Lewis-Burke Associates LLC – October 1, 2018 The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released two new solicitations for one of its 10 Big Ideas, Understanding the Rules of Life (URoL): Epigenetics; and Building a Synthetic Cell – An Ideas Lab Activity. Led by the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), URoL goals are to better understand … Read more
We have been charged by ASPB to conduct a search for the next Editor-in-Chief of The Plant Cell. Back in March of this year, we began the search process by meeting as a group to discuss potential candidates for this important role. We invited candidates and issued a call for nominations to the community. CVs … Read more
Congratulations to the 2018-2019 class of the ASPB Conviron Scholars Program. These scholars were selected from a strongly competitive group of over 200 applicants. Read more about each awardee. Special thanks to Conviron for making this program possible through their financial support. Bryce Askey, University of Florida, US Carl Branch, University of Minnesota, US … Read more
We’ve been hard at work down here in North Carolina, laying the groundwork for our BLOOME project, “Widely Accessible Virtual Reality Exhibits and Workshops for Plant Biology Education.” We’re on the doorstep of our first public release, a ‘teaser trailer’ of sorts. This is a virtual reality experience that will launch directly in your web browser … Read more
The discovery of the gene behind stem juiciness in sweet sorghum could have huge agricultural implications Sorghum, the fifth most popular crop worldwide, is used to create many products in the United States and is widely consumed by people in developing countries. The discovery of a crucial gene controlling stem juiciness in sorghum has important … Read more
ASPB is pleased to announce that The Taproot, a Plantae podcast, has received a Gold EXCEL award for excellence in DIGITAL MEDIA: Podcast (Other category) from the Association Media and Publishing. The EXCEL Awards recognize excellence and leadership in nonprofit association media, publishing, marketing, and communications. Winners received their awards during the Annual EXCEL Awards … Read more
In the United States, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other stakeholders have called for transformation in undergraduate biology education via the Vision and Change report. The core message of the Vision and Change initiative is a focus on student-centered learning with students as active participants. Some … Read more
Representatives of ASPB will be attending two major conferences in China this October. The first is the National Congress of Plant Biology (NCPB; http://www.ncpb.net/2018/index.php/Index/), to be held October 18 – 22 in Tai’an, China, and the second is the World Life Science Conference (WLSC; http://wlsc2018.csi.org.cn/), to be held October 27 – 29 in Beijing, China. … Read more
We all know that your PhD studies and postdoc prepare you for a career in academia. Your advisor, who has been pursuing a career in academia, should be able to advise you on submitting your research to journals, writing grants, and interviewing for other academic jobs, but may not have much to say about careers … Read more
Preparing graduate students and postdocs for diverse careers Changes in the workforce are challenging academia to prepare scientists to be adaptable and adept at communicating across boundaries. To meet these demands, the Plant Science Research Network (PSRN, plantae.org/PSRN) is shifting the focus to enable trainees to take ownership of their training experiences. “Since President Lincoln … Read more
At Plant Biology 2018, the ASPB Education and Outreach booth featured a variety of resources for visitors with multiple booth guests sharing helpful teaching tools and outreach activities. Long time education committee member Scott Woody made it across the Canadian border with his FPsc (fast plants, self-compatible) and genetic resources to share with conference attendees. … Read more
Students learn better when they are actively engaged in course material. For the sciences, this translates into involving them in original research experiences. Research experiences for undergraduates in our research labs are a valuable opportunity for all concerned, but these spaces are limited. We may all acknowledge that providing research experiences for all our majors … Read more
The education concurrent symposium at Plant Biology 2018 attracted a wide array of scientists committed to the importance of educating the public and students about topics in plant biology. Each speaker presented a creative way to generate knowledge and excitement about scientific discovery either to students in the classroom or to the public via various … Read more
The ASPB Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) fund promising undergraduate students so they can conduct research in plant biology during the early part of their college careers. SURF recipients must present their research at ASPB’s annual Plant Biology meeting in the year following the fellowship award. Two 2017 SURF recipients share how their undergraduate research … Read more
ASPB’s Master Educator Program offers financial support to successful applicants to participate in focused, substantive, and practical professional development with the aim of creating undergraduate plant biology instructional materials aligned with the recommendations of Vision and Change and ASPB’s core concepts in plant biology (http://www.aspb.org/education-outreach/higher-education/). Congratulations to the 2018 winner, Dong Wang (Assistant Professor, Department of … Read more
ASPB established the Plant Biology Learning Objectives, Outreach Materials & Education (BLOOME) grant program (the name changed over time) with the goal to enhance public awareness and understanding of the essential roles of plants in all areas of life. Congratulations to the three 2018 ASPB Plant BLOOME recipients! Widely Accessible Virtual Reality Exhibits and Workshops … Read more
CALL FOR PAPERS! The Plant Cell 30th Anniversary Collection: Rethinking the Past and Shaping the Future of Plant Biology Deadline for submission: June 30, 2019 In celebration of 30 years of publishing the best research in plant molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, we encourage authors to submit their most exciting new results for consideration for a … Read more
Discovery of the biosynthetic pathway of a plant metabolite lays the groundwork for its use as an anti-diabetes drug. Montbretin A (MbA), a natural compound with great potential for the treatment of type-2 diabetes, was discovered in the ornamental plant montbretia ten years ago, but it can’t be produced on a large scale until its … Read more
Thank you for attending Plant Biology 2018! Here’s your guide for Wednesday and Thursday and as always, when in doubt, you can check the schedule and the conference app, or stop by Registration and ask one of our friendly volunteers. There’s even more information on the Plant Biology 2018 network on Plantae, including a bit … Read more
Thank you for attending Plant Biology 2018! Here’s your guide for Tuesday and as always, when in doubt, you can check the schedule and the conference app, or stop by Registration and ask one of our friendly volunteers. There’s even more information on the Plant Biology 2018 network on Plantae, including a bit of tourist … Read more