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Leeann Thornton is a professor of biology at The College of New Jersey and the director of the first-year seminar program.
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The potato industry benefits from new tuber research published in The Plant Cell Researchers have discovered a game changer for the potato industry. According to a new study published in a leading international society journal published by the American Society of Plant Biologists, a small genetic element is the cause of a major production … Read more
Blog by Rebecca Roston, Chair, ASPB Women in Plant Biology Committee In honor of US Women’s History Month, the Women in Plant Biology Committee of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) is thrilled to celebrate the remarkable women who have shaped and continue to shape our field. We’re calling on YOU to nominate exceptional … Read more
ASPB established the Plant Biology Learning Objectives, Outreach Materials, & Education (Plant BLOOME) grant program with the goal to enhance public awareness and understanding of the essential roles of plants in all areas of life (http://bloome.aspb.org). Congratulations to the 2023 ASPB Plant BLOOME grant recipients! Engaging high school students in the Springfield Massachusetts Public Schools … Read more
As the highly successful term of current Editor-in-Chief of The Plant Cell is coming to an end, the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) is seeking a prominent plant scientist to assume the duties and responsibilities of Editor-in-Chief of The Plant Cell, effective January 1, 2025. ASPB’s Editor Search Committee is charged with evaluating candidates for … Read more
To create a transparent, consistent, and equitable process to provide assistance with membership dues to current and potential ASPB members, ASPB has implemented a formal process by which those in the plant science community can request a discounted or free membership. The goal of the Board-approved hardship dues reduction program is to provide a mechanism … Read more
The plant science community is invited to submit proposals for workshops to be held during Plant Biology 2023. The deadline for workshop proposal submissions is November 20, 2022. The Program Committee will review the proposals for currency (new and up-to-date information), and their relevance and value to the community. The committee also encourages submissions from … Read more
Read these question-and-response documents to learn what it is like to serve as an Early Career Representative (ECR) on different ASPB Committees. As you read these responses from ECRs serving on various committees, you may find that the function and responsibilities of a specific committee “speak to you.” Contemplate what you hope to accomplish by … Read more
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) released the latest episode of its “Genome Insider” podcast, “Better Crops With a Pointillist Approach to Plant Genomics,” featuring speakers from the “Single Cell and Spatial Biology Across the Plant Kingdom” concurrent symposium that took place on Sunday, July 10, at Plant Biology 2022. In … Read more
Many thanks to those members who took the time to vote this summer; and hearty congratulations to our incoming president-elect, Leeann Thornton, and secretary-elect, Ian Wallace! Additionally, the recognition of Tzyy Jen Chiou, Andreas Schaller, and Nicholas Smirnoff as Enid MacRobbie Corresponding members was overwhelmingly ratified by the ASPB membership. Leann and Ian will begin … Read more
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute made waves with the announcement of its Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program, a new program supporting early career researchers (ECRs) who fulfill the program’s goals of not only advancing their fields of research but also “diversity, equity, and inclusion through their mentorship and understanding of the experiences of trainees from races … Read more
Leeann Thornton is a professor of biology at The College of New Jersey and the director of the first-year seminar program.
The undeniable reality is that meaningful science cannot be siloed, and scientists cannot operate in a socioeconomic and political void. In principle, the success of science in society requires two pillars: scientific achievement and clear communication of outcomes to the public. The paramount importance of clear communication has been long recognized; for example, the Greek … Read more
Each year, ASPB’s Women in Plant Biology Committee makes travel awards to enable early career women investigators to attend the Plant Biology conference. The goal of the competitive process that underpins the Women’s Young Investigator Travel Award (WYITA) program is to increase the attendance of early career women investigators at Plant Biology meetings by providing … Read more
ASPB is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2022 awards, which honor distinction in service, outreach, education, and research. Adolph E. Gude Jr. Award Beronda Montgomery, Michigan State University Charles Albert Shull Award Lucia Strader, Duke University Charles Reid Barnes Life Membership Award Peggy Lemaux, University of California, Berkley Charles … Read more
The ASPB Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURFs) fund promising undergraduate students to conduct research in plant biology during the early part of their college careers. Successful applicants receive a $4,000 summer stipend, membership in ASPB, and $700 (paid to the mentor or their institution) for materials and supplies. Each fellowship also provides a $575 stipend … Read more
Current and former members of the ASPB Program and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committees shared their insights on what makes an abstract compelling and engaging and how to appeal to the broad audience expected at Plant Biology 2022, taking place in Portland, Oregon, July 9–13. The goal of the webinar was to encourage and assist researchers across the … Read more
Climate change knows no borders. This obvious truth, and the well-recognized impacts of global warming on agriculture and food security, as well as the broad scope of individual and organizational efforts to ameliorate this urgent threat, were on display at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on October 31–November … Read more
As a leading society in our field, ASPB has an obligation to advocate not only for plant science, but also for plant scientists. We are not fulfilling our obligations to the latter if we stand by as members from groups that have been historically marginalized continue to face exclusionary practices, taunting, and harassment from others … Read more
Late last week, a passionate conversation erupted around a critically important topic in the plant science community: diversity and the inclusion of minoritized groups in visible roles at conferences, including IPMB2022. ASPB has been tagged in the conversations, and our delay in responding—our silence—allowed an unacceptable situation to get worse. Although ASPB has been assisting … Read more
As the President of ASPB, I’m writing to offer my sincere apologies to Thelma Madzima and the entire community. The recent events in regard to IPMB have demonstrated our shortcomings and urgent need to address the issue of diversity and inclusion, and our obligation to address the social and moral challenges we are facing. The … Read more