Washington Update: Agencies Release Website for Biotechnology Regulation

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Following the streamlining of biotechnology regulations in the fall of 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) have launched the “Unified Website for Biotechnology Regulation.”  This website comes as part of the Trump Administration’s broader effort to streamline the regulation of biotechnology that was kicked … Read more Washington Update: Agencies Release Website for Biotechnology Regulation

Washington Update: DOE Releases Sustainable Bioenergy Crops Solicitation

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On January 10, the Department of Energy (DOE) released its fifth funding call under the Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program, and the second for its Biological Sciences program.  The “Systems Biology Research to Advance Sustainable Bioenergy Crop Development” solicitation provides a total of $15 million in fiscal year (FY) 2020 and $75 million over … Read more Washington Update: DOE Releases Sustainable Bioenergy Crops Solicitation

Washington Update: ASPB Nominee Named to BIO AC

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Dr. C. Robertson “Rob” McClung, who served as ASPB President from 2007 to 2008, has been named as the newest member of the National Science Foundation’s Biological Sciences Directorate (BIO) Advisory Committee (AC).  Dr. McClung, currently a Professor of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth College, was nominated by ASPB based on his expertise and leadership in … Read more Washington Update: ASPB Nominee Named to BIO AC

Washington Update: Administration Nominates National Science Foundation Director

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The Administration has announced its nomination of Dr. Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan, Executive Vice President at Arizona State University, to be the next Director of NSF following the pending conclusion of Dr. France Córdova’s term this spring.  By training, Dr. Panchanathan is an electrical and computer engineer.  Among several possible changes, Dr. Panchanathan’s nomination brings with … Read more Washington Update: Administration Nominates National Science Foundation Director

ASPB in the Windy City – NABT 2019

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Chicago was home to this year’s National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) professional development conference, held from November 14th – 17th, 2019 at the Sheraton Grand.  Over 1500 educators and administrators representing all levels of education attended this year’s event, which boasts itself as the largest national conference dedicated exclusively to life science education. The … Read more ASPB in the Windy City – NABT 2019

Nominations Opening Soon for 2020 ASPB Awards!

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The time to recognize and honor excellence among our fellow plant scientists is approaching The 2020 Call for Award Nominations will be sent to ASPB members on January 3, 2020, and nominations will be due by Wednesday, February 19. ASPB encourages you to participate in the 2020 awards program by nominating highly deserving individuals. Please … Read more Nominations Opening Soon for 2020 ASPB Awards!

Applications now open for the 2020 Plantae Fellows program

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Are you a creative, articulate and web-savvy plant scientist looking to connect with other like-minded folks? We need your help to nurture and grow Plantae, the online community for the global plant science community.  We are looking for individuals who are interested in becoming highly engaged by creating and curating content, facilitating and hosting discussions and … Read more Applications now open for the 2020 Plantae Fellows program

Plantae Internships and conference updates from the PSRN

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The Plant Science Research Network attends two conferences each fall to support undergraduate research and education: SACNAS and ABRCMS. Connecting undergraduate students to research opportunities in the plant sciences is a goal of the PSRN, which curates resources to support student research, careers, and connection to the plant science community. If you were not with … Read more Plantae Internships and conference updates from the PSRN

President’s Letter—The Transparency Project

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The word transparent has multiple meanings. For us scientists, we might first think of a solution in a tube or vial being transparent, defined by Merriam-Webster as “having the property of transmitting light without appreciable scattering so that bodies lying beyond are seen clearly”. As in, did your chemical dissolve? But the transparency to which … Read more President’s Letter—The Transparency Project

Funding Opportunity: NSF Releases New Microbiome Solicitation Under Rules of Life Big Idea

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The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a new solicitation as part of the Understanding the Rules of Life (URoL) Big Idea, entitled Understanding the Rules of Life: Microbiome Theory and Mechanisms (URoL:MTM).  In the this cross-directorate effort, NSF plans to invest between $12 million and $15 million to better understand the theoretical and mechanistic … Read more Funding Opportunity: NSF Releases New Microbiome Solicitation Under Rules of Life Big Idea

Washington Update: House Agriculture Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Implementation of Farm Bill Research Programs

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On October 17, the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research held a hearing to review the implementation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s 2018 Farm Bill research programs with testimony from Deputy Undersecretary for Research, Education and Economics Scott Hutchins.  This hearing comes after the Farm Bill was reauthorized in December … Read more Washington Update: House Agriculture Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Implementation of Farm Bill Research Programs

Conviron Scholars 2020 – Applications Now Open

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ASPB and Conviron are delighted to announce an exciting opportunity to nurture the next generation of plant scientists. Open to exceptional undergraduate and graduate students studying plant biology, the ASPB Conviron Scholars program delivers an experience intended to serve as a foundation for a career in plant science. Applications welcome from any country.  Students who … Read more Conviron Scholars 2020 – Applications Now Open

Support the Creation of an Early Career Researcher Section of ASPB

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It is proposed that ASPB establish a new section that is organized around Early Career Researchers (students, post-docs, scientists in transition, and generally anyone who self-identifies as an Early Career Researcher). The creation of this section will benefit ECRs currently within the society by establishing a formal means of communication among the ECR leadership, as … Read more Support the Creation of an Early Career Researcher Section of ASPB

Halfway to Establishing the New Primarily Undergraduate Institution Section

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BY ANDREAS MADLUNG University of Puget Sound For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to focus my career on working with students; designing curricula, lesson plans, and lab activities; and passing on my excitement about living things to anyone who might share this interest. While in graduate … Read more Halfway to Establishing the New Primarily Undergraduate Institution Section

Press Release – Blake Meyers Appointed Next Editor of The Plant Cell

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Rockville, Maryland, October 21, 2019 – The American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Blake C. Meyers to serve as editor-in-chief of The Plant Cell beginning January 1, 2020. The Plant Cell publishes novel research of particular significance in plant biology, especially in the areas of cellular biology, molecular … Read more Press Release – Blake Meyers Appointed Next Editor of The Plant Cell

Registration and Abstracts Are OPEN for Phenome 2020!

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The survey results are in, and over 88% of Phenome 2019 attendees would recommend this conference to their colleagues! So we are pleased to invite you to the fourth annual Phenome conference, Phenome 2020, which will be held from February 24-27, 2020 at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, AZ. You asked and we listened: … Read more Registration and Abstracts Are OPEN for Phenome 2020!

Washington Update: NSF Announces Next Phase of Reintegrating Biology Initiative

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October 2019 Washington Update – Prepared by Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC for the American Society of Plant Biologists Following their Town Halls in September, the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Reintegrating Biology Initiative has announced the next phase of the process.  Reintegrating Biology will convene four “Jumpstarts”, two and a half-day workshops to “develop new and innovative … Read more Washington Update: NSF Announces Next Phase of Reintegrating Biology Initiative

Washington Update: NIFA Relocation

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October 2019 Washington Update – Prepared by Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC for the American Society of Plant Biologists Employees of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Economic Research Service (ERS) have begun work in Kansas City, with the first report-to-work date occurring on September 30.  Although the agencies have begun to hire new … Read more Washington Update: NIFA Relocation

Press Release – Gene Responsible for Lutein Esterification in Bread Wheat Identified

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The activity of this gene controls the timing of esterification in grain, which is related to storage and nutritional qualities of bread wheat and other grains. This work provides insight into the timing and control of esterification, related to storage and nutritional qualities of bread wheat and other grains. ASPB is pleased to announce the … Read more Press Release – Gene Responsible for Lutein Esterification in Bread Wheat Identified