Submit Your Abstract for Plant Biology 2021

The Plant Biology 2021 Worldwide Summit will be virtual again this year, taking place online July 19-23, 2021.  As always, the program will provide a rich mix of scientific content in plenary talks, concurrent symposia, virtual posters, professional development workshops, a virtual exhibit hall, and ample opportunities for small-group networking. Building on the success of … Read more

The announcement you have been waiting for: the Plant Biology 2021 Worldwide Summit

Are you ready for the Plant Biology 2021 Worldwide Summit? As we completed the final session of Plant Biology 2020, our thoughts quickly turned to the following year and our excitement about gathering with you in Pittsburgh.  The 2020 Worldwide Summit was a resounding success, with 2,700 participants from 56 countries.  However, all want to … Read more

President’s Letter—Moving Forward

There’s a carving of a crocodile on the walls of the old Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge in honor of Ernest Rutherford, the father of nuclear physics. It was commissioned by Peter Kapitza, a Soviet Nobel laureate, and various legends attach to its significance. “The Crocodile” was Kapitza’s pet name for Rutherford, and it is a … Read more

Travel Awards for Plant Biology 2021 for Faculty from the Primarily Undergraduate Institutions Section

The American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) is a leader in developing and supporting professional development opportunities for members at all career stages and who are at different types of institutions. In an effort to boost inclusivity in research at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), ASPB is offering a PUI workshop on the morning of July … Read more

2021 ASPB Ambassador Applications Now Open

Apply Now: Deadline to apply:  February 28, 2021 Open to members: Not a member – JOIN NOW by creating an account and then clicking JOIN APPLICATION Program summary:  The ASPB Ambassador Program was established to involve students, post-docs and industry scientists in communicating ASPB’s mission to plant biologists and to the general public.  The program … Read more

Introducing Changing Cultures and Climates, a new online resource for equity, diversity, and inclusion

The American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), in partnership with the North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee (NAASC), is excited to announce the creation of an online hub for collecting resources aimed at improving diversity and inclusion in the plant sciences.  The mission of Changing Cultures and Climates is to provide information that supports and promotes … Read more

Nominations Opening Soon for 2021 ASPB Awards!

The time to recognize and honor excellence among our fellow plant scientists is Approaching The 2021 Call for Award Nominations will be sent to ASPB members on January 4, 2021, and nominations will be due by Friday, February 19. ASPB encourages you to participate in the 2021 awards program by nominating highly deserving individuals. Please … Read more

Farewell—and Profound Thanks—to Nancy Winchester

It is with mixed feelings that ASPB announces that Nancy Winchester, ASPB’s director of publications, will be retiring in the New Year: happy for Nancy, sad for ASPB. Nancy joined ASPB on December 1, 1997, and her 23 years as the Society’s publications director have overlapped with extraordinary upheaval in the scholarly publishing industry. We … Read more

President’s Letter—Here’s Hoping

This year has lasted a decade. As we pivoted from crammed lecture halls to online teaching, and from bustling, energized labs to working shifts and eating lunch on our own, we adapted to a new normal that still feels anything but normal. I’m nostalgic for holding lab meetings and grant review panels in person, talking … Read more

Letter Urging Continued Support for AFRI (FY21)

The AFRI Coalition sends letter to Chairman Hoeven, Ranking Member Merkley, Chairman Bishop, and Ranking Member Fortenberry (members of the U.S. Senate and House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittees) regarding fiscal year 2021 spending proposals. The AFRI Coalition commends you for your support of USDA’s Agriculture & Food Research Initiative (AFRI) and urges $435 million for AFRI … Read more

Agency Update: NIH Releases Final Data Management and Sharing Policy

As part of its ongoing work to standardize and promote the sharing of data generated from biomedical research, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published its final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing (DMS) on October 29, 2020.  The final policy is the culmination of several recent efforts from NIH in this space, including … Read more

ASPB 2021 Call for Workshop Proposals

Planning for the Plant Biology 2021 conference is well underway. The ASPB Program Committee is pleased to invite members of our community to submit proposals for workshops to be held during the conference. Please complete and submit this form before December 4, 2020 to guarantee review for potential inclusion in the Plant Biology 2021 program. … Read more

Agency Update: DOE Ready to Launch New Portal For Application Submissions for EERE Research and Development Opportunities

On November 2, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will launch a new portal to list all future funding opportunities and submit applications for renewable energy and energy efficiency programs.  Fiscal year (FY) 2021 application submissions will be through the new portal, while open opportunities published prior to November 2 will continue to be managed … Read more

Engineering Drought-Resistant Crops with Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) Photosynthesis

This work examines requirements for introducing CAM and alternative water-saving pathways into C3 plants in different environments. ASPB is pleased to announce the publication of noteworthy research investigating water-saving alternatives for photosynthesis in temperate environments, which are likely to become hotter and drier in the future. Drought causes major crop losses in many regions of … Read more

Funding Opportunity: NSF Releases Mid-Career Advancement Program Solicitation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently released a solicitation for the new Mid-Career Advancement (MCA) program.  NSF recognizes that while the mid-career timeframe is essential for advancing research, many faculty have to balance research with other demands, such as teaching and service activities.  Through this solicitation, NSF intends to support “protected time” to mid-career researchers … Read more

Help ASPB Push Back – Hard! – Against the DHS’s Proposed New Rules for International Students

Whether you are a citizen of, resident in, or visitor to the United States, the Trump Administration’s proposed new rules for F & J visa holders are bound to adversely impact you and your research projects, sooner or later. If implemented, these new rules from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would also severely … Read more

ASPB’s Response to Proposed DHS Rulemaking on Student Visas

On behalf of the thousands of members of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), we write to express our opposition to the proposal titled “Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media.” (DHS Docket No. ICEB2019-0006). This … Read more