart and connected communi- cational or research activities. algae systems to advanced carbon informatics, and smart commu- ties. This research would take the Due Dates utilization technologies. This initia- nities. These three solicitations integration of technology into the tive was inspired by a 2016 DOE align with NSF’s Harnessing the natural and built environment, The due dates for these funding report predicting that the United Data Revolution Big Idea, which and proposal authors are encour- opportunities vary by solicitation. States will produce 1 billion dry aims to prepare for large-scale aged to include demonstration or • For the CPS program, full tons of biomass annually by 2040. investments at the intersection of pilot activities. NSF has indicated small and medium propos- The new Bioeconomy Initiative computational, agricultural, and interest in increasing its invest- als are due between April 1 biological sciences. and April 12, 2019. Frontier will focus on several topics, ment in S&CC next year. This DCL seeks out projects applications are due between including feedstock genetic Specific topics of interest and with applications for economical- September 12 and September improvement, production and additional instructions are avail- ly important plants, animals, and 26, 2019. management, and logistics. able in the DCL and the relevant their environments and the ability • For the IIS program, full small Although no funding is yet associ- program solicitations. ated with this effort, it encourages to transfer findings to or use find- proposals are due between federal agencies to develop new ings to inform research in other Award Size October 31 and November 14, 2019. Full medium proposals science and technology in biotech- agricultural application areas. The The size of awards for these fund- leveraging of data science in agri- are due between September nology, provide support and ing opportunities varies by solici- culture is consistent with NSF’s 9 and September 16, 2019. resources to encourage technol- tation and application. continued emphasis on conver- Full large proposals are due ogy transfer to the private sector, • CPS program applications gence as well as the broader between September 18 and and support the development of have three levels: small agricultural research community’s September 25, 2019. relationships between agencies and ($500,000 over up to three drive toward transdisciplinary • For S&CC program applica- major players in bioeconomics. years), medium ($500,000 to research. It also builds on NSF’s tions, required letters of intent Sources and Additional Information $1.2 million over up to three and NIFA’s history of collabora- are due by August 6, 2019. years), and frontier ($1.2 to $7 • A press release announcing the tion, including the Innovations Full proposals are due by million over four to five years). Bioeconomy Initiative can be at the Nexus of Food, Energy and September 6, 2019. • IIS–III program applica- found at https://tinyurl.com/ Water Systems program and the Sources and Additional Information y65b6ve8. ongoing Plant Biotic Interactions tions have three levels: small • The full Lewis-Burke write-up • The full framework the B&RD program. ($500,000 over up to three of this funding opportunity Board has put forth for imple- Proposals may also pursue years), medium ($500,000 to is available at https://tinyurl. menting the initiative can be the development of curricula or $1.2 million over up to four com/y3xquesc. found at https://tinyurl.com/ “workforce development pathways” years), and large ($1.2 to $3 • The full Dear Colleague Letter y5u7gug9. with the intent not only to expose million over up to five years). can be found at https://tinyurl. students to cross-disciplinary • S&CC program applications Dear Colleague Letter com/y4jtprx9. ¢ approaches to agriculture and have two tracks: Track 1 (for for Research at the Inter- computer science but also to budgets greater than $1.5 mil- section of Agricultural “improve retention and capabilities lion with no recommended Science, Informatics, and of a region’s agricultural workforce.” budget limit for up to four Smart Communities Relevant proposals can years of support) and Track NSF and NIFA released a Dear be submitted to one of three 2 (budgets not to exceed Colleague Letter (DCL) express- programs: Cyber-Physical $1,500,000 for up to three ing their intention to jointly fund Systems (CPS), Information years of support).

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 21 Science Policy

2019 Spring Science Policy Committee Congressional Visit Day BY TYRONE SPADY ASPB Legislative and Public Affairs Director

n March 26, 2019, the ASPB Science Policy OCommittee held its an- nual Congressional Visit Day. This also happened to be the day that the Senate voted on the Green New Deal proposal championed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). In a tactical maneuver to pit liber- als against more moderate Democrats from Republican- leaning districts, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) put the measure up for a vote that he knew was doomed to fail. While the Senate battled over Ocasio-Cortez’s proposal to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and fight climate change, ASPB President Rob Last, Science Policy Committee members, ASPB staff, and Lewis-Burke lobbyists met ASPB President Rob Last and Science Policy Committee Chair Nathan Springer (right) looking on as Sens. Ed with 32 congressional offices Markey (D-MA; not visible) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) speak at the Green New Deal rally in front of the U.S. Capitol. and committees related to plant science to call for increased fund- ing for the agencies that support Fiscal Year 2020 Funding support for the Directorate • DOE: ASPB supports $7 bil- plant science research and educa- Priorities for Plant Biology of Biological Sciences. This lion for DOE’s Office of Science tion. When afforded the chance, ASPB urged robust funding at support includes the Plant in FY2020 with proportional ASPB representatives made sure increases for the Basic Energy federal research agencies for fis- Genome Research Program to point out that investments in Sciences and Biological and cal year (FY) 2020 to support and (PGRP), which furthers not plant science research will be a Environmental Research pro- spur revolutionary breakthroughs only fundamental knowledge critical part of efforts to develop grams. These programs support in producing nutritious foods, but also our ability to enhance more resilient crops, better biofu- dynamic research at the inter- sustainable energy, new medi- agricultural productivity, grow els, and other measures to mitigate face of plant biology and other cines, and medical treatments; nutritious foods, and diminish the impacts of climate change. scientific disciplines. ASPB also protecting our environment; and Hill meetings included personal the effects of devastating plant supports $400 million for the advancing our fundamental un- meetings with Rep. Elissa Slotkin parasites. Sustained funding Advanced Research Projects derstanding of plant biology. (D-MI) and Sens. Chuck Grassley growth over multiple years for Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) in (R-IA), Gary Peters (D-MI), • NSF: ASPB supports $9 billion PGRP will be critical to ad- FY2020. ARPA-E has proved Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and for NSF in FY2020 and en- dress many challenges of the to be a valuable program that Roger Wicker (R-MS). courages the greatest possible 21st century. advances high-impact energy

22 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 Science Policy

ASPB Science Policy Committee Members Nathan Springer Chair (2016–2020) University of Minnesota Harry Klee Immediate Past President (2019) University of Florida Jeffrey Chen (2017–2021) University of Texas at Austin Shandrea Stallworth Early Career Rep Science Policy Committee member Carolyn ASPB President Rob Last (center) and Science Policy (2017–2019) Lawrence-Dill meeting with Sen. Chuck Committee Chair Nathan Springer meeting with Sen. Debbie University of Mississippi Grassley (R-IA). Stabenow (D-MI). Jim Carrington (2015–2019) technologies, including bio- have the power to transform support for federal research agen- Donald Danforth Plant technology, that are important agricultural research. cies. Robust investments in these Science Center to the plant science community. • NIH: ASPB supports funding agencies and their programs are Neal Stewart • USDA: ASPB supports of $41.6 billion for NIH and vital, they argued, to ensuring (2015–2019) funding of $500 million for advocates increased support America’s ability to meet critical University of Tennessee the Agriculture and Food for plant science research challenges such as increasing crop Karen Koch production, achieving energy Research Initiative (AFRI). within NIH’s Centers and (2019–2020) independence, training the next AFRI administers competi- Institutes to continue the de- University of Florida generation of scientists and engi- tive funding for innovative velopment of lifesaving cures neers, and improving science Scott Jackson research on issues such as such as the ZMapp drug used education. These investments will (2018–2022) food security, global health, to combat the Ebola virus, a contribute to the already substan- University of Georgia and renewable energy that are medical breakthrough made tial economic impact of the agri- Carolyn Lawrence-Dill critical in maintaining global possible by plant science re- culture industry, which accounts (2018–2022) economic competitiveness. search. for nearly 5.5% ($992 billion) of Iowa State University ASPB also supports fund- ASPB recognizes the tight the U.S. gross domestic product Tyrone Spady ing of $1.821 billion for ARS fiscal environment facing the and 21.6 million jobs. ¢ and robust funding for new nation, and the Science Policy Staff Liaison Farm Bill programs, such as Committee members shared their Genome to Phenome, that appreciation for congressional

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 23 New Staff

Welcome New ASPB Staff Member Teressa Leath

Teressa Leath officially joined counting and finance experience. In her spare time, Teressa ASPB in January 2019 as the ac- She possesses a wide range of enjoys reading, dining out, and counting manager. However, she leadership skills, and she intends going to the theater. ¢ has been affiliated with ASPB to use her expertise to help ad- since May 2018. Teressa has a vance the overall functionality of BS in business administration/ the Finance and Administration finance with over 25 years of ac- Department.

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R6622 Tributes

William P. Jacobs (1919–2019) BY MARK JACOBS Arizona State University

illiam P. Jacobs, pro- fessor of biology, Wemeritus, at Princeton University and a renowned plant biologist who studied and ex- plained the hormonal basis of plant development, died March 3, 2019, in Princeton, New Jersey, two months short of his 100th birthday. A 1998 recipient of the Charles Reid Barnes Lifetime Achievement Award from ASPB and the author of more than 170 research articles, Bill was an early proponent of Bill with Jane, his wife of 70 years. Jane accompanied Bill to a number of quantitative techniques in plant ASPB meetings over the years. ASPB members who knew Bill would likely development research, plan- plant species and in many areas know Jane as well. ning experiments with multiple of plant development. He was a replicates and applying statisti- major contributor to the research cal measures of reliability to the reporting how a plant regenerates doctoral researcher in Bill’s lab. 40 years apart on “What Makes outcomes. The result was to bring its water- and sugar-transporting “His pioneering study published Leaves Fall” (1955) and auxin research in plant development tissues (the xylem and the in 1952 in the American Journal transport in Caulerpa (1994). into an age of reproducible experi- phloem) after it has sustained a of Botany opened the field of His book Plant Hormones and ments and sounder conclusions. wound to its stem. He found that, auxin research in vascular differ- Plant Development was published It was using these techniques again, changing levels of auxin in entiation by revealing that auxin in 1979 (Cambridge University to study the question of what previously undifferentiated stem produced in young leaves induces Press). makes leaves fall that led Bill to cells after a wound interrupts the and controls xylem regeneration Bill was born May 25, 1919, in the discovery that a leaf abscises transporting tissues lead them to around a wound.” Boston, attended Boston English when a decreased level of the plant differentiate into new xylem and Bill was generally interested High School, received his BA hormone auxin moves down the phloem tissue around the wound, in how plant hormones move from Harvard magna cum laude petiole attaching the leaf blade to allowing the plant to keep its through plants from their areas in 1942, and then joined the the plant as the leaf ages. Below a transporting “pipes” intact along of biosynthesis to their areas U.S. Army Medical Corps. After critical level of auxin, a specialized its soil-to-air axis. of action, and he studied that World War II, he entered a PhD layer of self-destructing cells—the “Bill was a world-class biolo- movement with different plant program in biology at Harvard, abscission layer—forms trans- gist who had a huge impact on hormones (auxin, gibberellin, obtaining his degree in 1946 versely across the petiole, weaken- the understanding of the abscisic acid, and cytokinins) with Ralph Wetmore. During ing the blade’s attachment to the hormonal control of vascular and in different plants (Coleus, postdoctoral study at Caltech, he plant until a minor wind current differentiation in plants,” said maize, zucchini, oats, pea, and the was lost for 11 days, while skiing can break the remaining connec- Roni Aloni, professor in the giant coenocytic alga Caulerpa) in the snows of Yosemite after a tion and the leaf falls off. Department of Molecular Biology throughout his career. In fact, he blizzard in the winter of 1946, Bill studied hormonal control and Ecology of Plants at Tel Aviv had major papers accepted and living on lichens and meltwater. of plant development in many University, who worked as a post- published in Scientific American continued on page 30

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 27 Tributes

Bob Rabson (1926–2019) BY MICHAEL R. SUSSMAN University of Wisconsin–Madison

obert Rabson passed away on March 1, 2019, just Rthree days shy of his 93rd birthday. Bob spent the greater part of his professional life em- ployed at DOE in the Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES), where he was the grant manager in a small but critical part of BES called the Energy Biosciences (EB) Division. Many of us in the plant science community owe a great deal to Bob, since, in his roles at DOE and as a member of the advisory board for the Bob with his daughter (left) and Barbara McClintock. McKnight Foundation, he was a steadfast supporter of funding for pure basic research in the plant tists and leaders. He served in the Austria, where he served for become Energy Biosciences, sciences. Bob helped many plant 86th Infantry Division during three years. In 1976, he returned he wrote, “While other DOE biologists obtain financial support World War II, then went to to the AEC (renamed the U.S. programs emphasize near- to to explore the frontiers of basic college with the GI Bill, first at Department of Energy in 1977), mid-term research and develop- plant research, for which our Brooklyn College, then Syracuse initially in the Division of ment needs, the [EB] program community is very grateful. His University, and then Cornell Biomedical and Environmental is oriented towards longer-term greatest joy was in helping young University, where he studied plant Science and ultimately as director and fundamental research. The scientists kick-start and nurture physiology, receiving a BS in 1951 of EB until his retirement in 1995. [EB] program aims at developing their careers, and the ASPB award and a PhD in 1956. Bob was a member of the broader and deeper understand- that his family has endowed in He was a postdoctoral fellow advisory board for the Research ing [of biological phenomena] his name is devoted to advancing at the Oak Ridge National School of Biology of the and places emphasis on develop- that goal. Laboratory in Tennessee. From Australian National University ment of understanding of funda- Bob was born in Brooklyn, 1958 to 1963, he was assistant from 1991 to 1995, a member of mental mechanisms.” New York, to Rose and Sam professor and then associate the plant science advisory board The ensuing years were the Rabson. As a boy, he enjoyed professor at the University of for the McKnight Foundation, a golden age in the development walking and camping along Houston. In 1963, he joined fellow of AAAS, and a member of new genetic and molecular the Appalachian Trail, and his the Civil Biology and Medicine and officer of the American biological tools, and Bob always love of plants developed during division of the Atomic Energy Society of Plant Physiologists. He felt fortunate to have helped a summer job at the Brooklyn Commission (AEC), where he was awarded the Adolph E. Gude, nurture this revolution. Yet he Botanical Garden. He attended served as assistant branch chief Jr. Award by ASPP in 1986. was also aware that molecular Stuyvesant High School in from 1967 to 1973. In 1973, Bob’s tenure at DOE was biology alone would not lead to Manhattan, one of the three Bob became the first officer of enormously impactful. Upon the “fundamental understanding” specialized science schools in the plant breeding and genetic the establishment of the small he envisioned: “Our conception is New York City that have spawned section of the International program within BES in 1979 that a whole constellation of tech- many of our country’s top scien- Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, that would grow and ultimately niques and studies, besides genet-

28 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019 Tributes

ic ones, constitute biotechnology and will be required for substan- tial progress,” he wrote in 1982. In 1985, shortly after his leader- ship in establishing the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center at the University of Georgia, he added, “Of considerable importance also will be efforts to encourage the utilization of the many powerful analytical tech- niques of chemistry in approach- ing difficult biological problems (e.g., nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, molecular structure studies using neutron and x-ray Bob giving a talk at an anniversary dinner diffraction, and others).” for Anton Lang, founding director of the Under Bob’s tenure, the Plant Research Laboratory at Michigan State Energy Biosciences program University. was always evolving, and he Bob as an associate professor at the University of Houston, thought that an essential part in the lab. of his mission was to support research outside the mainstream. “The program makes a deliberate to encourage collaborations and I got to know Bob in two very tions with scientists at meetings effort to identify and emphasize coordination among investigators. different parts of his, and my, and during his travels, the amaz- important research topic areas No one individual can be expert life—first, when I was a graduate ingly strong spirit and single- that have been relatively neglected in everything, nor can every lab student with Hans Kende at the minded determination that helped by the scientific community,” he afford to have all of the instrumen- PRL in the early 1970s, while Bob secure plant sciences funding wrote in 1990. He recognized the tation. The integration of varied was DOE BES program manager, through the thick and thin of this role of modest but longer-term approaches to problems including and then again, more recently, country’s political whims shone support of research in advancing genetics, physiology, biochemis- while he spent the last decade of through like a laser pointed, I felt, science in such areas: “The nature try, and others such as computa- his life in Madison, Wisconsin, at the struggling cells in his brain. of the [EB] program includes the tional and biophysical sciences will where his family helped him cope At Bob’s funeral, his daugh- support of high quality, long term certainly provide deeper insights with the struggles and frustra- ter read from a letter sent to the contemporary research. There are into biological functions and will tions of dementia, which many of family a few days before his pass- fields and problems where there be fostered where feasible.” For us have had personal experiences ing. It spoke appreciatively of a has been neglect despite perceived many years, Bob was “boss” at the with in our own families. One of time when the letter writer was importance, or the problem area Michigan State University Plant Bob’s favorite outings was to go a young assistant professor and has been refractory with the avail- Research Laboratory (PRL) and to a Chinese restaurant and eat gave a talk that Bob attended. able tools and thinking, or the advocate in Washington DC, and sweet and sour chicken. I had the Bob listened to the talk and then experimental system requires an many of the scientists currently honor of accompanying him and invited the individual to submit extensive investment of time and in leadership roles in the plant his wife, Eileen, on those outings, a proposal for funding. After a effort before dividends may be science community benefited from and perhaps as a sign of the affinity positive review, Bob gave the anticipated.” their experiences there. It is diffi- that would accidentally place me in new faculty member a choice. He Holistic in his thinking and cult to overstate the impact Bob his sphere twice in our lifetime, I would support the project either cognizant that collaboration and had on plant biology, and it was discovered that their wedding and at 70% of the proposed budget interdisciplinary approaches the long-term research support anniversary are within five days of or at the full amount requested; were an essential ingredient of from the EB program that played my own date of birth. Although it the only condition was that if the science as he saw it, in 1993 he a critical role in establishing the was sometimes difficult to watch higher award was accepted, this wrote, “One important current careers of many of the top scien- him struggle recalling to me the scientist was not to submit any aspect of the program is the effort tists in our community. stories of his many earlier interac- continued on page 30

ASPB NEWS | VOLUME 46, NUMBER 3 29 Tributes

BOB RABSON suspect Bob was, and is, unique in toral scholars and faculty-level Barbra Rabson (John Silletto) continued from page 29 this creative and strong effort to early career scientists who have of Belmont, Massachusetts; and other proposals for the next three help budding young scientists. made contributions in the area of Laurel Rabson (Bill O’Brien) of years and would concentrate just If you wish to help foster this biological energy research. Madison, Wisconsin, and six on the DOE-funded research. same spirit, please send donations Bob is survived by his wife grandchildren: Mark Moritz- Bob wanted this assistant profes- (https://my.aspb.org/get-involved/ of 68 years, Eileen Klionsky Rabson, Daniel Moritz-Rabson, sor to be able to focus, publish, donations) to ASPB’s Robert Rabson, whom he met in 1947 Lewis Silletto, Elisabeth Silletto, and succeed. This was an amaz- Rabson Award, which was estab- while they were camp counsel- Russell O’Brien, and Hanna ingly wise and generous approach lished in 2012 in recognition of ors. He is also survived by their O’Brien. Another daughter, Lisa and advice that many other grant Bob’s steadfast advocacy of plant children Michael Rabson (Debbie Rabson, died in 1979. ¢ managers might use, although I biology and recognizes postdoc- Moritz) of Atherton, California;

WILLIAM P. JACOBS that no one had ever uncovered the extremities of the plants,” said fellowship in 1967. In addition continued from page 27 before. He particularly enjoyed Cliff LaMotte, professor emeritus to ASPB, Jacobs was a member He wrote about the experience for attending international scientific at Iowa State University, who of AAAS, the Botanical Society The Boston Globe. The story was meetings because of the friend- worked as Bill’s first postdoctoral of America, the British Society reprinted as a booklet titled “Lost ships he could reaffirm each time associate in 1961. “That was the for Experimental Biology, in the Snows of the Yosemite.” with the international family of reputation that attracted me to the Japanese Society of Plant In 1983, when the Globe reached scientists he felt represented his him.” Cliff said that Bill was a Physiologists, the International out to Jacobs for a follow-up, the true colleagues. He also carefully lively instructor who occasionally Phycological Society, the newspaper quoted him as saying planned his frequent sabbaticals would jump up on a table during International Society for Plant he became a scientist “because from Princeton to allow him and a lecture and “hold forth from Morphologists, the American it seemed to be one of the few his family to explore new cultures there. Bill was a wonderful guy, Society for Photobiology, and the creative activities in American and places from which the whole always ebullient, always zestful, American Institute of Biological life where most of the pressures family could learn and benefit. always enthusiastic—an almost Sciences, among others. that one could anticipate would Bill’s courses at Princeton flamboyant character.” He is survived by his wife, Jane help one to live up to one’s ideals, included introductory botany and Bill conducted research in a Shaw Jacobs; two children, Mark where one would have a mini- biology as well as advanced studies range of laboratories around the of Phoenix, Arizona, and Anne mum of bosses, and yet where of plant development. His inter- world, including the Bahamas, of West Windsor, New Jersey; one could expect to earn a stable, est in pedagogy led him to serve Cuba, England, Italy, and a sister, Mary Jacobs Brown of adequate living. So far as biology on a committee studying the role Switzerland. He worked as an Worcester, Massachusetts; five is concerned, my guesses turned of botany in college curricula for adviser to NASA, serving on a grandchildren; and six great- out to be correct.” the Botanical Society of America space biology advisory panel grandchildren. ¢ Bill joined the faculty of biol- and another on innovation in lab in 1976 and 1978 and a Space ogy at Princeton University in instruction for the revision of high Shuttle/Salyut payloads study This article includes content from 1948 and remained at Princeton school biology curricula under the group in 1978. Along with NASA, a notice from the Princeton Univer­ until his retirement in 1989. aegis of the American Institute of his research was sponsored by sity Office of Communications that He loved being a professional Biological Sciences. NSF, the Office of Naval Research, first appeared on the Princeton scientist and eschewed chances “Bill was, in some regards, a the U.S. Army, the American University website on March 15, 2019. to leave his pure research and real pioneer in the relationship Cancer Society, and the Hoyt teaching position at Princeton to between plant hormones—espe- Foundation. head departments or schools as cially the growth hormone—and Among his many awards, Bill an administrator. He loved actu- the development of key anatomi- received the Dimond Prize from ally carrying out research in the cal features in plants, like the the Botanical Society of America laboratory and getting new results vascular tissues that connected in 1975 and a Guggenheim

30 ASPB NEWS | MAY/JUNE 2019

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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.